We all know that feeling. You wake up and you’re running to the toilet before your feet hit the ground. It’s not fun, but it is a part of life for many people.
Unfortunately, stomach bugs can be caused from food as well as just sometimes coming on without warning.
If you find yourself in this situation and want some relief then we have some helpful tips on what to eat if you have a stomach bug.
- Ginger Ale: Ginger ale is good to drink if you have a stomach bug. It soothes the digestive system and helps settle an upset stomach
- Applesauce or Apple slices with Peanut butter: applesauces are very healing for your body; they also make you feel full. You can mash up some apples, add honey, mix in cinnamon, put it on top of whole grain toast or graham crackers which contain natural yeast that increases production of B-vitamins needed by your body when recovering from a stomach bug
- Soup: soup is always great way to get back minerals lost due to diarrhea because it has high water content as well as protein and carbs
- Yogurt with granola: yogurt contains probiotics, a substance that strengthens your immune system and helps you recover
- Oatmeal: oatmeal is a good choice if you have stomach pain or gas; it also contains fiber, which can help reduce constipation. Oats are especially rich in iron
- Honey: Honey has properties to heal the digestive tract lining .
- Milk with Apple cider vinegar: drinking a glass of warm raw milk mixed with one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar is said to help cure diarrhea.
- Bananas: bananas are an excellent choice for stomach pain and indigestion since they not only contain fiber but also potassium, which can be helpful in reducing cramps. Bananas also increase the production of saliva by stimulating your mouth’s salivary glands when you eat them or suck on dried ones; this helps digest food better in your stomach so it doesn’t sit there as long causing gas
- Oatmeal raisin cookies: these healthy oatmeal raisin cookies are perfect for after getting over a stomach bug because they’re packed with natural sugars that will give you energy without taxing your digestive system.
- Rice: white and brown rice are also great for stomach ailments since they have a low glycemic index, meaning that the carbs in them release into your blood stream slowly over time instead of crashing like sugary foods do.
- Probiotic Food: yogurt, kimchi, kefir and other probiotics are excellent sources of healthy bacteria that can help your digestive system heal.
- Carrots: Carrots have long been used medicinally to help with stomach aches and indigestion as they are a natural antacid. They also have an excellent fiber content, which can be helpful for reducing the nausea caused by vomiting or diarrhea.
There is no quick fix for this type of illness but with some planning and preparation your symptoms can improve quickly. It’s also important to keep in the mind that it will take at least two weeks after you recover from your virus before you feel like yourself again.
Things to avoid when you have a stomach bug
A stomach bug is the perfect time to avoid eating any of the things that would typically make you feel worse. The following foods are ones that should be avoided if you are feeling under the weather:
- Avoid caffeine because it will dehydrate you more quickly.
- Stay away from sugary drinks like sodas as they’ll just make things worse. You should also avoid greasy foods for while since they might not help with indigestion and could lead to heartburn.
- Stay away from highly processed foods for a while since they’ll just make things worse and might not help with indigestion or heartburn that often occurs when you have a stomach bug.
- It is also wise to stay away from any of your favorite high-fat snacks like chip, ice cream, cookies etc., as these are typically the last thing someone wants to eat during an illness.
- Sugar filled drinks should be avoided due to their dehydrating nature and greasy food should only be eaten if it agrees with your system or doesn’t seem problematic at all.
- Spicy foods might actually assist with indigestion or heartburn that is often found when one has a stomach bug.
- Stay away from greasy food if it agrees with your system or doesn’t seem problematic at all; otherwise, eat these sparingly. Fried food should be avoided because it can lead to you feeling more nauseous.
In order to get better faster it’s important not only to stay hydrated but also eat some bland carbohydrates like toast or crackers. Eat small meals throughout the day rather than eating one large meal at night.
If this sounds like what’s going on in your body, look up some home remedies that might work better than over-the-counter medications.
Prevention tips for stomach bugs
The stomach bug is a scary thing to deal with. It can leave you feeling nauseated, uncomfortable, and not quite yourself. But there are ways to prevent it.
This blog post I’m going to give you some of my favorite tips for preventing the stomach bug from living in your home or visiting while on vacation.
First off, wash your hands often with soap and water before eating anything. Handwashing and avoiding contact with sick people can help to prevent stomach bugs from spreading.
