Q: For people who are wondering what to eat when they have the stomach flu, what are the best foods for recovery?
- Salty crackers: The salt helps replace lost sodium and chloride, plus they're great for nausea.
- Broth-based soups: The salt is good here too and nothing like chicken or chicken noodle soup to settle an upset stomach.
- Rice: Bland foods like rice, toast, dry c...
What is the best remedy for stomach flu?
What is the best home remedy for stomach flu?
- Drink fluids. When battling the stomach flu, your number one priority is staying hydrated. ...
- Replenish electrolytes. Besides dehydration, diarrhea can cause a significant loss of electrolytes, throwing the body’s electrolytes off-balance.
- Eat small meals. ...
- Avoid irritating foods and drinks. ...
- Avoid certain medications. ...
- Rest. ...
- Practice good hygiene. ...
What medicine to take for a stomach flu?
“Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is often recommended for the stomach flu, unless you have liver disease,” Dr. Sonpal notes, since it relieves aches, has fewer side effects than ibuprofen, and is less likely to irritate your stomach. When should you see a doctor?
What can you eat after having gastric flu?
Focus on getting your protein from high-quality, lean sources such as:
- Chicken breast
- Lean meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Tofu and tempeh
- Nuts and seeds
What foods can I eat when I have the flu?
The following are some of the fruits highest in water ( 37, 38, 39, 40 ):
- watermelon
- strawberries
- cantaloupe
- peaches
What foods make stomach flu worse?
Caffeine, dairy, and overly sweet, spicy, or fatty foods and drinks may aggravate stomach flu symptoms....Consider avoiding the following:Caffeinated beverages. ... High-fat and fried foods. ... Spicy foods. ... Sugary foods and beverages. ... Milk and milk products.
What can you eat with stomach flu brat?
If left untreated, it can lead to exhaustion and dehydration, so it's important to make sure your body stays nourished. But it can be hard to determine what to eat after throwing up or having diarrhea. A special diet known as the BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast) is an effective way to treat both.
How do you replenish the stomach flu?
If you have a stomach bug, it's even more important to stay hydrated. The stomach flu and diarrhea can cause severe dehydration, so it's important to drink plenty of water as well as drinks containing electrolytes to help you recharge and bounce back.
Is it best to starve a stomach bug?
How is it treated? The most important thing to do is to rest the stomach and intestine. You can do this by not eating solid food for a while and drinking only clear liquids. As your symptoms go away, you can start eating soft bland foods that are easy to digest.
Is pasta good for an upset stomach?
Bland carbs “White rice, pasta, crackers, and oat brans don't need a lot of work to breakdown so they're really easy to digest,” Ganjhu explains. Plus, these foods are inoffensive in taste and smell which makes them easy and soothing to eat, even when it's hard to stomach much else.
Can you put butter on toast for BRAT diet?
Toast. Toast, aka the T in the BRAT diet, is very easily digested and will not make your tummy rumble any more than necessary. Toast also refrains from causing acid reflux. Make sure not to top your toast with peanut butter, avocado or very much butter, however — the key is to keep it bland and easy to digest.
Is Gatorade Good for stomach flu?
During an illness involving vomiting and diarrhea, it is important to prevent dehydration. Drink plenty of fluids in small sips until the stomach is settled and then in larger amounts until your thirst is satisfied. Clear liquids are the best. Water, Gatorade, Sprite, 7-Up, and Ginger Ale are suggested.
How long is stomach bug contagious?
Although you typically feel better after a day or two, you're contagious for a few days after you recover. The virus can remain in your stool for up to two weeks or more after recovery. Children should stay home from school or child care for at least 48 hours after the last time they vomit or have diarrhea.
Is Ginger Ale Good for stomach flu?
The bottom line. Ginger root has a long history of relieving nausea. Unfortunately, commercial ginger ale just doesn't contain much ginger and is unlikely to help. Be wary: Carbonation, sugar, and artificial sweeteners may actually worsen your symptoms.
What are the first signs of norovirus?
Common symptoms of norovirus infection include vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramping. Less common symptoms can include low-grade fever or chills, headache, and muscle aches. Symptoms usually begin 1 or 2 days after ingesting the virus, but may appear as early as 12 hours after exposure.
What to eat after vomiting?
Try foods such as bananas, rice, applesauce, dry toast, soda crackers (these foods are called BRAT diet). For 24-48 hours after the last episode of vomiting, avoid foods that can irritate or may be difficult to digest such alcohol, caffeine, fats/oils, spicy food, milk or cheese.
What to do after throwing up?
