Stomach Flu Cure

How to Get Rid of the Stomach Flu: 7 Home Remedies That Can Help 

Getting rid of a stomach virus can actually be as simple as waiting 24 to 28 hours for symptoms to subside. If you’re looking to feel better faster and recover well from the stomach flu, there are some natural remedies that you can easily do at home that have been known to help boost the recovery process. (18)

1. Hydrate 

Do you know what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say about how to get rid of stomach flu caused by the norovirus? According to the CDC:

There is no specific medicine to treat people with norovirus illness. Norovirus infection cannot be treated with antibiotics because it is a viral (not a bacterial) infection. If you have norovirus illness, you should drink plenty of liquids to replace fluid lost from throwing up and diarrhea. This will help prevent dehydration. (19)

When you have the stomach flu, you’re most likely dealing with diarrhea and/or vomiting. Both of these symptoms mean a lot of water loss for your body and the chance of dehydration which only makes you feel that much worse. To avoid becoming dehydrated from the stomach flu, it’s really important that you consume a lot of clear liquids like water, coconut water and herbal tea.

If you’ve been vomiting or your stomach is just very upset, it’s recommended that you avoid solids foods for a few hours.  In the meantime, suck on ice chips or sip water in small quantities to stay hydrated. Bone broth and natural noncaffeinated electrolyte beverages can are also great choices. Take small sips often throughout each day to avoid dehydration. (20) When you feel like eating again, watermelon is a great hydrating fruit choice.

2. What To Eat

In a daze of stomach flu symptoms, you may be searching online for “stomach flu what to eat?” Well first off, it’s a good idea to ease back into eating solid foods and not to force yourself to eat if you’re feeling nauseous. The BRAT diet (BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast) is commonly recommended for people recovering from the stomach flu. Why these four foods? They are all typically easy on the stomach and can also up bind up stools, which is helpful when you’re struggling with diarrhea. These simple foods can be a great start for the first hours or day of eating solid foods when you’re recovering from stomach flu. Just don’t rely on the BRAT diet long term because research has shown that this diet is too low in vital nutrients, especially for children. (21)

3. What Not to Eat

You want to know how to get rid of the stomach flu fast? Well, what you don’t put into your body can be just as important or helpful as what you do put into your body! If you have the stomach flu, there are certain foods and drinks you’ll want to avoid until you’re feeling better.

The general categories of foods to avoid as much as possible include:

• Sugar
• Dairy
• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Tomato products
• Any foods that are fatty, greasy, spicy and/or salty

All of these foods are known to be hard on an upset and temperamental tummy. I know it may be hard to go a day without your caffeine of choice, but coffee and caffeinated sodas are known for their ability to make the intestines contract. This can only make diarrhea more severe. Alcohol is also a terrible idea because it will only increase the likelihood of dehydration. Plus it upsets the gut. (22)

4. Rest

No list for how to get rid of the stomach flu would be complete without rest. One of the most simple and natural ways to encourage recovery from illness is to take it easy. How to get rid of the stomach flu naturally without a doubt involves some waiting and resting. Since most cases don’t last a long time, you hopefully won’t have to deal with unpleasant symptoms for too long. But if you’ve had the stomach flu before then you know how it can really take a lot out of you. Between the vomiting and diarrhea alone, rest is not just helpful but likely exactly what you’re wanting to do since fatigue is another symptom of the stomach flu. (23)

5. Try a Cool Compress

Not to say that a cool compress is going to take away your nausea or diarrhea, but if you have a low grade fever and are feeling exhausted, putting a cool, damp cloth on your forehead may help you to feel a little bit better.  It’s a also a perfect addition to resting on the couch or in your bed. How to get rid of the stomach flu naturally means treating yourself to comforting details like this so that the time feeling sick is a little more bearable.

6. Herbal Tea Time

Teas like peppermint and ginger are great for calming a queasy stomach, plus they are a tasty way to rehydrate. (24) Ginger is also well-known for being a natural, inexpensive and effective natural remedy for nausea and vomiting. (25) Just remember not to drink your tea too hot and sip it rather than downing it fast.

7. Probiotics

Much of the time, viruses or bad bacteria cause stomach flu . Do you know what’s great for both? Probiotics! When it comes to how to get rid of the stomach flu, I definitely recommend increasing your intake of probiotic-rich foods and probiotic supplements. A great probiotic-rich food that can also help with hydration is coconut kefir, which offers both electrolytes for hydration and good bacteria to replenish the gut after all that havoc that’s been going on. Research has shown that probiotics can help diarrhea to stop approximately one day sooner. (26)

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Complications and Precautions 

How to get rid of the stomach flu definitely involves patience, rest and hydration. When you vomit and have diarrhea, you lose a lot of fluids from your body. The most concerning possible complication when it comes to a case of stomach flu is dehydration. This complication of viral gastroenteritis can usually be avoided if you’re able to drink enough liquids to make up for the fluids you lost from diarrhea and vomiting. Infants, older individuals and anyone with a compromised immune system are more at-risk for severe dehydration due to stomach flu. It is possible for dehydration to lead to death, but this is rare. However, people are sometimes hospitalized as a result of the stomach flu so they can receive intravenous therapy for fluid replacement to correct dehydration. (27)

Signs of dehydration to be on the lookout for include: (28)

• Sunken eyes
• Dry or sticky mouth
• Lightheadedness
• Being more thirsty
• Lack of normal elasticity of the skin
• Reduced urination or inability to urinate
• Decreased tear production in the eyes

If you have the stomach flu and also have any of the following symptoms, it’s recommended that you contact your doctor right away:

• Blood in your stool or vomit
• Dehydration
• Fever of 102.2 degrees F or higher in an older child or adult
• Fever of 100.4 degrees F or higher in an infant
• Swollen tummy or pain in the lower-right part of the belly
• Vomiting that lasts longer than 48 hours

Seek medical emergency care if you cannot keep fluids down and you are dehydrated due to vomiting, diarrhea and/or fever. (29)

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Final Thoughts

To avoid catching the stomach flu in the first place, it’s important to wash your hands often with soap and water, especially if you’re around someone you know is infected with the stomach flu. If you do end up with a case of the stomach flu, I know how miserable it can be. But often the misery doesn’t last for more than a day or maybe two.

It’s absolutely crucial to not get dehydrated when you have the stomach flu because then you’ll only feel worse or even need medical attention. So make sure to sip water, bone broth, coconut water and other hydrating clear liquids in small amounts frequently. It’s often hard to eat when you feel so yucky. But when you are ready, you can ease yourself back into eating healthy solid foods that are gentle on your stomach.