Stomach Flu Remedies

Stomach flu is something that plagues most of us at some point of time. Though, it is not a cause of concern in most cases, the symptoms associated with it are absolutely awful. Even the thought of frequent trips to the bathroom causes jitters in the stomach and makes stomach flu a scary disease. Fortunately, there are myriad remedies which can relieve you of this uncomfortable situation. However, before exploring them, let us have a good insight on what stomach flu really is.

Causes and Symptoms

Stomach flu or gastroenteritis is a viral infection of intestines. Stomach flu is a misnomer as the virus causing stomach flu is different from influenza virus which affects respiratory system. The infection spreads due to eating contaminated food or coming in contact with an infected person. Sharing drinks and foods, eating with unwashed hands are some of the modes of transmission of stomach flu virus. The symptoms surface within 4 to 8 hours after the exposure to the virus. Peculiar symptoms include fever, cold sweats, vomiting, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea etc. All these symptoms lead to dehydration which makes the condition worse. Thus, the treatment for stomach flu is mostly targeted at replenishing the loss of fluids due to vomiting and diarrhea.

Stomach Flu Remedies

Medications
Medications should be saved for the later stages of stomach flu. Most people find it silly to call a doctor for a little bug that upsets their stomach. However, if you do, your doctor is most likely to prescribe you anti-vomiting, anti-nauseating medications. If you are attempting to treat yourself with over the counter medications, then steer clear of antibiotics or aspirin. Antibiotics worsen the stomach flu by killing the good bacteria in the intestine. Also for kids, remedies are best prescribed by the pediatrician. A good dose of probiotics may help you overcome the symptoms of stomach flu. However, before anything, you should try some natural remedies given below.

Home Remedies
Rest is the best remedy for stomach flu. Incessant bathroom trips are bound to drain you up. Moreover, the loss of water makes you tired. Hence, as soon as the symptoms erupt, you should make it a point to lie down in bed. Avoid eating or drinking anything for the first 4 hours, this includes even water. Once, the symptoms appear to ease a little, you may slowly sip water, juice or any other clear liquid. Solid foods should be avoided at any cost for at least first 24 hours. However, you may nibble some crackers or dry toast. Chicken broth, green tea, ginger ale, fruit gelatin, clear vegetable soups are the best remedies for stomach flu during first 24 hours.

Once, your vomiting and diarrhea completely stop, it's alright to switch to solid foods. However, keep it light and free of fat. Boiled rice, white bread, green bananas etc. are light on stomach apart from being good remedies for stomach flu. Dairy products, raw foods and foods containing tomato should be avoided for at least 10 days after the outbreak of stomach flu, as they tend to irritate the intestinal tract. After that, depending upon your condition, you may switch to normal diet.

Stomach flu remedies listed in this article are only helpful for mild to moderate cases of stomach flu. If you have severe stomach flu with abnormal symptoms like bloody stools or extreme high fever, you should immediately rush to your doctor.