What can be done to control or relieve nausea and vomiting?Drink clear or ice-cold drinks.Eat light, bland foods (such as saltine crackers or plain bread).Avoid fried, greasy, or sweet foods.Eat slowly and eat smaller, more frequent meals.Do not mix hot and cold foods.Drink beverages slowly.More items...•
What else can I eat on a BRAT diet?
The BRAT diet consists of foods low in fiber that are gentle on the stomach, like bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, crackers and chicken broth....Other bland foods include:crackers.cooked cereals, like oatmeal or cream of wheat.weak tea.apple juice or flat soda.broth.boiled or baked potatoes.
What foods are included in the BRAT diet?
The BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) was once a staple of most pediatricians' recommendations for children with an upset stomach. The idea was that it gave the gut a chance to rest and reduced the amount of stool produced.
What is good to eat when you have diarrhea and the flu?
Foods to eat include clear broths, crackers, toast, gelatin, bananas, rice and chicken. Avoid certain foods until you feel better. These foods include dairy products, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, processed foods, and fatty, spicy or highly seasoned foods. Be cautious with medications.
Is the BRAT diet good for vomiting?
If you're battling the stomach flu or dealing with diarrhea, you might eat soft, bland foods that won't upset your digestive system. Typically known as the BRAT diet, this way of eating has been said to help ease symptoms like nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.
What foods can you eat to get rid of stomach flu?
tofu. lean meats, such as skinless chicken or fish. bland, cooked vegetables, such as: beets. beans. spinach. carrots. If cooking these foods, a person should be careful when frying them in fats such as butter or oil, as this can worsen stomach flu symptoms. An alternative way to cook them is by boiling them.
How to get better with stomach flu?
Other ways to feel better. To help treat stomach flu, a person should try to concentrate on consuming fluids to avoid dehydration. However, there are some other methods that may help. The sections below will look at these in more detail.
How to rehydrate your body after stomach flu?
Oral rehydration solutions, which contain glucose and electrolytes, are another good way of rehydrating the body if it has lost liquids due to stomach flu. at home, boil 1 liter of water, add half a small spoon of salt and six level small spoons of sugar, and dissolve.
What is bland diet?
According to one article. Trusted Source. , a bland diet consists of easily digestible foods that do not put a strain on the stomach. They recommend following a bland diet for or following stomach flu and several other conditions that affect the gastrointestinal tract. A bland diet can include: low fat dairy products.
What is the cause of stomach flu?
Doctors refer to stomach flu as viral gastroenteritis. Norovirus is the leading cause of viral gastroenteritis.
What is the best drink to drink to prevent dehydration?
To help prevent dehydration, older children and adults can drink sports drinks such as Gatorade.
How to include liquids in the diet that give more flavor?
A great way to include liquids in the diet that give more flavor is to consume healthy teas.
What to eat when you are vomiting?
Eat complex carbohydrates. Potatoes and whole grains (think rice and toast) are your best choices to help replace nutrients you may have lost while vomiting or too many trips to the bathroom. Try lean meats without too much spice or condiments, which can upset your stomach more (think chicken and fish).
How to avoid the flu?
Avoid these when you have the flu 1 Skip your daily coffee: Avoid your cup of joe and favorite caffeinated soda (this includes cola beverages) for a one week. Caffeine contracts your intestines, which can make diarrhea worse, Dr. Lipold notes. 2 Avoid alcohol altogether: Alcoholic beverages act as a diuretic and can aggravate your stomach even more. 3 Don’t eat hard-to-digest foods: When you have the stomach flu steer clear of fatty, greasy, spicy and acidic foods. Dairy and tomato-based dishes are also tough on a sick gut. 4 Never force yourself to eat: If you don’t feel like eating, don’t push your body. “Try to focus on recovering, rest and staying hydrated,” Dr. Lipold says. 5 Avoid juices: Apple, orange, or any other juices won’t do you much good.
How to get rid of diarrhea in one week?
Skip your daily coffee: Avoid your cup of joe and favorite caffeinated soda (this includes cola beverages) for a one week. Caffeine contracts your intestines, which can make diarrhea worse, Dr. Lipold notes. Avoid alcohol altogether: Alcoholic beverages act as a diuretic and can aggravate your stomach even more.
What to drink to avoid diarrhea?
Water, clear soda (stir it well to release more carbonation), herbal decaffeinated tea, broth or over-the-counter electrolyte replacements are great ways to avoid dehydration when you have a stomach flu with frequent diarrhea or vomiting. Advertising Policy.
Can you force yourself to eat?
Never force yourself to eat: If you don’t feel like eating, don’t push your body. “Try to focus on recovering, rest and staying hydrated,” Dr. Lipold says.