Second, make sure any surfaces that might come into contact with food are cleaned well.
Sanitizing surfaces, including cell phones and keyboards, is also important because they may carry the virus that causes a stomach bug. Cleaning these items regularly will reduce your risk of getting sick.
Third, try not to touch your face as much as possible so bacteria doesn’t enter through your nose or mouth. If you must touch your face, wash your hands afterward.
The final tip is to make sure all food that might be exposed during cooking or serving has been touched only by clean utensils and clean surfaces. If someone in your family does get sick be sure they don’t prepare food until they’re better and wash their hands thoroughly after using the bathroom.
If there are any questions about whether the utensil was cleaned thoroughly, it should not come into contact with food until its safety can be confirmed. Although we may still get stomach bugs from our pets or other people in close proximity to us, following these tips can dramatically reduce the risk of getting sick.
Common Symptoms of Stomach Flu/Stomach Bug
There are many different symptoms that could indicate the stomach bug, and they vary from person to person, so it’s important to know what they are. This blog will go over the common symptoms of stomach bug.
The symptoms usually start with vomiting and/or diarrhea, followed by abdominal cramps that develop into painful or severe spasms.
Nausea that persists for days on end without relief, sometimes accompanied with vomiting. This is often the most debilitating symptom as it prevents an individual from attaining any sort of appetite and subsequently leads to severe weight loss and dehydration.
Loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss resulting from the nausea/vomiting, food going past quickly, or inability to keep anything down long enough to absorb nutrients.
Fever is also often present at this stage in addition to nausea or loss of appetite. Sometimes fever may not be present but can appear later on during the illness if it has been caused by bacteria rather than viruses, which can lead to dehydration among other things.
Diarrhea, which can vary in frequency and intensity. The person may experience periods of constipation followed by periods where they have diarrhea many times a day or even just once per hour.
Stomach pain is the most common symptom of a stomach virus.
Extreme fatigue and weakness the body’s lack of energy stems from being unable to absorb vital nutrients due to nausea/vomiting or inability to keep food down long enough. This also results in prolonged recovery time when finally able to eat again as well as a worsening of the illness.
Headaches or dizziness is often caused by dehydration. Even though someone may not feel thirsty, they are actually still losing fluids through their mouth and skin.
Dry eyes/mouth which means there’s less moisture being secreted into these areas since liquids aren’t staying down due to nausea/diarrhea etc., leading to dryness (and potential infection), cracked lips, difficulty swallowing pills if needed, etc.
Take care of yourself and rest as much as possible. If you experience these symptoms, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible. In some cases, this can be life-threatening for children or older adults if not handled correctly.
How long does stomach bug last?
One of the most common questions that people ask when they are sick is “how long will this last?”
People don’t know how much time to allot for their recovery. Fortunately, there are some clues that can help you figure out how long stomach bug lasts.
The length of your illness depends on a variety of factors including what type of germs caused it and whether or not you have any underlying health conditions.
Antibiotics can shorten the duration because they kill off bacteria which is what causes vomiting and diarrhea in many cases.
You may also be able to shorten your illness by drinking plenty of fluids and eating only bland foods like crackers, toast, rice or bananas until you recover from dehydration.
The good news is that most people who have experienced a stomach bug recover within 3-4 days without any medical intervention.
Most cases are over 24 hours after the first symptoms occurred. If you’re still feeling under the weather after this time period, then it may be worth seeing your doctor.
Doing some research online for more information about how long can a stomach bug last in adults and children will also help so that you can better take care of yourself.
Stomach bugs are usually brought on by viruses that affect the digestive system like norovirus or rotavirus. To avoid getting sick in the first place, make sure you wash your hands regularly and cook food thoroughly.
A healthy diet can help your body recover from a stomach bug. Fiber is important for proper digestion, and so eating high-fiber foods like whole wheat bread or brown rice will be soothing to the digestive tract.
Soups are also an excellent way of getting more fluids into you without having to drink lots of water which may be difficult with nausea and vomiting.
The most important thing is for people who have had a stomach bug not to eat anything they cooked themselves, but instead stick with pre-cooked food that has been handled properly by someone else in order to avoid contamination.
