What do you all eat with a stomach Flu?

[Elsie1955]

I sported a fever of 101 yesterday and had stomach distress. Today I'm better but still struggling with my stomach. I've been eating plain Jasmine rice but every time I put anything in, it feels like a nasty lump.

What do you all eat with tummy flu?

[jeanjeannie50]

I would eat nothing, never feel like doing so when poorly.

[Hennerton]

I would wait until I feel hungry, because if you don’t actually feel hungry, it is not the time to eat anything. Just give your body time to recover. You will know when the time is right but in the meantime drink water to which you have added some salt but not much and also some honey, just enough to give a faint sweetness. This will be enough to soothe your stomach while your body heals.

[CDreamer]

Nothing - boiled water only - I would think rice to be the worst thing. Feed a cold, starve a fever is what I go by.

Wait until you have been clear for about 12 hours before trying any solid food. The only thing I can then tolerate is liquidised water melon - neutral Ph.

[GrannyE in reply to CDreamer]

Never thought of that.

[Autumn_Leaves]

In the meantime it’s probably a good idea not to overwork your digestive system, so keep the fluids up, especially water, but if you get fed up with that you could try clear stock or diluted juice to break up the monotony. Once you feel a bit better, you could try blending or liquidising your food, assuming you have a blender at hand. You could try a smoothie, but it’s better if you add in some veg, healthy fats and a whole grain such as oats rather than all fruit as that will be mostly sugar. Try some milk of your choice, which can be plant milk if you like, 1/2 to 1 banana, a handful of oats, a dollop of nut butter and some cocoa powder. You could also add a dollop of yogurt, any kind you like. That’s a fairly easy one. There are many smoothie recipes online but I find many of them are overloaded with fruit, but you are far better off with something more balanced. Soups are good too, and can also be partially blended. If you bear in mind that it’s far easier to drink your calories than to eat them, it’s actually a very handy strategy during convalescence.

[Elsie1955]

thank you all! I was always put on the BRAT diet as a kid when I had the tummy flu but never had it as an adult

[Buffafly in reply to Elsie1955]

Still good - for those who don’t know: bananas, rice, apple, toast. The apple should be grated and left to go brown (pectin development) and rice should be pudding rice, toast white. But not until you feel like eating! I start with cream crackers/rich tea biscuits and clear soup (dissolved stock cubes!) and work up from there. Hope you feel better soon.

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

White rice cooked with a little salt in water is great.

And cherries.

Stronger take chicken soup. Ad veges, that will give you the nutrient you need and hydrate you. Takr hot, warm or cool.

Take care.

cheers JOY. 73. (NZ)

[Singwell]

Hi, sorry you're suffering. Do you mean you have vomiting or diarrhoea (or both?). Or just severely upset stomach? White rice and lemon juice is something I've heard of and taken whilst in Greece due to kebabs! Never again. In the UK we can get a nutrient powder called Complan, which is specifically for recovery. Your pharmacy will have something similar. I've found it good. I also make miso soup and buy good quality chicken broth - consommé- as that has nutrients in too.

[Elsie1955 in reply to Singwell]

diarrhoea only and I tried to eat a little last night and woke up with it even worse. The fever is gone but the diarrhoea lives on

[Singwell]

I'm also going to add - when we were growing up the thinking was to 'starve it out'. When I had a stomach virus last year my Arrythmia Nurse told me specifically NOT to do this. She said that modern thinking is to put nutrients into the system so that good microbiomes in your gut will chase out the bad ones. I followed her advice using the Complan and soups as per my other response and was improved in 48 hours.

[CDreamer in reply to Singwell]

I was very recently told the opposite, not that it mattered as nothing stayed for more than a few moments. The thinking was if a bug causing the symptoms then better out then in, flush system with water & electrolytes but whatever you do or not regarding nourishment- don’t take any anti sickness or diarrhea meds.

[Buffafly in reply to CDreamer]

I would think that only applies to food poisoning. When my daughter had violent repeated vomiting (unknown cause) the dr gave her an injection plus a stock of anti sickness medication. Something had to be done because she was caring for an elderly lady on her own.

[Singwell in reply to CDreamer]

I guess there's no fixed approach Normally I'd eschew something like Complan but it did the trick on that occasion.

[Elsie1955 in reply to Singwell]

Ive been reading online that there's no consensus on the BRAT thing either. But we don't have Complan in the states. Can you tell me if there's a similar product or what it is?

[Singwell in reply to Elsie1955]

I'm sure you'll have something similar. Ask your pharmacy

[Sniggetts]

Hi, sorry to hear you’ve been unwell like this. Keeping the fluids up is a priority rather than food at this time. I was very unfortunate & ended up in hospital with flu ( I was one of the early ones) . Had terrible gastric issues once home , lived on soup and jelly for a while, added in toast and got back on track gradually on track.

Hope you’re on the mend very soon 😊

[Desanthony]

My Auntie Joyce's Chicken broth with kneidlach - will cure anythingf- though i would wait until you were stronger for the kneidlach - think the spelling is correct? Seriously if you don't feel hungry don't eat just keep well hydrated with water or juices and then work up to the soup.

[ibuputih]

Good advice here …. Although I thought I’d throw in what our old Scottish family doctor told us over half a century ago when I was young and had gastric flu ( this was in the good old days when you had no appointments and just turned up at the surgery during opening hours and queued until it was your turn. Alternatively, if too poorly, the doctor came and visited you at home).

Mum was being very cautious about what she gave me as I began to recover, in case it made a ‘re appearance’ after being eaten. I had other ideas and asked for something quite outlandish. The doctor replied by saying that if I really fancied it, I should be given it and the body would tolerate it. I have followed that advice successfully for my own family ever since - hasn’t failed me yet.

In a similar vein, my G Grandmother’s advice if you had D and V was to think back over what you’ve eaten. The thing that makes you go ‘urgh’ is probably the culprit!

Doesn’t really help in this discussion but thought I’d just throw it in the conversation for added interest!!

A Happy and Healthy 2023 to all.

[GrannyE]

I think water or peppermint or ginger tea little and often. Then slightly burnt dry toast. Proper Honey is good. Homemade chicken broth. Little and often I think is the key and keep hydrated. You can get small sachets of rehydration salts etc which you can add to water.

[Jetcat]

Iv never had an appetite when Iv had flu. Iv always stuck with lemon water. But if you do feel like you could eat something try chicken broth. It’s easily digested and not too heavy.

[Qualipop]

My go to is always Heinz tomato soup o r lightly scrambled eggs.

[jeanjeannie50]

This talk of John Campbells with a specialist re drink and fluid when ill, interested me. I think I would go with what your body is telling you to do, but please listen to this talk:

youtube.com/watch?v=sP65st2...(Not working as expected?)

Jean