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Have you been experiencing and unsettling feeling in your stomach? Stomach flu is a very common condition that affects an individual at multiple points in their lives. The condition isn’t necessarily life threatening but it is best to opt for the home remedies for stomach flu to get the best impacts on your health.
The constant discomfort and the pain can often affect your quality of life which is why it is important to ensure that you do opt for effective remedies to cure the condition before it does get out of hand.
By the end of this article, you will know about all the natural ways to treat stomach flu without imposing any kind of side effect on the body.
What is Stomach Flu?
Also often termed as Gastroenteritis, is a very highly contagious intestinal infection that impacts one’s health and overall functioning of the digestive system altogether.
It is important to ensure that you do keep certain factors in mind when it comes to the treatment of this condition, mainly because of the fact that it does impose negative impacts on the body which can prove to be very impactful on one’s health.
If you have been suffering through and through and the home remedies for stomach flu hasn’t worked, it is best suggested to ensure that you do reach out to the doctors for the further assistance.
Stomach Flu Symptoms
When it comes down to the symptoms of the condition, they are very prominent and vehemently affect one’s quality of life for the worse.
It is important to ensure that you keep an eye out on the symptoms because neglecting the same can end up affecting your overall well being a lot.
Some of the common symptoms to look out for include:
- Watery stool discharge
- Non-blood but very watery stool discharge
- Constant abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Muscle ache
- Low grade fever
When it comes to the appearance of the symptoms, it takes around 1-2 days for the symptoms to start appearing. They can either skirt from the spectrum of mild to severe, depending on what kind of infection and how far it has spread out.
Coming on to how long the stomach flu lasts, it can be around 3-7 days depending on effectively the remedies are working for that individual. If the symptoms aren’t effective, chances are that you definitely need to keep up with the same.
What are the causes of Stomach Flu?
Coming to the causes of the condition, stomach flu is often inflicted by a number of viruses that attacks the digestive tract and spreads and causes impacts on the overall health of the individual.
It is hard to pinpoint a standard source of the virus because the same can come around from multiple sources, mainly through direct contact from the affected people or even because of the food poisoning that many tend to often suffer from.
Home Remedies For Stomach Flu
When it comes down to the natural remedies for stomach flu, the options are actually quite extensive. They are not just effective but help in managing the signs and symptoms, thus preventing them from getting worse.
To help you out with the condition, we are going to share some of the best stomach flu treatment at home that you can definitely take a look at.
1.Replenish the lost fluids
Gastroenteritis is one of those conditions that do require constant replenishments with the fluids that are lost from the body. It might not seem like a lot but owing to the fact that watery stools and vomiting are part of the symptoms, you are likely to lose a lot of fluids from the body which needs to be replenished from time to time.
If you don’t feel like eating anything, drinking necessary fluids and oral rehydration does help in getting the job done as well. It definitely is going to come in handy for you.
Don’t just rely on plain water because you are losing the essential nutrients from the body too, so replenish the body with the necessary nutrients as well from broth, sports drinks, ORS etc.
2.Ice chips
Owing to the fact that stomach flu kills your appetite completely, chances are that it would be hard for you to keep your food or even the fluids in.
To avoid such issues, the best way is to ensure that you suck on some ice chips to keep yourself hydrated if nothing else works. It is always best to not gobble down big chunks but smaller ones at a time.
Additionally, ensure to avoid giving ice chunks to kids because the same can end up choking them, without them realizing the problem.
3.Take rest
Getting the necessary amount of rest itself is enough to ensure that you have a very effective recovery. If you have been experiencing the signs of stomach flu, it is best suggested to keep yourself lied down on the bed and just get the necessary rest that your body requires.
Owing to the fact that viral infections are very hard to treat from external sources, you do need to supply your body with the necessary rest to ensure that it has the maximum impacts in boosting the immunity to fight back the infections and the problems associated with the condition all the more.
