The stomach flu, or viral gastroenteritis, can cause significant digestive symptoms that can affect you even after the infection is gone. During the stomach flu, you experience excessive vomiting, diarrhea and nausea. These symptoms can cause damage to your digestive system that can take up to 10 days to completely heal, even after your symptoms subside. What you eat will directly affect the severity and longevity of an upset stomach after the stomach flu passes. Talk with your doctor about how to modify your diet after the stomach flu is over.
Stomach Flu
Viral gastroenteritis the No. 1 cause of diarrhea in children and adults, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. The most common way you can catch the stomach flu is by eating or drinking contaminated foods or beverages. Although the condition is called the stomach flu, it is not caused by an influenza virus and has no relation to the seasonal flu. The stomach flu is a viral infection of the intestines caused by the astrovirus, enteric adenovirus, rotavirus or the norovirus. The elderly, young children and people with suppressed immune systems are at the highest risk.
Diet
Your diet is an important part of treatment even after the stomach flu symptoms have ended. According to FamilyDoctor.org, a common diet recommended by doctors after vomiting, diarrhea and nausea have subsided is the BRAT diet. The BRAT diet limits your food intake to bland foods that will help promote easy digestion and sold stools. The BRAT diet stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. These four foods are considered binding foods that are low in fiber and that help to make your stools firm. They are also easy to digest, avoiding any further irritation in the stomach.
Liquids
Because dehydration is one of the most common complications from the stomach flu, continue to increase your liquid intake even after the stomach flu has subsided. Drink more water, fruit juice, herbal teas and chicken broth to keep yourself hydrated, according to MayoClinic.com. You can also suck on ice cubes or ice pops if your stomach still feels upset and you have a difficult time keeping liquids down.
Precautions
Dehydration is a medical condition where your body becomes depleted of water, which can cause serious complications, such as death. It is a serious concern if you're just getting over the stomach flu. Common symptoms of dehydration include thirst, less-frequent urination, dark-colored urine, dry skin, fatigue, dizziness and light-headedness, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
