It’s that time of year – we’ve all got so much to look forward to over the next few weeks and then we hear that a dreaded sickness bug has hit at work, school, or worse, within the family. There’s too much to do for you to be off your feet (or on the loo) for several days!
But by the time someone you’ve spent any time around becomes symptomatic, it’s probably too late – you’re either going to come down with it too, or you’ve struck lucky this time. The last thing anybody needs is to spend the next few weeks avoiding people due to a fear of becoming ill.
Anyone who has nursed one or more children through a particularly bad bout of sickness, or been through it themselves can relate to the anxiety that they can feel when the next wave of stomach bugs reportedly hits.
So, what can be done? First of all, it is good to understand what causes stomach bugs in the first place.
How Stomach Bugs Spread
The symptoms of a stomach bug and food poisoning can be quite similar and typically involve some or all, of the following:
Sickness
Nausea
Loss of appetite
Diarrhoea
Fever and chills
Abdominal pain and cramping
Muscle aches
Fatigue
Headaches
Dizziness
It’s really important to know when to seek medical advice, especially in children or with prolonged symptoms. See the NHS for advice on what to do.
Food poisoning most often involves harmful bacteria or parasites which have not been killed off by safe food preparation methods or food that has not been stored properly. Bacterial or parasitic gastrointestinal infections can be transmitted between people too, but most often a stomach bug is caused by a virus such as the norovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus and astrovirus.
Viruses hijack our cells and use them to multiply and spread throughout the body. They can be spread by bodily fluids, therefore often by saliva or mucus being dispersed into the air or via commonly used surfaces such as door handles and shared towels. So coughing, sneezing and not washing hands properly are some of the biggest culprits of the spread!
What to do When Sickness and Diarrhoea Hits
Mostly importantly, staying at home and resting are best whilst you are unwell.
Seek medical advice as soon as possible if your symptoms are severe - as above, here’s the NHS’s advice on diarrhoa and vomiting.
If you feel dizzy or especially weak, see if someone can be at home with you.
Sip water regularly and if you have a prolonged period of sickness and diarrhoea, you could try naturally replacing fluids and lost electrolytes with coconut water.
It is no longer recommended to avoid all food – if you feel hungry you can try small amounts of bland foods if they will stay down. Good choices include bread, toast, bananas, rice, simple broths and soups.
Here are my Top 8 Tips to Support Your Recovery from Sickness and Diarrhoea
1. Take things slowly – if your digestion is still quite sensitive after the main symptoms have subsided, reintroduce foods slowly and stick to bland foods for a while until you feel better. Try little and often rather than large meals, unless you feel better by not eating too regularly. You may find that dairy doesn’t go down well for a while but don’t worry – keep it to a minimum for a little while then try and consume more when you feel better.
2. Use good quality foods to rebuild your strength – oat cakes or porridge oats can help, add water or an unsweetened dairy alternative if you are struggling temporarily with dairy. Small amounts of poultry, fish or eggs are good for protein, ripe fruits and wholegrain rice for carbohydrates. Include leafy greens for nutrients.
3. Try a homemade gut soothing drink – this recipe will help to replace electrolytes, calm the gut and soothe sore muscles: Cut 4-6 inches of ginger into thin slices and simmer in 1 litre of water for 15 minutes. Pour the liquid through a sieve into a jug and allow to cool. Add juice from 3 lemons, add to the water with half a teaspoon of sea salt. Have one to two cups per day, cold or gently warmed. Keep in the fridge for 1-2 days.
4. Try other non-caffeinated drinks such as peppermint, chamomile, lemon and ginger and lemon balm teas. Ideally drink warm or room temperature drinks to avoid giving your gut extra work to do.
5. Minimise sugars – you may find that you experience some bloating as your gut bacteria has a little field day whilst it is building back up. Sugars are likely to exacerbate the problem, so try to consume whole fruits and vegetables to get your energy, alongside good quality meats, fish and whole grains.
6. Repopulate your gut – with the effort of purging and evacuating the virus, your gut has most likely also flushed out some of your beneficial bacteria. So, once your digestion has settled a little, you may benefit from some beneficial bacteria-boosting foods such as live natural yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut. Taking a probiotic which is well tested for supporting immunity or more specifically recovering from gastric illnesses may also help.
7. Limit fatty foods – your digestion may have a difficult time dealing with these for a while. So use minimal fat in cooking, go for leaner meats, grill, bake or steam rather than frying.
8. Take activity carefully – when recovering, even walking across the room can feel like an effort! Start small with walking and some gentle stretches when you are ready. If you are a gym bunny or are used to endurance training, you may need to build up to it gradually. Exercise is a drain on your resources and if you are not well recovered, your immune system may continue to be vulnerable.
If you would like help with getting your energy back, or supporting your digestion and immunity, contact me at info@victoriabellnutrition.co.uk