4.Fennel sea
Fennel seed is touted for its amazing impacts in warding off the unnecessary pain and discomfort that impacts the condition of the gas and the flu.
While there aren’t many studies to support the effects it has in the recovery, it is believed to help boost the digestion process (R) which further has been found to have beneficial impacts in helping boost the digestion and even aids in soothing the stomach lining and relieves the unnecessary inflammation that could further be causing he discomfort.
What to do?
- In a pot, boil some water and add 1 tbsp of fennel seeds to it
- Let it come to a boil and let it cool down
- Strain the liquid when its warm
- Drink that with some lemon and honey
How often?
- Multiple times throughout the day
5.Carbonated beverages
Before anyone jumps into conclusion, no, we aren’t talking about the sugar loaded coke, it is quite the contrary.
Carbonated beverages (R) like sparkling water or even soda water has beneficial impacts in helping ward off the gas and the discomfort that one has been feeling because of the condition all the more.
Ginger ale is also quite amazing to settle down the feeling of constant nausea that you might have been experiencing time and time.
6.Opt for the BRAT diet
The BRAT diet, often known as the Banana, Rice, Applesauce and Toast diet (R) is one of the best home remedies for stomach flu. Given that eating becomes a chore during this condition, this has been found to have beneficial impacts in helping you through the problem effectively.
Each one of these components in the diet is meant to target one of the macro or micronutrients that your body is losing through the process of the stomach flu.
Bananas are rich in potassium, thus helping replenish the potassium that you have been losing. The rice is easy to digest and is loaded with carbs that does help you gain the necessary amount of energy required to get through the process. On the other hand, applesauce contains carbs and sugar which provides energy and the pectin in the apples help manage the signs of diarrhea that come along. White bread toast is easy to eat and keep down.
7.Apple Cider Vinegar
Yet another one of the natural ways to treat stomach flu is by ensuring that you opt for the apple cider vinegar. It has been found to have beneficial impacts in handling the accessory symptoms of nausea and upset stomach that you possibly have been complaining about.
It is important to ensure that you do take the time out to get the same checked out from a doctor to assess whether it is effective for you or not.
Additionally, apple cider vinegar contains antimicrobial (R) properties which have further been found to have beneficial impacts in helping reduce the risks associated with the spreading of the virus even further.
Mix 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and drink that in an empty stomach first thing in the morning.
8.Heat or cold compress
If you have been experiencing excess pain and discomfort around the stomach region, it is best suggested to opt for the heat or cold compress because it helps in relaxing the pain and the cramps that you might have been experiencing.
Apart from putting a heat compress around the stomach to manage the cramps and pain, adding a cold pack on the forehead and the neck region can further help in relieving the pain and discomfort that you might have been feeling because of the condition of the stomach flu.
9.Chamomile tea
Yet another one of the remedies for the stomach flu treatment is to opt for the herbal teas. The chamomile tea definitely stands out as one of the best in the lot, mainly because of the combination of the anti-inflammatory (R) as well as the antimicrobial (R) properties that it has.
It also helps in soothing the stomach ache and the discomfort that many often tend to complain about. If you have been consistently suffering from the stomach flu, drinking some chamomile tea with some lemon or even ginger tea helps in keeping you hydrated and your stomach settled.
Brew some chamomile tea and drink it multiple times through the day.
10.Consume simple carbs
Owing to the fact that your digestion is already messed up because of the effect of the stomach flu, it is best suggested to ensure that you keep the consumption of food in check.
You don’t want to put a lot of strain on your digestive process and the organs involved which is why it is best suggested to ensure that you do eat foods that are easy to digest and won’t impose any further strain on the body.
Simple carbs are the best food sources to consume because not only does it helps in providing with the necessary energy but also helps in bringing forth easier digestion for your body as well which further boosts your health even more.
