5 Food Items You Can Eat While Fighting Stomach Infection

Stomach infection is one of the most frustrating medical conditions. Typically, the primary cause of a stomach infection is poor hand hygiene or eating raw food. Almost all of us have experienced bouts of diarrhoea, vomiting and other symptoms because of stomach infection. It makes you immobile, and there’s nothing you can do till the infection subsides. The frequent trips to the washroom are without a doubt annoying and drain the energy.

People use stomach infection as a loose term for viral gastroenteritis and bacterial gastroenteritis. Since germs such as bacteria and virus can cause stomach infection – not protecting against them will guarantee painful trips to the washroom. Pair it with vomiting, and abdominal cramps and the situation becomes even worse. So, if you’re in a similar situation and are fighting these symptoms – we know how badly you want to get better. Next time use disinfectants like Dettol hand wash to fight germs that cause stomach infection.

Along with the antibiotics and other medicines – there are some certain foods you can have to fight stomach infection. These foods will accelerate the healing process and make it easy on your tummy! Take a look:

1. Fluids

When you’re fighting stomach infection, there’s massive loss of fluid – mostly due to diarrhoea and vomiting. In some extreme cases, it may even lead to hospitalisation.

The best way to fight stomach infection is by consuming many fluids and keeping yourself hydrated. In this way, the body makes up for lost fluids and also helps flush out the bacteria or virus causing the infection.

So, keep yourself hydrated by consuming water, juice, or coconut water. Since germs attack the inner lining of the stomach, there’s also a significant loss of salts and electrolytes from the body. To make up for it, you can have an electrolyte solution that will replenish essential salts and electrolytes such as potassium and calcium.

Try and stick to consuming clear liquids. You can start having chicken soup or broth once your bathroom trips have reduced. It will provide the necessary nutrients and help heal better. Avoid everything else, including coffee and alcohol.

2. BRAT Diet

Bland food is the best way to fight stomach infection caused by germs. It helps in healing and is best suited when your stomach infection is a little better.

Doctor’s recommended BRAT diet works really well during stomach infection. BRAT is an acronym for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. These bland foods help to bind the stomach and make the stools firmer. Other than the BRAT diet, avoid eating anything else – be it cooked or uncooked.

3. Ice Chips

Sometimes the stomach infection is so severe that there will be a hard time even keeping the water down. In such a case, the best way to keep yourself hydrated is by sucking on ice chips (cubes) to rehydrate.

4. Tea

Tea is a superfood when it comes to fighting stomach infection. However, tea comes in different flavours, strengths and what not. Make sure the tea you’re having is free from caffeine as it makes you lose more fluids since it is a diuretic. You can have ginger or peppermint flavoured tea to recover the lost fluids from the stomach.

5. Apple Cider Vinegar, Cinnamon and Turmeric

The trio helps to relieve many stomach infection symptoms. Apple cider vinegar provides relief from nausea whereas cinnamon and turmeric are known to help during abdominal cramps. Use these three items in moderation and most of the pain will be gone in a day or two.

Stomach infection is caused by various germs and is either called bacterial gastroenteritis or viral gastroenteritis. The best way to prevent an episode of stomach infection is by following certain practices. Wash fresh produce and only eat cooked meat. Make sure to wash hands with a disinfectant like Dettol Hand Wash to kill germs lingering on your hands. Maintaining hand hygiene in most cases will help avoid stomach infection and the horrible symptoms associated with it! If you’re travelling and cannot wash hands, use on-the-go disinfectants like Dettol hand sanitizer to stay clear of germs that can cause stomach infection.