Agh, the dreaded stomach virus. Is there anything worse? I’d gladly face just about any acute sickness if I could guarantee I wouldn’t have to throw up. Fever? Bring it on. Coughing, sneezing, sniffling? Let’s go. Vomit even once? No, thank you.
When a stomach virus strikes, you want relief from the nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea fast. Herbs and homeopathy offer natural ways to ease these symptoms.
(You’d think after four miserable pregnancies, I’d be used to it. But there’s no worse feeling than puking, in my opinion!)
A stomach virus is a sort of monster illness that can strike with almost no warning, run you through the ringer for 12-24 hours (or more!), and then fly away leaving you feeling exhausted and weak … with a huge mess to clean up.
Please make it stop.
Like most acute illnesses, there is no cure for a stomach virus. Rest assured that your immune system is hard at work capturing and destroying all of those microscopic viruses, and – even though they make you miserable – the vomiting and diarrhea are a necessary part of that process.
In fact, over-the-counter medicines that stop diarrhea or vomiting are a very bad idea during a stomach virus. By suppressing these symptoms, you prevent the body from expelling the virus the easiest way it can. You don’t actually want to hang onto those little monsters any longer than you have to, right?
But I’m miserable! Give me something to help!
Since suppressing symptoms would be counter-productive, we’re left with only three things to do to help a stomach virus naturally:
- Make the victim person comfortable.
- Support the immune system.
- Prevent dehydration.
Easing Stomach Virus Symptoms Naturally
The same stomach virus affects different people in different ways, and of course, we always have to deal with the individual – not with their “disease label.”
One person may be vomiting every hour and unable to even keep water down. Another may have avoided vomiting but is experiencing watery diarrhea. And another poor soul may be camped on the toilet with a trashcan between her knees. (You have my sympathy.)
Thankfully, the worst symptoms of a stomach virus only last for 12-24 hours.
These are some of the things my family does to make suffering a little easier:
- Make sure the toilet is clean! No one wants their face that close to a filthy toilet. (Ask me how I know.)
- Put lots of blankets and pillows in the bathroom floor so the person can lie down in semi-comfort without having to crawl back to bed. I don’t know why, but doesn’t it seem that lying in the bathroom floor always makes the nausea less intense?
- Be mindful of the person’s desires. Some may want to be alone in a quiet, dark room. Others may need someone to stay nearby. Little ones typically need Mom or Dad to hold them almost continually. (The human touch has been scientifically proven to be healing. It boosts immune function and speeds recovery from illness. Definitely hold the ones who want you to, and go in from time to time to touch and speak to the ones who want to be alone.)
- For little ones, I keep several towels nearby and typically have them throw up into the towel instead of trying to rush to the bathroom every time. It’s easier to do a lot of laundry than to clean up lots of carpet.
- Let them pick what they want to watch on TV. Yes, even if it’s Clifford the Big Red Dog on repeat.
How to Support the Immune System During a Stomach Virus
One of the tricky things about a stomach virus is that it can be impossible to nourish the body in the midst of the vomiting. If nothing will stay down, that nutrient-packed green smoothie can’t help anything.
This is one reason why it’s so important to make sure your family’s daily diet is as healthy as possible. If you’ve been eating a well-rounded diet of fruits, vegetables, proteins, and fiber – from whole foods, not from processed, packaged stuff – you can be confident that your immune system is well-nourished and strong enough to do the job that it needs to do.
If, on the other hand, you’ve been subsisting on sugary cereals, frozen dinners, and chips, your immune system – like the rest of your body – will be weakened and will have a harder time fighting off the stomach virus.
Once any vomiting has subsided, though, you have an opportunity to nourish your body again and aid the recovery process. Some nourishing foods that I’ve found easy to tolerate after a stomach virus:
- Whole grain crackers and toast
- Oatmeal (I prefer it on the dryer side when I’ve been sick.)
- Baked potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
Rest is incredibly important during this type of sickness. Allow yourself the freedom to sleep and lie around for at least 24 hours after symptoms let up. Your body needs this time to recover.
Take time off from work or school. Stay home from any events (no need to pass the germ around, anyway!)
Moms, ask someone for help. I know how hard it is when you have little ones to care for and you’re sick. If Dad can’t stay home from work, don’t hesitate to ask someone else to come over and help for a day or two.
Preventing Dehydration During a Stomach Virus
Particularly with very young children and the elderly, the main concern during a stomach virus is the possibility of dehydration. With the entire digestive system purging itself and nothing new being kept down, dehydration can potentially be life threatening and is something you must never ignore.
