Sharing some ideas on how to promote gut health after being sick. Keep in mind that this is not medical advice and talk to your doctor before making any changes to your health or diet.
Hello friends! How’s your week going? I hope you have an amazing one. It was a bit wacky here. The pilot got sick when we got home from Orlando and we were in bed with a fever all week. Liv went down this morning so P and I are still up and taking all the vitamins etc. It’s definitely *sick season* in Tucson – so many people are sick – so I figured it would be a good time for this post: How to Get Your Gut Health Back After the Stomach Flu.
Stomach flu can be the worst. It is a viral or bacterial infection of the digestive system, which can lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fatigue. It’s super common and recovery is often quick, but you may be wondering what you can do about gut health after recovery.
In today’s post I wanted to share some tips on how to support the digestive system, replenish lost nutrients and reduce inflammation for a smooth recovery. 🙂
*Not medical advice. Always check with your doctor and I’m just sharing some things that have worked for us.*
How to restore gut health after stomach flu
Stomach flu disrupts the balance of gut flora (the collection of beneficial bacteria in your digestive system) and can leave the body depleted of nutrients and electrolytes. When you are actively sick, you burn through your reserves and feel exhausted afterwards.
Here’s how I’ll break down today’s post: understanding gut health, why it’s important, and actionable steps to restore balance.
What is gut health?
Gut health involves the balance and function of the bacteria and microorganisms that live in your digestive tract. This incredible LIL ecosystem—often referred to as the gut microbiome—plays a critical role in maintaining overall wellness. A healthy gut helps it efficiently digest food, absorb vital nutrients, produce essential vitamins, and also helps communicate with the brain through the gut axis.
The gut also has major impacts on your immune system. About 70% of your immune cells reside in your gut, which help fight pathogens and regulate inflammation in the body. When your gut is balanced, you’re more likely to feel energized, focused and resilient. But when the balance is disturbed, it can lead to problems like bloating, fatigue, weakened immunity and even mood swings.
After you’ve been sick, restoring the delicate balance of your gut can impact your full recovery, your mood, and your immune system. Replenishment of beneficial bacteria can help restore the protective gut barrier, improve digestion and strengthen your immune system to prevent further illness. Including probiotic supplements or fermented foods (like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut) can help repopulate the gut with the good bacteria it needs.
Reducing inflammation is another key step in recovery. The stomach flu can leave your digestive tract inflamed and sensitive, which is why we want to focus on bland, easy foods and staying hydrated to soothe the stomach. Foods like bananas, rice, apples, toast, aloe juice, and plain chicken soup are gentle on the gut and can provide essential nutrients without causing extra strain.
A friendly reminder that your digestive system needs time and support to heal. Rest, hydration and slowly reintroducing nutrient dense foods are vital. These steps help restore gut flora, replenish lost electrolytes, and restore the strength of your immune system.
How to improve gut health after the stomach flu
1. Stay hydrated and replenish lost electrolytes
When you are actively ill, you are depleted of nutrients and electrolytes. Some of my favorite ways to stay hydrated are soups with lemon juice, water, herbal teas, hydrogen water, or electrolytes.
Avoid sugary or caffeinated drinks, which can irritate the digestive system. If you’re feeling like soda, we all love Poppi and Ollipop. The lemon and ginger ale flavors would be delicate and delicious.
2. Reintroduce foods with bland options
When you feel like eating again, I like to try bland foods like plain rice, bananas, apples, crackers (simple mills are ours) and toast after the symptoms subside. Random note: Green corn tamales always feel so good on my stomach after I’ve been sick, hahaha.
These foods are gentle on the stomach and can help the digestive system recover.
I prefer to avoid jumping into any rich, sour or sweet foods.
3. Include probiotics in your diet
You can begin to replenish the beneficial bacteria by including probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and miso. Start small; You don’t have to have a lot to enjoy the benefits. I like to start with a spoonful of sauerkraut to see how my body and stomach will react. The miso is lovely mixed into the soup too!
Probiotic supplements are also a great option, especially if the gut flora is significantly disrupted.
They gelatin gummies for gut health are a fun and easy way to support gut health – and kids love them.
4. Managing stress levels
Stress also affects gut health and immune system function.
I like to incorporate stress management techniques like meditation, deep breathing exercises or light yoga to support recovery. If you don’t feel like doing anything, pop in some headphones and listen to some binaural beats on Spotify.
5. Get plenty of rest and sleep
Rest and sleep are key for the body to heal and reduce inflammation.
It is always important to listen to our bodies and prioritize plenty of rest to support the digestive system and immune system function.
6. Slowly reintroducing food and nutrients
Fiber can support gut health, but should be introduced gradually to avoid digestive upset.
Some of my favorite nutrient-dense options are steamed vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats (like avocado, coconut oil, nut butters, etc.) to replenish lost nutrients and restore energy. If you’re still feeling a little green but want to get some nutrition, I like to make a smoothie with almond milk, berries, protein powder, a little coconut oil and cauliflower. Another great combination is pineapple, coconut water, spinach, vanilla protein powder and chia seeds.
7. Avoid trigger foods and reduce inflammation
Steer clear of rich foods, alcohol, caffeine and processed items, as they can irritate the gut while it’s healing.
Instead, opt for things like ginger tea, vegetable broth, turmeric tea, or bone broth to soothe the digestive system and reduce inflammation. For my pantry and immune system basics (like aloe juice, crackers, soup and tea), I always use MARKET MARKET < - Link gets you 40% off your first purchase.
How do you move when you have the stomach flu or food poisoning? As long as I feel sick to my stomach, I will usually take a binder And it seems to be helping.
The girls and I were violently ill a few years ago, the same night we used the air fryer for the first time. Now that I know the coatings are toxic, it makes total sense. We got a new one non-toxic air fryer And I feel a lot better about using it.
I hope you have a great day and I’ll see you soon.
xoxo
Gina
