How to restore gut health after the stomach flu

Share some ideas on how to promote gut health after illness. Please remember that this is not medical advice and talk to your doctor before making any health or nutritional changes.

Hi friends! How was your week? I hope you have an amazing person. There’s something a little weird here. When we got home from Orlando, the pilot got sick and stayed in bed with a fever all week. Liv came down this morning so me and I are still on our feet and taking all our vitamins etc. It’s definitely *sick season* in Tucson – so many people are getting sick – so I thought it would be a good time for this post: Restoring Gut Health After the Stomach Flu.

Stomach flu is probably the worst. This is a viral or bacterial infection of the digestive system that can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue. It’s very common and recovery is usually quick, but you may be wondering what you can do about your gut health after recovery.

In today’s post, I want to share some tips on how to support your digestive system, replenish lost nutrients, and reduce inflammation for a smoother recovery. 🙂

*Not medical advice. Always check in with your doctor, I’m just sharing some things that have helped us.

How to restore gut health after the stomach flu

Stomach flu disrupts the balance of your gut flora (the collection of good bacteria in your digestive system) and can deplete the body of nutrients and electrolytes. When you’re actively sick, you burn through your reserves and then feel depleted.

Here’s how I’ll break down today’s post: Learn about gut health, why it’s important, and actionable steps to restore balance.

What is gut health?

Gut health includes the balance and function of the bacteria and microorganisms that live in the digestive tract. This amazing LIL ecosystem (commonly known as the gut microbiome) plays a vital role in maintaining overall health. A healthy gut helps digest food efficiently, absorb important nutrients, produce essential vitamins, and helps communicate with the brain through the gut-brain axis.

The gut also has a significant impact on your immune system. Approximately 70% of immune cells reside in the gut, which help fight pathogens and regulate inflammation in the body. When your gut is balanced, you’re more likely to feel energetic, focused, and resilient. But when the balance is disrupted, it can lead to problems like bloating, fatigue, weakened immunity, and even mood changes.

After illness, replenishing the delicate balance of your gut can impact your overall recovery, mood, and immune system. Supplementing with beneficial bacteria can help rebuild the protective barriers of the gut, improve digestion and strengthen the immune system to prevent further disease. Combining probiotic supplements or fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut can help repopulate your gut with the good bacteria you need.

Reducing inflammation is another key step in recovery. The stomach flu can make your digestive tract inflamed and sensitive, which is why we’re focusing on bland, easy-to-digest foods and staying hydrated to soothe your stomach. Foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, aloe vera juice, and plain chicken soup are gentle on your gut and can provide essential nutrients without causing additional stress.

A friendly reminder that your digestive system needs time and support to heal. Rest, hydration, and the slow reintroduction of nutrient-dense foods are crucial. These steps help restore your gut flora, replenish lost electrolytes, and rebuild 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 sick, you deplete nutrients and electrolytes. Some of my favorite ways to stay hydrated are baked lemon juice, water, herbal teas, hydrogen water, or electrolytes.

Avoid sugary or caffeinated drinks, which can irritate your digestive system. If you feel like soda, we all love Poppi and Ollipop. The lemon-lime and ginger beer flavors will be tender and delicious.

2. Gradually reintroduce foods with bland choices

When you feel like eating again, I like to try something bland like plain rice, bananas, applesauce, cookies (simple grindstones are our favorite), and toast once the symptoms subside. Random note: Green corn flour tortillas always feel good after I get sick.

These foods are gentle on the stomach and can help the digestive system recover.

I prefer to avoid jumping into any rich, acidic or sugary foods.

3. Incorporate probiotics into your diet

You can replenish beneficial bacteria with foods that include probiotics like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and miso. Start small; you don’t need to have a lot to enjoy the benefits. I like to start with a tablespoon of sauerkraut to see how my body and stomach react. The miso is lovely stirred into the broth too!

Probiotic supplements are also a good option, especially if your gut flora is severely disrupted.

These Gelatin Gummies for Gut Health are a fun and easy way to support gut health – and kids love them, too.

4. Manage stress levels

Stress can also affect gut health and immune system function.

I like to include stress management techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or light yoga to support recovery. If you don’t want to do anything else, pop out some headphones and listen to binaural beats on Spotify.

5. rest a lot

Rest and sleep are essential for the body to heal and reduce inflammation.

It’s always important to listen to our bodies and prioritize getting plenty of rest to support digestive and immune system function.

6. Slowly reintroduce fiber and nutrient-dense foods

Fiber can support gut health but should be reintroduced gradually to avoid digestive disturbances.

Some of my favorite nutrient-dense options are steamed veggies, lean protein, and healthy fats (like avocado, coconut oil, nut butters, etc.) to help replenish lost nutrients and rebuild strength. 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 riced broccoli. Another great combination is pineapple, coconut water, spinach, vanilla protein powder, and chia seeds.

7. Avoid trigger foods and reduce inflammation

Avoid foods, alcohol, caffeine, and processed foods as these can irritate your gut while it heals.

Instead, choose something like ginger tea, vegetable soup, turmeric tea, or bone broth to soothe your digestive system and reduce inflammation. For my pantry and immune system essentials (like aloe vera juice, cookies, soups, and tea) I always use A booming market <- Link to get 40% off your first purchase.

What’s your first choice when you have the stomach flu or food poisoning? When I feel sick to my stomach I will usually get a binder And it seems to help.

A few years ago my girls and I got really sick the night we used the air fryer for the first time. Now that I know paint is toxic, it totally makes sense. we have a new one non-toxic air fryer I feel so much better about using it.

Hope you have a great day and I’ll see you soon.

xoxo

Gina