Homemade ORS Recipe: Namak Cheeni Ghol for Loose Motions (Video)

Transcript

Simple Hydration for Diarrhea

When stomach bugs strike, a homemade salt-sugar drink can be a lifesaver. Let’s see how to make it right.

Recipe in a nutshell

You need just a litre of water, six level teaspoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt. The exact ratio is what makes it work.

At a glance

Boil the water, let it cool, then add the measured sugar and salt. Keep it covered for a day, then discard and make fresh.

Why the ratio matters

Loose stools pull water and salts out faster than you think. Plain water isn’t absorbed well, and salt alone just makes you thirstier. The right mix of sugar and salt lets the gut take in water more readily.

Taste test

If it tastes saltier than tears, you’ve added too much salt. Start again.

Making the drink

If you have a commercial packet, use that. Otherwise, boil about 1.2 L of water, let it cool completely, then measure exactly one litre. Add six level teaspoons of sugar, level each spoon, then half a teaspoon of regular table salt. Stir well.

How much to sip

Give the fluid slowly. For babies under two, a quarter to half a cup every minute or two works. Older children can take small sips from a cup, and adults can sip steadily as much as they want.

Traditional remedies

Many families first offer thin rice water with a pinch of salt, or yogurt mixed with rice. Traditional Unani and Ayurveda advice also calls for simple, easy-to-digest foods. The homemade ORS is just a precise version of those age-old tricks.

When ORS isn’t enough

Homemade ORS works for mild to moderate diarrhea. It isn’t a substitute for professional care when dehydration becomes serious.

Seek medical help

If a baby hasn’t wet a diaper for six hours, has no tears when crying, or shows a sunken soft spot, get a doctor. Also call for help if there’s blood or black stool, vomiting that won’t let you keep any sips, very dark urine, confusion, fainting, fast breathing, high fever, or diarrhea lasting more than two days in an adult.

Myths to avoid

Soft drinks and packaged juices have too much sugar and almost no salt, so they can worsen diarrhea. More salt doesn’t speed recovery; an over-salty drink can be harmful, especially for kids. Lemon water with sugar and salt may taste nice after recovery, but it isn’t a measured ORS.

Kitchen shortcut

Stick a strip of tape on a one-litre bottle that reads ‘ORS: 6 tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt’. Keep it next to clean spoons. When someone’s sick at night, you won’t have to remember the numbers.

Heat and travel

In hot weather, diarrhea and heat dry you out even faster. The same homemade ORS helps with heat exhaustion, fever, or a long train ride. If you’re on the move, keep a few pre-measured packets handy instead of trying to scoop spoons on a moving vehicle.

Take care

For the full details, read the post on thecareonline.com. Remember, this is general advice, not a substitute for professional medical care.