11.Acupressure
Acupressure is one of the best natural ways to treat stomach flu and the accessory symptoms. While it might not cure the entire condition, it has been found to have beneficial impacts in helping with the overall treatment of the unnecessary symptoms of nausea that does impact one’s quality of life.
The spot for acupressure for nausea lies under the width of the thumb where two tendons meet. You need to put pressure on that point and you will experience better relief from nausea in no time.
12.Turmeric
Turmeric is yet another one of the best home remedies for stomach flu that you can most definitely opt for. The active compound in the turmeric, Curcumin, is what has been found to have beneficial impacts in helping get rid of the pain and the discomfort that you might have been experiencing because of the condition.
Curcumin is loaded with beneficial antimicrobial (R) as well as anti-inflammatory (R) properties which have been found to have beneficial impacts in warding off the infection and providing relief from the pain and the discomfort.
Get some turmeric tea from the market, brew it in hot water and drink that will lemon and honey for maximum benefits.
13.Mint
If you have been looking for herbal remedies for the best way to treat stomach flu, the peppermint is actually one of the best options to look out for.
Studies have found it to be quite effective in imposing positive benefits in helping with the upset stomach and relieving the discomfort that one might have been feeling because of this condition altogether.
It is best suggested to ensure that you brew some peppermint tea and drink that with some lemon and honey for the maximum impacts in helping ward off the unnecessary impacts of the stomach flu.
If tea isn’t something you like chewing on the peppermint gum does help a lot as well in recovering the signs of nausea.
14.Yogurt
Gut bacteria is important to keep track of. If you have been struggling along with the prospect of unbalanced good bacteria in the gut. It is best suggested to ensure that you do keep the prospects of the better maintenance of your gut microbiome.
Yogurt is loaded with probiotic along with lactic acid. It has been found to have good impacts on the health of an individual. Especially in helping them with the recovery process through the signs of stomach flu.
15.Cinnamon
Cinnamon and honey has been found to have beneficial impacts in helping boost the overall health, especially boosting the immunity (R) which has been found to help through the process of fighting back the viral infection that has been causing the problems associated with the pain and discomfort and the accessory symptoms.
If you want quick relief with some of the home remedies for stomach flu, drinking the cinnamon and honey with the tea does help in curing the problems associated with the discomfort and even the nausea that many often tend to suffer from.
Boil some water and throw a stick of cinnamon in it. Let it infuse for some minutes. Then add 1 tsp of honey and lemon to it and drink that throughout the day.
16.Medication
When it comes to the medication for gastroenteritis, the options are extensive. It is important that you always consult a doctor. To start before taking medication to avoid any kind of side effects as such.
There are a number of over the counter medications available that you can opt for. If the home remedies for stomach flu isn’t working. It is best suggested to opt for these medications for the maximum benefit.
Frequently Asked Questions
When it comes down to the frequently asked questions about stomach flu, the same is quite extensive. There are a number of questions that people do have in their minds that need answering to.
Some of them include:
How long are you contagious?
This is one of the most important questions that people tend to have in their mind. Owing to the fact that multiple types of virus can cause the condition. The communicable property of this disease depends on which kind of virus is causing it. Normally, one can be contagious from a few days to a few weeks.
How long does gastroenteritis last in a child?
Given that the children have a weaker immune system. These chances are that the condition of the stomach flu can last from a few days to over a week. Apart from the functions of the immune system,. It also does depend on the kind of virus that is affecting the individual that matters.
Is gastroenteritis deadly?
The answer to this is a yes or no. Predominantly, stomach flu isn’t that impact in making your health bad but if the condition isn’t? treated on time or at all. These chances are that the infection could spread beyond control .They even hamper the normal functioning of the other primary organs. This is the reason why it is important to ensure, you opt for remedies or the treatment on time.
The home remedies for stomach flu are quite effective and help get rid of the problem for good. It is best suggested to always practice hygiene and cleanliness. Because that itself is more than enough to keep your health in check. It also prevents the risks of this condition altogether.