Can you eat if you have the stomach flu?
Struggling to keep anything down — or in? If you’ve been hit by the stomach flu — otherwise known as viral gastroenteritis (and an entirely different beast from the common flu, or influenza) — you probably won’t feel like eating or drinking much.
How much water is needed for stomach flu?
JW: Adult bodies are 60 to 65 percent water, so dehydration is an issue for anyone with the stomach flu. But it's an even bigger concern for babies and small children because their bodies contain an even greater percentage of water than adults — about 70 to 75 percent — and they can't always tell you if they're feeling thirsty or dehydrated. Older adults are also more prone to dehydration since they may be taking medicines that are dehydrating, might forget to drink enough or they might limit their fluid intake to cut down on trips to the bathroom.
What is the flu that causes nausea and vomiting?
While people often refer to symptoms like nausea, cramping, vomiting and diarrhea as the stomach flu or a stomach bug, the official term is gastroenteritis. Gastroenteritis is inflammation of the stomach and intestines, often caused by different viruses. When the stomach flu strikes, food might be the last thing on your mind. But choosing the right foods and fluids can settle a queasy tummy and help speed your recovery.
Is it hard to recover from stomach flu?
JW: This can be hard, because when you're feeling sick, sometimes the last thing you want to think about is eating. But eating can help replenish your energy and what you've lost. The best foods for stomach flu recovery are the ones that can provide your body with what it's missing and are easy to digest during recovery.
What to eat when you have nausea?
Foods to eat include clear broths, crackers, toast, gelatin, bananas, rice and chicken. Avoid certain foods until you feel better.
How to get rid of viral gastroenteritis?
I recommend these tips for fueling your body when you have viral gastroenteritis: 1 Let your stomach settle.#N#Avoid solid foods for a few hours, and stick with liquids. 2 Hydrate.#N#Try drinking clear soda or broths, or noncaffeinated sports drinks in small, but frequent, amounts to stay hydrated. 3 Ease back into eating.#N#Gradually incorporate bland, easy-to-digest foods into your system, but be sure to back off if your nausea returns. Foods to eat include clear broths, crackers, toast, gelatin, bananas, rice and chicken. 4 Avoid certain foods until you feel better.#N#These foods include dairy products, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, processed foods, and fatty, spicy or highly seasoned foods. 5 Be cautious with medications.#N#It’s best to use medications, such as ibuprofen, with food and sparingly, if at all, as they can cause an upset stomach. As always, discuss your medications with your health care provider to avoid any potential side effects.
What happens if you have a stomach bug?
The main complication of a stomach bug is dehydration ― a severe loss of water, and essential salts and minerals. If you’re healthy and drink enough to replace fluids you lose from vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration shouldn’t be a problem.
How to get rid of nausea after eating?
Let your stomach settle. Avoid solid foods for a few hours, and stick with liquids. Hydrate. Try drinking clear soda or broths, or noncaffeinated sports drinks in small, but frequent, amounts to stay hydrat ed. Ease back into eating. Gradually incorporate bland, easy-to-digest foods into your system, but be sure to back off if your nausea returns.
Can ibuprofen cause an upset stomach?
It’s best to use medications, such as ibuprofen, with food and sparingly, if at all, as they can cause an upset stomach. As always, discuss your medications with your health care provider to avoid any potential side effects. The main complication of a stomach bug is dehydration ― a severe loss of water, and essential salts and minerals.
What foods can help with stomach flu?
Eat fruits which are full of water and are less acidic like watermelon, figs, cantaloupes, papaya, peaches, berries and mangoes.
What is the best treatment for stomach flu?
3. Rice or rice water. Stomach flu often leaves the body dehydrated. Both rice and rice water contain a lot of nutrients that help rehydrate the body and replenish essential minerals. They also aid the lining of the stomach and help settle vomiting and decrease stool output.
How long does it take for stomach flu to subside?
Stomach flu is caused by viruses like Norovirus while food poisoning is caused by a wide range of bacteria, viruses or other pathogens. The prior takes up to 10 days to subside while the latter clears up within hours or a few days.
How to get rid of stomach flu?
To get rid of stomach flu, consume more liquids, take rest, eat a bland diet such as banana, toast or rice and avoid drinking coffee or eating spicy and fried foods.
Why do you eat ice chips when you have the flu?
When stomach flu gets too hard to handle, suck on some ice chips as they help provide the body with the water it needs without overloading the stomach with fluids . Ice chips are a great way to start when you have dehydration due to the condition.
What is the best water for diarrhoea?
