Why do I get diarrhoea after taking alcohol?

I occasionally take alcohol and although I have not had any problems before, nowadays, even small amounts cause diarrhoea. Why?  Amos

Dear Amos,
Even moderate alcohol consumption is still not healthy. Therefore, getting diarrhoea after taking small amounts of alcohol can be a healthy deterrent to something not necessarily required to live a healthy life.

The body has its ways of trying to eliminate any substance it deems toxic by vomiting or through diarrhoea. Alcohol, especially if taken in large amounts on an empty stomach may irritate the digestive system, leading to failure to absorb food and water resulting in diarrhoea. 

However, one may still get diarrhoea after taking little amounts of alcohol if the alcohol contains an ingredient such as gluten, tannins and preservatives (that may cause reactions in the digestive system leading to diarrhoea) that causes diarrhoea, or if one has a medical condition such as irritable bowel syndrome that is known to be triggered by alcohol. 

Some of the measures that might help you is stopping alcohol intake and treating irritable bowel syndrome.

Alcohol may destabilise the existing intestinal small organisms leading to diarrhoea. Here, ceasing alcohol consumption will help. If you must drink, taking probiotics could help.

Is vaginal discharge normal for an 11-year-old?
I have noticed that my 11-year-old daughter gets a discharge that even stains her knickers. Is this normal? Annet

Dear Annet,
Puberty is when a child’s body begins to develop and change to that of an adult and for girls, around 11 years of age. However, increasingly, many are getting their period earlier (before eight years in what is referred to as precocious puberty). 

During puberty, girls begin to develop breasts, grow in size, get armpits hair and the pubis and start their period (some girls get clear white or sticky discharges before starting their period). 

Therefore, the discharge you have seen is likely to be pubertal.
That said, during the different lockdowns, a number of girls may have started engaging in sexual intercourse early, leading to sexually transmitted infections (STDs), which can cause a smelly yellow discharge. 

Please take your daughter to a doctor for tests to rule out pelvic infections and pregnancy or other health problems.
After the checks, the doctor will give advice on how your daughter can avoid STDs, early pregnancy and other health issues.

Treating stretch marks fast
A number of people often end up resorting to various beauty treatments to get rid of stretch marks. However, not many realise that chemical-laden beauty treatments also come with side-effects. In order to steer clear of the harmful side-effects, one can use some effective home remedies. 

Aloe vera
Aloe vera is a plant that helps regenerate skin tissue. Take the fresh gel from the leaf and massage onto the area with stretch marks and leave on for 20-30 minutes. Do it daily and wash off with lukewarm water.

Cocoa butter
The use of cocoa butter helps reduce stretch marks. The best time to use cocoa butter is at night, so massage it well into the skin and over a period of time you will find the stretch marks reducing and fading away.

Cucumber, lemon juice
Lemon juice’s natural acidity helps heal and reduce scars and cucumber juice provides the cool soothing effect, leaving your skin fresh. Mix lime juice and cucumber juice in equal parts, and apply the mixture on the affected areas till it gets soaked up by the skin. Leave it on for at least 10 minutes after which you can rinse it off using warm water.

Almond and coconut oil
Use almond and coconut oil in equal quantities to reduce stretch marks. Massage it on the skin regularly. 
Treating stretch marks the natural way will require time and patience but the results will be fruitful. 

Source: food.ndtv.com