Q: Why my stool is green and watery. Please tell me. Is it serious?

A: Running stomach, the runs or diarrhea can be due to several causes which include infections (viruses, bacteria etc), lactose intolerance, some medications, fructose (the sugar found in fruits) in people who cannot digest this, surgery, artificial sweeteners etc. In excessive amounts, coffee (which is implicated in heart burn) can cause diarrhea. The symptoms are loose watery stools which are accompanied by abdominal cramps/pain, urgent need to defecate etc.

In babies, green poo can be due to:

• Baby not nursing sufficiently from one breast before being moved to the other breast. This means that the baby gets more (watery) fore milk than the fattier, nutrient-dense hind milk.
• If baby is bottle-fed, it could be due to the particular formula being used. Try switching to another formula and see if it helps
• Diarrhea
• Inadequate intestinal flora in breastfed babies

Some causes of green poo in children and adults:

• Eating a lot of veggies
• Diet rich in iron
• Diarrhea
• Presence of green food dyes etc

The major issue with diarrhea is dehydration. This condition is evidenced by dry mouth/skin, excessive thirst, tiredness/fatigue, reduced urination etc. So, be sure to see your doctor immediately if you observe any of the symptoms of dehydration, loose stools continue for more than 2 days, if you have severe abdominal pain, high fever and/or bloody stools. At home, you can mix up a batch of oral rehydration salts and start on this before going to the hospital.

To prevent diarrhea, be sure to wash your hands often, especially before you eat.

I hope this helps 🙂