Gastrointestinal illness, or food poisoning, can cause a range of uncomfortable symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness and fever. If you have eaten contaminated food, you may be wondering what you should eat to calm your stomach and help reduce symptoms. While you will have to wait for the bacteria that caused your gastrointestinal illness to work their way out of your body, there are certain foods that may help you feel better in the meantime. Wait to add them to your diet until the diarrhea has passed though, recommends the National Institutes of Health.
Clear Broth
One potentially dangerous complication of gastrointestinal illness is dehydration. When you vomit or have diarrhea, you lose fluids that your body needs for proper hydration. It is important to replace these when you have a gastrointestinal illness. Clear broth is a bland way to replace lost fluids and also help settle your stomach. Take small sips of warm broth throughout the day to help prevent dehydration.
Crackers and Toast
One way to help your body get back into your normal eating routine after a bout of gastrointestinal illness is to eat bland foods like dry crackers and toast. Not only do these foods help settle your stomach, they may also help prevent the nausea and vomiting associated with gastrointestinal illness. Eat one or two crackers or a slice of toast two or three times a day, or as often as you like if your nausea does not return. MayoClinic.com notes that these foods are easy to digest, which can help prevent your symptoms from increasing.
Yogurt
When you experience gastrointestinal illness, it is often due to invading bacteria that cause your symptoms. One way to possibly decrease the time you spend suffering is to replenish your store of healthy bacteria, which may help your body get rid of the offending germs more quickly. Yogurt is one of the most well-known sources of live and active cultures that serve this purpose. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus as two healthy options, which are present in many brands of yogurt. Note that while yogurt is beneficial, other dairy products should be avoided until your symptoms subside.
Foods Rich in Vitamin A
Carrots are a nutritious food that supplies your sick body with beta-carotene, which you then convert into vitamin A. Increased intake of vitamin A while suffering from gastrointestinal illness may encourage your body to get rid of the organisms causing your symptoms more quickly. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that animal studies have indicated vitamin A may be the most beneficial for gastrointestinal illness that occurs from ingesting salmonella. Other foods that contain beta-carotene for vitamin A include apricots, peaches, cantaloupe and sweet potatoes.
