Stomach Flu

[smarie]

So I had the stomach flu the last couple days (vomiting, nausea, sore muscles) and I had no idea what to eat once I could stomach food again. Everything I've heard says to eat carbs (like the BRAT diet, Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast).

So I ended up just eating some carbs and I'm back on plan today, but in the future if this happens, what should I eat?

[Desertthorn]

Cream soup, faux mashed potatoes (cauliflower), anything that sounds and looks good on the acceptable list

[not2late]

Originally Posted by smarie

So I had the stomach flu the last couple days (vomiting, nausea, sore muscles) and I had no idea what to eat once I could stomach food again. Everything I've heard says to eat carbs (like the BRAT diet, Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast).

So I ended up just eating some carbs and I'm back on plan today, but in the future if this happens, what should I eat?

The BRAT diet was used to treat diarrhea in children. Each food was thought to help stop the diarrhea and the side effects of losing the water.

Bananas: have potassium. Potassium is lost in the watery stools.
Rice: is a constipator and would help "stiffen up" the diarrhea.
Apples/Applesauce: was eaten for the pectin because pectin would also "stiffen up" the diarrhea.
Toast: was originally burnt toast because the carbon from the burnt bits would neutralize any toxins that caused the diarrhea.

Also, the BRAT diet is no longer used because they found it's nutritionally inadequate and it doesn't have an effect on diarrhea.

You're better off eating the nourishing foods Desertthorn mentioned. Because when your body is fighting off an infection it needs the energy to do it.

What's fascinating is my boss (I work in a doctor's office) has old books about nutrition for ill people. It's crammed with recipes for lightly boiled eggs, broth, beef "tea", flax tea, egg custards, omelettes, and even things like sauteed chicken with mushrooms, creamed beef, and vegetable soups.



There's also a thread in the Low Carb Menues Section with food suggestions when you are ill.

When I was in OWL, I was hit with a stomach flu. Surprizingly the food most soothing to my stomach was plain cream cheese.