5 Stomach Flu Tips

Back to school often brings many ailments not only to the children but the community.  I have heard of several people in the last week with the stomach flu so thought I would give you a heads up on some tips to get thru it as painlessly as possible.

The stomach flu is caused by a virus typically so it doesn’t respond to antibiotics.  Symptoms can vary from mild nausea to severe vomiting and diarrhea.  Chills and fever are not uncommon, either.  I haven’t found anything to hurry the course along but I have some tips and tricks to help you feel a lot better faster.

Here are 5 tips if you get the stomach flu:

  1. Drink lots of fluids if you can.  Stick with clear liquids and weak broth.  Pedialyte or electrolyte water may be helpful to replete.  If you are having trouble keeping liquids down then try taking small sips at a time.  Ginger or peppermint might help settle your stomach.  Fresh ginger is really good for nausea – just peel a small nub of ginger and chew it.  Spit out the pulp and swallow the juices.  Ginger is quite hot so be prepared.
  2. Introduce food slowly: Don’t force yourself to eat.  Foods that are easy to digest as well as replete key lost nutrients include bananas, rice, applesauce and toast.  This is the one time white toast might just be better.  You can also eat crackers.
  3. Try acupressure to reduce the nausea. I discovered this tip for chemotherapy patients.  There is a pressure point that is located three fingers width below the base of the palm.  Below that width there will be a sensitive spot between the tendons.  Press it firmly with your thumb for 2-3 minutes.  There are also special nausea bands sold at the drug store which may help.
  4. Rest! We always forget that good old sleep helps us restore so give yourself permission to sleep, sleep, sleep.
  5. IV hydration. Once the worst part is over and you are not contagious but feel super depleted come in for a bag of fluids or a super immune IV bag with the IV bar.  You will be amazed how much better you feel in a short time.  We recently just had a patient that had the stomach flu over the weekend and was really struggling so she came in and got the super immune and she reported that same day that she already felt so much better.
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I hope you can avoid the stomach flu this season!  Keep your immune system boosted which may help lessen your symptoms or hopefully avoid it.

To your health,

 

Laura