It’s back-to-school season and that means your family is going to be exposed to a lot more germs than it was over summer. The stomach flu, often caused by norovirus, is one of those illnesses commonly picked up at sports practice or the cafeteria. It’s also AWFUL. No one likes getting the stomach flu. The good news is that there are natural remedies for the stomach flu!
Even if you don’t currently have the stomach flu, keep these natural remedies saved in your memory bank. You’ll want to heal as fast as possible the next time your family comes down with the stomach bug – trust me!
Here’s what we will cover in today’s article:
- What is the Stomach Flu?
- Conventional Treatment for the Stomach Flu
- Natural Remedies for the Stomach Flu
- Hydrate
- Gut Healing Foods
- Avoid Inflammatory Foods
- Supplements
- Rest
What is the Stomach Flu?
Vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea are all common symptoms of the stomach flu. The funny thing is that it’s not actually the “flu.” The stomach flu, also known as the 24-hour bug (although we all know it can last longer than one day), is actually caused by two viruses called the norovirus and rotavirus. It can also be caused by parasites that are spread through contaminated water and food.
Possibly the worst part about the stomach flu is that it’s known as a “family affair.” When one person catches it, it will most likely pass to every member of the family. It’s THAT contagious.
Outbreaks of norovirus usually occur in the winter months, but they are by no means restricted to those months. Norovirus infection causes gastroenteritis or inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
Typical symptoms of the stomach flu include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Low-grade fever/Chills
- Abdominal cramps
- Watery, non-bloody diarrhea
- Muscle aches
- Headaches
- Stomach Pains/Aches
- Loss of appetite
Symptoms of the stomach flu usually occur after 24 hours of exposure to the virus and can last up to a few days. If you are sick with norovirus you can be contagious up to a week after you start to feel better. So, it’s important to stay home for as long as possible to avoid spreading the sickness!
People with the greatest risk for contracting stomach flu include young children, older adults, and anyone who has a suppressed immune system.
Conventional Treatment for The Stomach Flu
Are you wondering how to get rid of the stomach flu with medication or a shot? Unfortunately, a vaccine or antibiotic treatment for the stomach flu caused by norovirus does not exist. Also, antibiotics do not work against viruses.
Conventional treatment for the stomach flu may include prescription and over-the-counter drugs to prevent nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Interestingly, most doctors do not recommend giving your child anti-diarrheal medications because it makes it harder for their bodies to expel the virus. I believe the same principle can be applied to adults and suggest natural remedies for treating the stomach flu instead.
Other types of conventional treatment include taking acetaminophen like Tylenol and drinking sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade, soda like ginger ale, or chicken broth.
Treating the stomach flu is one place where conventional treatment tends to overlap a bit with a functional medicine approach. Although, there is a little bit of a difference. Let’s get into the natural remedies for treating the stomach flu!
Natural Remedies for the Stomach Flu
While getting rid of the stomach flu can be as simple as waiting the 24 to 48 hours it usually takes to run its course through your body, that doesn’t make it easy. Instead try these natural remedies, prioritize your gut health and address the issue of irritation and inflammation in your intestines, and focus on rehydrating from all the water loss.
Hydrate
When you have the stomach bug you also suffer from a LOT of water loss due to constant diarrhea and vomiting.
It’s critical to replenish the lost water with healthy liquids that contain electrolytes! While sports drinks contain a lot of electrolytes, they also contain high amounts of sugars and artificial additives. Thankfully, there are drink options that contain electrolytes without all the “extras.” Try drinking coconut water or you could even make your own electrolyte solution!
Add water, freshly squeezed lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit juice, and a dash of Himalayan sea salt together for a healthy additive-free electrolyte drink.
Gut Healing Foods
Natural remedies for healing from the stomach bug should largely focus on diet. Of course, when you first feel sick you will only be able to sip on liquids. You may not have an appetite for a day or two. Take it slow, you don’t want to bombard your gut if it’s still trying to get rid of everything.
Organic bone broth is a great option to sip on when your stomach is still feeling unsettled. Bone broth contains gut-healing properties like glutamine, collagen, glycine, proline, and minerals that will help heal your gut lining and restore any damage that has been caused.
Other foods to start adding to your diet include ginger, apple sauce, bananas, and fresh or frozen pineapples. Pineapples contain a special enzyme called bromelain. It aids in digestion and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Other foods to start adding to your diet include ginger, apple sauce, bananas, and fresh or frozen pineapples. Pineapples contain a special enzyme called bromelain. It aids in digestion and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Avoid Inflammatory Foods
Your mom may have given you popsicles and ginger ale when you were sick as a kid, but those are exactly the foods you should avoid when you have the stomach flu.
The last thing you want to do is upset your stomach by eating inflammatory foods. Avoid these foods when healing from the stomach flu:
- Alcohol
- Excess sugar
- Caffeine
- Dairy
- Gluten
- Spicy, fatty, or greasy food
RELATED: THE GUT – THYROID CONNECTION: HOW DOES GUT HEALTH BENEFIT YOUR THYROID?
Supplements
Natural remedies for the stomach flu include supplements. One of the best things you can do for your gut is to add probiotics to your diet. Your gut will love all the beneficial bacteria in probiotics. Coconut kefir is a great option that includes both electrolytes for hydration and good bacteria to replenish the gut. In fact, research shows that probiotics can help diarrhea to stop approximately one day sooner!
Here are a few supplements to try adding to your diet to help you recover from the stomach flu:
- Probiotics
- Charcoal
- Immunoglobulins
- Peppermint, Ginger/Turmeric, and Chamomile Tea
Rest
Don’t try to push through the stomach flu. The number one thing your body needs is rest. Prioritize your sleep and try to take it easy. Relaxation techniques like meditation and taking an Epsom salt bath can help you tremendously. When your little ones are sick hold them and let them know they are loved. The stomach flu can be scary when you’re that small and they need extra love and attention during this time.
Work With A Holistic Health Coach
Do you want to learn about other natural remedies? As a Certified Holistic Health Coach and Doctor of Naturopathy, I practice functional medicine. That means I focus on lifestyle changes and all-natural remedies to help you achieve optimal health.
Reach out to me via my contact page to get started!
Mandy Patterson