Signs of dehydration include:
- Not urinating
- Very dark yellow urination
- Lethargy and/or confusion
- Rapid heart rate
- Dizziness or fainting
- Dry mouth or tongue
- Sunken eyes
- For infants, no tears when crying or sunken soft spot
If you or a family member experience these symptoms, see a medical professional immediately.
Water is, of course, the best way to prevent dehydration – but what about when the water comes right back up? A few ways to combat this are:
Take very small sips of water every few minutes.
Suck on small ice chips (not for babies or toddlers who may choke).
Lick or suck on a frozen fruit juice pop.
Commercial re-hydration drinks are sometimes recommended during this type of illness, but they don’t mesh with a holistic approach to health. These drinks are filled with artificial colors and flavors that make them a poor choice for good health at any time, much less during a time of sickness. Stick with water, naturally-sweetened herbal teas, or fruit juices.
Herbs for Stomach Virus Relief
Speaking of herbal teas, the most wonderful herb for soothing almost any digestive complaint is abundant and delicious peppermint. Among its many benefits, it can:
- Reduce nausea
- Ease vomiting
- Calm diarrhea
- Relax the entire digestive tract, thus helping to ease pain and discomfort.
When nausea of any type strikes, it can be helpful to drink warm peppermint tea. While you may not be able to enjoy any during acute vomiting, once the symptoms have subsided, sipping on peppermint tea will help to re-hydrate your body, soothe your digestive system, and aid your recovery.
For more about the wonders of peppermint during a stomach bug and other illnesses, read Peppermint for Upset Stomach.
Try Essential Oils for Nausea Relief
During intense nausea and vomiting, I find it helpful to breathe peppermint or lemon essential oil as well. I keep the bottle nearby and just take a whiff whenever I feel particularly nauseous. Unfortunately, neither scent can’t stop the vomiting during a stomach bug, but they do make the discomfort more bearable.
For children, it would be best to put a couple drops of either essential oil into a tablespoon of carrier oil (olive, coconut, etc.) and smear a little of that onto a tissue for them.
Once vomiting has stopped and you feel ready to begin eating again, this herbal tea blend is wonderful for supplying vitamins and minerals to nourish your body and for helping the digestive system to return to normal.
Herbal Tea “Stomach Bug Recovery Blend”
Bring 1 cup water to a boil. In a tea ball, combine:
-
- ¼ teaspoon nettles
- ¼ teaspoon alfalfa
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint
- ¼ teaspoon chamomile
Pour the boiling water over the herbs and steep for 10 minutes. Remove the herbs and sweeten the tea with a little raw honey. Sip slowly, enjoying the warmth and fragrance.
Drink 3-4 times a day as desired.
Nettles are high in iron, potassium, calcium, vitamins A and K, and can help ease diarrhea.
Alfalfa is also high in vitamin K and has small amounts of many other nutrients as well.
Peppermint, of course, we already talked about. Chamomile, too, is soothing to the digestive system and can reduce stomach pains. It can also help relieve gas, which can often be a problem after a stomach virus.
Natural Diarrhea Remedies
While diarrhea may not feel as terrible as vomiting, it’s definitely no fun and has the same potential for leading to dehydration. After a stomach virus, diarrhea can actually persist for up to two weeks, particularly in children.
Thankfully, herbs and homeopathic remedies offer many options for easing diarrhea and helping the body return to normal. Hop over and read my Stop Diarrhea Naturally article for more than 35 herbs, homeopathic remedies, and whole foods that will relieve diarrhea and help you feel well again.
The Importance of a Probiotic
One last thing that is too important to forget. No matter which symptoms you experience, a stomach virus throws the ecological balance of your entire digestive system out of whack.
Wait. Ecological balance? My stomach isn’t a forest.
No, but it is home to billions of microorganisms that are absolutely vital to your health and well-being. The so-called good bacteria that live in your digestive tract have numerous functions:
- Help you digest food.
- Produce certain vitamins that are essential for your survival.
- Keep the numbers of bad bacteria and fungi in check so that they can’t make you sick.
- Help keep everything moving along smoothly as it should.
While I strongly advocate that everyone should take a probiotic daily as a normal part of life, it becomes even more important when the digestive difficulties of a stomach virus strike.
Learn How to Choose the Best Probiotic for your needs and then begin taking it as soon as you can after vomiting symptoms have stopped. This will restore the proper balance of good bacteria in your system and will greatly speed your recovery.