My #momsays and science proves: Have saunf for loose motions

When the stomach’s unstoppable, fennel seeds can be your saving grace. This home remedy for loose motions is sure to work!
home remedy for loose motions
This home remedy will save your visits to the toilet. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Sonakshi Kohli Published: 11 Jan 2020, 17:00 pm IST
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That’s the thing about chilling and letting loose sometimes: If you take it too literally on a certain day out and end up eating absolutely crass food off the streets, you won’t have to do much about letting loose, anyway. Simply because your sensitive stomach will let itself loose as an answer to your over-adventurous eating streak.

You know what I mean, right? Well, I hope you do, as I have no intention and strength (thanks to my out-of-control motions draining out every chicken momo and gol gappa from my body) to even get into the nasty/gross details of when a disturbed digestive system wreaks havoc in your life.

I do, however, have all the willingness in the world to share yet another mom’s miracle that helped me get through the loose times.

Presenting: Fennel seeds, a.k.a., saunf from mommy’s kitchen
What’s used by mommy to add flavour to her daily cup of chai was presented to me as an antidote for my loose motions.

No points for guessing, I dismissed the notion, as a solution for my motion, because when a bowel-controlling medicine with a name like ‘rocco’ couldn’t roko anything, how could the tiny fennel seeds make a difference?

But mom being mom did as she pleased
From adding fennel seeds while boiling my drinking water to forcing me to chew the hell out of a teaspoon of them after every liquid meal (a yucky dalia/khichdi/juice) I had, mom made sure I was having a generous dose of fennel seeds, some way or the other.

And so, fennel seeds became the new ‘rocco’ of my life
More than the medicine, it was mom’s home remedy that helped my loose motions turn into somewhat semi-solid ones. Sure it sounds gross, but I have to give credit to mom for putting up with me and being super confident about her non-existent medical degree.

However, my home doctor’s got science’s back
According to a study, published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, fennel seed extract/tea can bring your digestive system back on track and is super-effective in treating an upset stomach, flatulence, and diarrhoea.

stomach cancer
Stomach pain along with loose motions can be quite annoying. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

In fact, another study, published in the Arabian Journal of Chemistry, talks about the presence of antioxidants in fennel seeds in abundance, which, as y’all know, can drain the harmful toxins from your body and help your disturbed digestive system further.

That’s not it. Delhi-based dietician, Rashim Malhotra too supports mom’s remedy and says, “Fennel seeds are rich in fibre and thus, can bulk up your otherwise-watery excreta, making its consistency thicker. Plus, certain oils present in them possess anti-inflammatory properties and help in the secretion of the right kind of enzymes in the gut, thereby improving digestion.”

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Also read: Here are 5 gut-wrenching things that can happen when you self-medicate with antibiotics

Chronic disease educator at Apollo Clinic, Bangalore, Dr. Gausiya, adds, “Saunf has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties that can help one get rid of the bacteria causing gassiness in case of food poisoning or an upset stomach.”

Finally, Avni Kaul, nutritionist, wellness coach, and founder of her Delhi-based clinic, NutriActivania recommends the perfect way of using fennel seeds to cure mild loose motions/upset stomach: “You can roast 2-3 teaspoons of fennel seeds in a pan, allow them to cool, and add the same amount of sugar to them. Chew this mixture and have a glass of lukewarm water after swallowing it. Repeat this after every few hours for results.”

But, be warned, ladies. If unlike me, you’ve got a severely upset stomach, you’ve got to see a doc, okay?

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About the Author

Twenty kilos down and struggling to maintain the weight loss by preaching healthy eating, while eating unhealthy every now and then. ...Read More

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