Let it flow, or not as the case may be

Caribbean Calmer: This sweet creamy drink tastes like nectar and is the next best thing to a meal when you may not feel like eating solid food. Pears and mangoes are wonderfully thirst quenching and calm an irritated gut. Women in the West Indies know all about the binding and soothing nature of mashed bananas, the first food they think of when their children have diarrhoea. Bananas reduce the level of harmful bacteria in the gut and their high level of natural sugars is ideal to replace those lost through diarrhoea. Cinnamon is highly antiseptic and will help to fight off infection.

* 75g (3oz) fresh mango
* 1 large or 2 small pears
* 1 banana
* 200ml (7fl oz) rice milk
* a pinch of ground cinnamon

Blend the fruit and rice milk together in a liquidizer and serve sprinkled with cinnamon.
1 serving

Romany Raspberry Cure: Raspberries must be unrivalled in sweetness and delicacy of flavour by any other soft fruit and make a sumptuous treat for a hot summer's day. By toning the lining of the digestive tract, raspberries have an astringent effect and protect the gut from irritation and inflammation. They contain natural antibiotics that help fight off infecting organisms in the gut as does honey which has deservedly won a place in the World Health Organisation's recipe to cure travellers' diarrhoea.

* 100g (4oz) fresh or frozen raspberries
* 2 tablespoons Greek natural yoghurt
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 2 tablespoons milk

Blend all the ingredients together and drink.
1 serving

American Blueberry Tea: This tangy blend of blueberries and lemons, put together easily in seconds, tastes great and with its blue-purple colour looks inviting. Its antiseptic and astringent properties make this tea one of the most popular American folk remedies for diarrhoea and infection in the gut. The high concentrations of antiviral and antibacterial compounds found in both blueberries and lemons explain their ability to ward off infection, notably E. coli, the bacteria most commonly associated with diarrhoea.

* 1 tablespoon blueberry jam
* 1 teaspoon honey
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 300ml (½ pint) boiling water

Place the jam, honey and lemon juice in a large mug. Pour on the boiling water, stirring to dissolve the jam. Cover and allow to infuse for 5 minutes before drinking.
1 serving

Recipe from Healing Drinks: Juices, Teas, Soups & Smoothies