Stomach Flu, also known as viral Gastroenteritis in medical terms is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the stomach and the intestines. It is a contagious disease caused by the consumption of contaminated foods or water. This common ailment is usually not considered as a serious disease.
The disease causes common symptoms like nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain etc. The symptoms generally appear several hours or days after the infection takes place. Stomach Flu should not be confused with the regular Flu caused by influenza virus.
Stomach Flu usually goes away on its own within one to three days. Still, use of several safe and natural home remedies for Stomach Flu natural treatment can help in dealing with this ailment by reducing the discomfort caused by the symptoms.
Causes and Symptoms of Stomach Flu
Stomach Flu is mostly caused by Rota virus, Adenovirus, Astrovirus or Norovirus. Out of these, Retrovirus usually causes Stomach Flu in younger children under the age of five. Adenovirus and Astrovirus cause this ailment in comparatively older children.
On the other hand, Norovirus mostly infects adults with this viral infection. It may also be caused by bacteria or parasites.
Factors like coming in close contact with an infected individual, sharing the infected individual’s unsanitary personal possessions or consuming any contaminated food item infected by the Stomach Flu virus tend to cause this disease. Chemical toxins present in seafood, antibiotics and other allergic foods may increase the risk of developing this disease.
Some common symptoms of Stomach Flu are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. The condition may also be accompanied by other symptoms like slight fever, chills, headache, fatigue, bloating, loss of appetite, intense rectal burning, dehydration and other related symptoms. Blood in the stool or vomiting are rare but serious symptoms of this disease that generally require immediate medical attention.
Natural Home Remedies for Stomach Flu
- Herbal teas for instance, ginger tea, cinnamon tea, peppermint tea, etc serve as excellent home remedies for Stomach Flu as they have a soothing effect on the stomach.
- Eating bananas is one of the most highly recommended Stomach Flu home remedies as it is easy to digest and restores the electrolyte balance in the body. Yogurt is also beneficial in this regard.
- Regularly taking a glass of water mixed with some lime juice, five teaspoons of sugar and a pinch of salt helps to cure Stomach Flu symptoms naturally at home.
- Fennel and caraway seeds are considered as highly beneficial natural home remedies for Stomach Flu home treatment. The seeds can be taken in the form of tea by boiling a teaspoon of the seeds in a cup of water.
- Allow the solution to stand for about 10 minutes and then strain it. This therapeutic Stomach Flu natural remedy should be taken three times in a day. Preferably, drink caraway tea on an empty stomach.
- Simply having pure cranberry juice serves as an effective Stomach Flu home remedy.
- Drinking small cups of rice water every hour is useful in healing this condition naturally. Cinnamon and honey can also be added in this remdial solution to improve its taste.
Diet for Stomach Flu
When dealing with Stomach Flu, try to include more amounts of fluids in the diet in order to avoid dehydration and maintain proper electrolyte balance in the body.
Vegetables soups, broths and fruit juices like papaya juice, cabbage juice, carrot juice etc are highly beneficial in this regard. In case there is excessive abdominal pain and cramping then have some mint tea to relieve the pain.
Plus, drink plenty of water at regular intervals throughout the day. Also, take a high fiber diet consisting of nutritious foods like apples, bananas, peaches, blueberries, carrots, rice and rice cereals and similar other fruits and vegetables. Apart from this, stay away from fatty, oily and spicy foods that tend to aggravate the symptoms further.
Similarly, restrict the consumption of alcohol, tea, coffee and other dehydrating caffeinated beverages. Citrus juices, milk and carbonated beverages should also be avoided until Stomach Flu is cured. Last but not the least, maintain proper personal hygiene and take sufficient rest to help prevent as well as cure Stomach Flu.
Source :Speedy Remedies
Source :Speedy Remedies