The stomach flu knows no barrier for time nor season. Any time of year is free game. Once it hits, you spend the next 24 to 48 hours running to the bathroom, losing everything you recently ate.
Fear of throwing up may keep you from taking in fluids and food, but is that really the best solution? Here are 6+ home remedies to help you kick the stomach flu with as little discomfort as possible.
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1. Rest. The most important thing, according to the Mayo Clinic, is to get plenty of rest. Your body is fighting a bug, and it needs the strength to fight. When you're tired, let your body sleep.
2. Heat. If muscle aches or stomach cramps are part of the stomach flu, Medicinenet recommends using a heating pad to ease them.
3. Acupressure. To help relieve the nausea that often accompanies the stomach flu, Healthline says to try applying pressure to the P-6. You can locate the place three finger-widths below the palm of your hand. Apply pressure with your thumb to the area between the tendons.
4. Hydrate. Another top-of-the-list item is to keep yourself hydrated. The Mayo Clinic says that water is really the best fluid to take in, but consuming clear soda, broths and caffeine-free teas are also good choices.
5. Ginger tea. Ginger tea, according to Medical News Today, offers two benefits: It calms the stomach and provides fluid. Make your own ginger tea by adding 1 teaspoon of powdered ginger to 1 cup of boiling water. You can also use 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ginger instead. Let the fresh ginger steep for 10 minutes before straining it out. Drink the tea two to three times a day to get the most out of it.
6. Peppermint tea. Another good tea for the stomach is peppermint tea. Medical News Today reports that it helps eliminate gas and bloating.
7. Eat. Once your stomach has settled enough that you're not bringing everything up, Healthline reminds you to start eating. Start with items that are easy on the stomach like bananas, rice, applesauce, dry toast, soda crackers and jello.
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You may not be able to avoid catching the stomach flu, but you can set yourself up to recover quickly, with as little discomfort as possible.