Another potential cause of diarrhoea is the natural laxative effect of some fruits. Prunes, rhubarb and figs are well known for such properties, but other fruits can have similar, if milder, effects, and so can avocado pears. Eating too much of foods such as these may produce diarrhoea in the susceptible person. Eating beans, lentils, chickpeas or other legumes can also cause problems, especially if they have not been properly cooked. Shellfish are another common cause of diarrhoea – they quite often contain toxins that are not destroyed by cooking.
These are common reactions to food, or to food contaminants, which anyone might have. In food intolerance, there is a more specific reaction to one or more foods, which do not produce diarrhoea in most people. The sort of diarrhoea caused by food intolerance is likely to be fairly mild, although with occasional more acute attacks, perhaps in reponse to a change in diet, or to stress. There might also be periods when the bowel reverts to normal function for a while, or brief episodes of constipation. Opinions vary, but some doctors would classify this sort of chronic diarrhoea, without any pain, as a form of irritable bowel syndrome. It is therefore dealt with below, under that heading.
*138\180\8*
