Add easy-to-digest fruit like bananas
Simple carbohydrates are easy to digest but dont provide the vitamins and minerals your body will need to heal from an upset stomach. Adding fruit to your diet can be a great option to get more nutrients.
When choosing fruits, its best to stick with lower-fiber options, as fiber slows your digestive process and leaves residue in your digestive tract, which can irritate your bowels and make diarrhea worse. The peels and seeds in fruit generally hold the most fiber.
Smith suggests going with fruits like bananas or applesauce that have been peeled or skinned. According to Smith, “these are typically easier to digest and offer plenty of vitamins and minerals.”
Bananas in particular may be a good option, as they are rich in potassium, and diarrhea can cause you to lose potassium. Advertisement
When your stomach is upset, you should avoid eating big meals. “Typically, small frequent meals are better tolerated with an upset stomach,” says Kristen Smith, MS, RD, a dietician and Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This is because small meals empty from your stomach more quickly – when food sits in your stomach too long, you are more likely to become nauseous.
According to Smith, you might also want to temporarily reduce your overall dietary intake. According to Smith, it could be beneficial to consume roughly half of what you normally would, and to eat frequently throughout the day, until you begin to feel better.
“To help determine the amount of food you can individually tolerate, pay attention to your stomach and hunger cues,” advises Smith.
The foods listed below may help reduce symptoms of upset stomach. Advertisement.
If you are vomiting or have diarrhea, start with clear liquids
Clear liquids are the easiest things for your body to digest because they dont leave any undigested residue behind in your intestines. Plus, theyre an easy way to stay hydrated if youre experiencing fluid loss from diarrhea or vomiting.
Something must allow light to pass through it in order to qualify as a clear liquid, even if it has some color.
Some clear liquids you can try are:
- Clear broth, like bouillon; stay away from soups with cream base until you’re better.
- Clear sodas like seltzer
- Diluted apple or grape juice
- An electrolyte salt drink like Pedialyte
- Tea
- Herbal teas with calming properties, such as chamomile and peppermint
Other, more substantial choices that are gentle on the stomach include:
- Jell-O
- Popsicles with no milk or fruit pulp
You can begin by consuming small amounts of clear liquids gradually. Gradually increase the amount as the symptoms subside and you are able to eat.
Keep in mind that you should not stay on the clear liquid diet for more than a few days, as it does not give you enough calories or nutrients. If you are still unable to keep food down, you should visit your doctor. Advertisement
Try spices like ginger for symptoms relief
Ginger has been used for centuries to treat digestive issues, and it works especially well to ease nausea and vomiting. Some studies even suggest that ginger can work as well as a prescription anti-nausea medication.
You can find ginger capsules at stores that sell herbal supplements. Most clinical studies use between 250 and 500 mg of ginger to control nausea. You can also buy ginger tea or add sliced ginger root to boiling water to make your own ginger tea.
Chamomile is another natural remedy for norovirus symptoms. Chamomile has been shown to reduce vomiting, but it doesnt work as well as ginger to control nausea. Advertisement