Coconut water. Coconut water is an excellent rehydrating solution to treat mild symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting. For early stage of stomach flu, coconut water is beneficial in replenishing the lost water in the body. [6] What to do: Drink coconut water every morning in an empty stomach. 11.
How to fight off infection with garlic?
Garlic contains a compound called allicin that helps boost the ability of white blood cells to effectively fight off infections. Regular consumption of garlic is known to reduce the symptoms and the severity of the infection. [3] What to do: Crush 2-3 cloves of garlic and consume with honey daily.
What should you eat when you have the stomach flu?
If you grew up in a household where you were told to or forced to eat every meal, you may assume you should eat no matter the circumstances. And that might be something you require of your own kids now. But it’s definitely not something to adhere to if someone has the stomach flu or an upset stomach.
What foods should you avoid when you have the stomach flu?
Before we get into what to eat when you have the stomach flu, let’s talk about the foods and beverages you should avoid. Here are a few examples, courtesy of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Cleveland Clinic, and the Mayo Clinic:
Stomach flu symptoms
The main symptoms of gastroenteritis are the above-mentioned watery diarrhoea (which typically arrives very suddenly), feeling sick, vomiting, and a mild fever.
Foods to avoid if you have gastric flu
Initially, when the stomach flu first hits, you may want to stop eating solid foods for a few hours.
The best drinks to have with a stomach bug
The main complication from stomach flu is dehydration, resulting from the extreme loss of liquids and essential salts and minerals.
Other tips for dealing with stomach flu
Because gastroenteritis spreads so easily and does not have a direct cure (though you can take medication for the headaches, fever, or the diarrhoea if it lasts longer than 24 hours), it is best to stay at home and let your immune system do its job.
How to avoid getting stomach flu
You cannot always avoid getting gastroenteritis, but there are steps you can take to minimise your risk of getting it, and of spreading it on.
How to improve stomach flu symptoms?
While the main focus should primarily be drinking lots of fluids and replenishing lost electrolytes, eating the right foods is also a vital aspect of the recovery process.
How long can you eat if you have stomach flu?
A lot of people with the stomach flu can’t eat anything the first day while some can’t eat almost anything the first 2-3 days. Those who can eat, will often only eat very small amounts of food at once.
What foods can upset your stomach?
5) Pickles, vinegar, anything acidic or extremely fermented which can upset the stomach. 6) Spices (turmeric, ginger, pepper, chili peppers, horseradish, wasabi and others). 8) Processed foods of any kind, from candy and pastry to ice cream, chips and frozen meals. 9) Chocolate, cocoa.
What to eat with risoni?
5) Stewed apples, quinces or pears. 6) A fresh, chilled apple with or without skin, if your stomach allows it. 7) Very ripe bananas (golden throughout with brown spots). 8) Clear chicken soup (just the liquid, without vegetables or meat). You can eat it with risoni or orzo, a pasta shaped like rice grains.
Why is it important to eat a lot of food?
Because you can’t eat a full meal, it’s important to eat often to prevent low blood sugar levels and fainting. Even half an apple or half a banana or four tablespoons of plain rice every 2-3 hours are better than nothing. So eat whenever you feel you can, but never fill up on food.
What is the best food for diarrhea?
Salted crackers or saltines are even better because they contain sodium to replenish the amounts lost through diarrhea and vomiting. 3) Plain boiled white rice or pasta. 4) Applesauce, unflavored , unsweetened. 5) Stewed apples, quinces or pears. 6) A fresh, chilled apple with or without skin, if your stomach allows it.
Why is clear chicken soup good for you?
The clear chicken soup is great for counteracting dehydration and is only lightly flavored from the vegetables and chicken meat. Lastly, the honey is great for when you can’t eat because it contains sugar and helps prevent hypoglycemia and fainting.
What can you eat and drink with stomach flu?
Stomach flu is a common condition. It is estimated that every year about 20% of humanity develop this disease. Symptoms of stomach flu include diarrhea, vomiting, fever and abdominal pain. It is caused by a virus, bacterium or parasite.
Drink a lot: what can you drink with stomach flu?
Hydration is important to avoid dehydration. The most persistent and dangerous symptom of a stomach flu is the loss of fluid due to vomiting and/or diarrhea. Here are some tips you can do it:
Avoid high fiber foods and fatty foods
Fiber-rich products are normally very good for health and good bowel function. High fiber food stimulates the bowel to move and shortens the intestinal transit time. Thus you can avoid high-fiber products in case of diarrhea. High fiber foods include:
What can you eat with stomach flu?
Start with refined starch products, which is white rice or white bread. These products have a light constipating effect, which means that they slow down somewhat the bowel movement.
