What to Eat After Stomach Flu

With stomach flu come so many other problems such as nausea, chills, diarrhea, fever, and body aches. While it is never easy to deal with body aches, fever and chills, diarrhea can make things even more difficult. You will not feel like eating anything, but this will make it difficult for your body to recover. You have to be careful about what you decide to eat while you are sick. With stomach flu, the problems do not end soon after you recover. Your stomach will not be functioning at its best, so it is important to know what to eat after stomach flu.

What Should You Know about Stomach Flu?

Viral gastroenteritis or commonly known as stomach flu is an intestinal infection causing several symptoms such as abdominal cramps, watery diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and fever. You develop this condition when you are in contact with an infected person, drink contaminated water or eat contaminated food.

You usually recover without any medical intervention when you are otherwise healthy, but there may be some complications for people with compromised immune systems. As it is a viral infection, there is no effective treatment available. Therefore, it is important to take steps to avoid getting infected. Be sure to drink clean water and never eat food that may be contaminated.

What Can You Eat After Stomach Flu?

Taking steps to prevent stomach flu is important, but if you still get it, you need to take rest and let your body recover from the illness. At the same time, you need to know what to eat after stomach flu. Here are somginge good suggestions:

1.        Ginger

Ginger has anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties that make it effective against stomach flu. It improves digestion and helps you find some relief from vomiting, nausea, bloating, and abdominal cramps.

Take 1.5 cups of water and add a teaspoon of freshly chopped ginger in it. Bring this to boil and then let it steep for 10 minutes or so. Strain it and drink slowly. Drink this ginger tea a few times a day to find relief. Avoid it if you have hypertension.

2.        Peppermint

It is another herb on the list of what to eat after stomach flu. It is a carminative and has antispasmodic properties that make it effective against gas and bloating. It also offers relief from intestinal and stomach cramps.

Mix a teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves to a cup of boiling water. Let it steep for 10 minutes, strain it, and drink slowly. Drink this peppermint tea 3-4 times a day between meals to find relief.

3.        Cinnamon

Cinnamon has powerful antiviral and antibacterial properties and helps destroy virus that causes stomach flu. Due to its warm nature, it also provides you with some relief from aches, chills, and pains.

Take 1.5 cups of boiling water and add a teaspoon of cinnamon powder to it. Brew it for five minutes, strain it, and add a teaspoon of honey before you drink it. Drink this tea thrice a day for a couple of days for relief.

4.        Chamomile

Chamomile has stomach-healing properties because it is antispasmodic and reduces inflammation as well. It helps relieve abdominal cramping, diarrhea, nausea, bloating, and gas.

Add three teaspoons of dried chamomile flowers to a cup of boiling water and let it steep for 15 minutes. Strain it, add some lemon juice to it, and drink thrice a day for a couple of days for relief.

5.        BRAT Diet

When you have confusion about what to eat after stomach flu, try the BRAT Diet. It involves eating bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. The diet consists of food that is easy to digest and is loaded with carbs, which you need for energy.

  • Bananas provide you with potassium, which you lose from diarrhea and vomiting.
  • Brown rice has fiber, which provides you with energy and helps treat diarrhea.
  • Applesauce is easy to digest and helps with diarrhea because it contains pectin.
  • Similarly, white bread is easy to digest and does not overload your stomach.

6.        Water

Whatever you eat, be sure to drink plenty of fluids to replace vital bodily fluids you lose through vomiting, sweating, and diarrhea. Take small sips of liquids after regular intervals or chew ice chips. Broth and water are the best choices, but you can also have sports drinks to replace electrolytes you usually lose during the stomach flu.

Foods You Should Avoid to Eat

What to eat after stomach flu is important to learn, but it is equally important to understand what you should not eat when you are sick.

  • Avoid dairy at all cost because milk and other dairy products are hard to digest.
  • Fiber is good, so long as you do not overeat because it can make diarrhea worse.
  • Similarly, avoid greasy foods as well as caffeinated drinks such as strong black tea, coffee, and chocolate.
  • Avoid alcohol as well because it is a diuretic and makes your symptoms worse.

When to See Your Doctor

You usually do not need any medical treatment, especially when you try home remedies. However, you should see your doctor if diarrhea and vomiting continue for a few days. Also, talk to your doctor if you notice signs of dehydrations, like dry mouth, fever (higher than 102F), crying without tears, not urinating, crankiness, lack of energy, or blood in stool.

How Can I Prevent from Getting It?

As there is no treatment for stomach flu, you need to take steps to prevent it. Here are the steps to take:

  • Be sure to get vaccinated against rotavirus.
  • Always wash your hands with water and soap after using bathroom, handling food, and changing diapers.
  • Be sure to wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly before eating them and cook meat properly to avoid becoming infected.
 
 
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