Best Home Remedies For Stomach Flu- The Complete Guide 2019

24th April 2019 Healthy Living

Stomach flu is commonly referred to as Gastroenteritis in the medical science community. It causes inflammation in the stomach and small intestine region. As a result, the person carrying the stomach flu bug suffers from relentless diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dehydration.

Many different factors could lead to stomach flu but bacteria, viruses, and fungus are some of the common ones. Stomach flu is extremely contagious. For instance, sharing the same room with the diseased, drinking contaminated water and close physical contact can transmit the disease.

As far as its treatment is concerned, there are many effective home remedies that can help manage the symptoms of stomach flu. It’s better to have so many treatment options because what helps one person may not help another. Also, everyone’s body reacts differently to these treatments. For instance, some people infected with stomach flu find it easy to fall asleep, whereas, others don’t. It’s totally arbitrary.

Best Home Remedies For Stomach Flu

1. Drink Plenty of Water

Most of the time, expensive electrolytes or energy drinks are not the right solutions for stomach flu. Recent research by JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association) suggests that chugging down any fruit juice diluted with plenty of water can relieve you from all the aches and pains caused by stomach flu.

This study was done on children who were diagnosed with stomach flu and minimal dehydration. The children who were given apple juice diluted with just plain water showed greater signs of improvement than those who took sugared rehydration drinks.

Researchers concluded that having sugar can be detrimental to someone suffering from stomach flu and make their condition even worse. So, if there are any parents out there wanting to better the condition of their child suffering from stomach flu, just serve them any sugar-free juice diluted with plenty of water and your child will be fine.

2. Ginger Tea

Ginger tea has been used as herbal medicine (to treat inflammatory ailments) in various parts of the Asian continent. It is prepared differently in every country but any one of those recipes can do the job of relieving you from the agony of stomach pain. Generally, ginger tea is prepared by boiling fresh ginger slices in water along with some natural honey.

Ginger tea is the best home remedy to treat nausea caused by stomach flu. This is because it contains galanolactone, a chemical which acts on 5-HT3 receptors in your digestive system and reduces nausea. Furthermore, this study also concludes that drinking ginger tea can stop vomiting.

3. Acupressure

Acupressure relieves the intense pain caused by stomach flu as it restores the energy imbalance in the body. It is a pseudo scientific technique originated many thousand years ago in China. If you are under the impression that acupressure is a dubious practice than this study will clear all your doubts. The Science community is fully aware of its efficacy as it originates from a part of the world that strongly believes in the presence of energies and chakras in a human body.

4. Electrolytes

When our body runs out of water and essential salts, it informs us via signals in the form of stomach cramps, feeling fatigued, belching, gagging, etc. Oral rehydration therapy is an excellent way to deal with this problem as you can refill the deficit with a glass of the hydration solution. Electrolytes can also relieve the distress caused by the symptoms of stomach flu.

In severe cases of stomach flu, fluid intake of the patient can become less than the fluid lost by their body. Here, the fluids are given intravenously to quickly make up for the loss. But, if you are reading this article, you probably are suffering from a mild case of stomach flu. In your case, getting a few packets of electrolytes from your nearest drug store will be enough to save you from further damage to your intestines. Electrolytes are available in both fluid and powdered form.

5. The BRAT Diet (Bananas,Rice, Applesauce,Toast)

BRAT is a short form for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. It is the most popular and commonly recommended diet for people suffering from stomach flu and other digestive problems. This century-old recipe for stomach flu is easy to prepare and also satisfying for the taste buds. For instance, digestive problems can create a distaste for food leading to starvation; which can worsen the condition even further.

These four foods in the BRAT diet are high in dietary fiber and make the stools firm, as a result, they easily flow through the intestine. Applesauce contains more pectin than a raw apple, which can help with diarrhea.

Moreover, bananas can help refuel the system as they are rich in vitamins and minerals like Folate, Vitamin C and Potassium. In conclusion, the BRAT diet can help deal with the symptoms of stomach flu if added to the regular diet and not taken as a replacement for the daily meals.

6. Ice Chips

Sucking ice chips is not a foolproof remedy for stomach flu but it can help you revive from dehydration. Moreover, ice can soothe and relax the inner lining of the stomach and provide temporary respite from the burning sensation caused by having a buggy stomach. So, keep a good amount of ice cubes or chips in your freezer. You never know when you will need them.

To make things interesting, you can freeze healthy fruit juice or an electrolyte solution and later chop the ice into tiny chips. Some fruit juices are rich in vitamins and minerals. Consuming small amounts of them in the form of ice chips throughout the day can benefit someone aching from stomach flu.

7. Chamomile

Chamomile is a medicinal plant used in several health concoctions and herbal mixtures. It also helps relax tensed up muscles in the abdomen region. Hence, it aids bowel movement and provides fast relief from gastroenteritis; both are common symptoms of stomach flu.

Moreover, it also helps reduce the inflammation caused by the flu. Chamomile can be easily consumed in the form of warm or iced tea. Brewing it is quite simple and does not require additional pieces of equipment. Chamomile tea is prepared by steeping the dried flowers in hot water. Honey or sugar can be added for flavoring purposes.

8. Probiotics

Consumption of probiotic drinks with helpful bacteria can quickly get rid of diarrhea. Recent research done by German scientists suggests that the most effective type of probiotic is the one containing lactic acid bacteria (lactobacilli); which is found in yogurt. Stomach flu is caused by certain bacteria which are obviously not good for the human body. But probiotics contain the good bacteria which helps fight the invaders and maintain good health.

Probiotics are available in liquid, standard capsules and powdered form. They can be bought without a prescription from your nearest supermarket or drugstore. Five servings a day are enough and it is recommended to be consumed one sip at a time.

9. Peppermint

Peppermint is used as a traditional medicine to treat ailments like irritable bowel syndrome and upset stomach. It has a minty flavor and is very soothing for the stomach. Ordinarily, people suck on peppermint candies when they feel burn or ache due to stomach flu but peppermint is equally effective when consumed by brewing a cup of tea from its leaves.

Peppermint itself won’t cure the stomach flu but it can speed up the overall recovery period. So, it is recommended to take it along with other foods listed in this article. Besides, it does not have any noticeable side effects when taken in the form of tea or candy. But a high dosage of peppermint oil might lead to heartburn or mucosal irritation. So, be cognizant of this fact if you are going to use peppermint oil as a remedy.

10. Proper Rest

This is one of the obvious but the most important remedy for stomach flu. In this era of medicinal advancement, we often forget to do the obvious things like resting, drinking plenty of water and being clean. So, don’t miss this step, or else, all your efforts to quickly recover from stomach flu might go to vain.

There is no fixed recovery period for stomach flu, some people take a couple of days and others might need a week’s time. But, it’s imperative to rest for a minimum of 24 hours after you are fully symptom-free. The absence of the typical symptoms of stomach flu in these 24 hours is a good indicator of successful recovery.

Conclusion

So, while you are still recovering, keep a puke bucket near your bed and don’t be afraid to flush everything out. Also, try to keep your bed clean as you will be spending most of your time resting. In Addition, it’s imperative to preventive measures as stomach flu is contagious can get transmitted to others in your vicinity.

Also Read- 10 Health Benefits of Apple Juice-2019