Sharing some ideas on how to boost gut health after illness. Please keep in mind that this is not medical advice, and speak with your doctor before making any health or dietary changes.
Hello friends! How’s the week going? I hope you have an amazing one. It was a bit goofy here. The pilot got sick when we got home from Orlando and was bedridden with a fever all week. Liv came down this morning, so P and I are still standing and taking all our vitamins and such. It’s definitely *sick season* in Tucson — a lot of people are sick — so I thought it would be a good time for this post: How to Regain Gut Health After Stomach Flu.
Stomach flu can be the worst. It is a viral or bacterial infection that affects the digestive system, which can lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue. It’s very common and recovery is often quick, but you may be wondering what you can do about your gut health after recovery.
In today’s article, I wanted 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 consult your doctor and I’ll share some things that have helped us.*
How to restore gut health after stomach flu
Stomach flu disrupts the balance of your gut flora (the group of beneficial bacteria in your digestive system) and can leave the body depleted of nutrients and electrolytes. When you’re seriously ill, you use up your reserves and feel depleted afterwards.
Here’s how today’s article is broken down: 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 bacteria and microorganisms that live in the digestive tract. This amazing ecosystem—often called the gut microbiome—plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health. A healthy intestine helps digest food effectively, absorb vital nutrients, produce essential vitamins, and helps communicate with the brain through the gut-brain axis.
The intestines also have major effects on your immune system. About 70% of immune cells are located in the intestines, 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 out of balance, it can lead to problems such as bloating, fatigue, weak immunity, and even mood changes.
After you get sick, replenishing the delicate balance of your gut can impact your full recovery, your mood, and your immune system. Replenishing beneficial bacteria can help rebuild your gut’s protective barrier, improve digestion, and strengthen your immune system to prevent further illness. Incorporating probiotic supplements or fermented foods (such as yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut) can help repopulate your gut with the good bacteria it needs.
Reducing inflammation is another key step in the recovery process. Stomach flu can leave your digestive system inflamed and sensitive, which is why we want to focus 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 broth 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 slowly reintroducing nutrient-dense foods are vital. These steps help restore your intestinal flora, replenish lost electrolytes, and rebuild the strength of your immune system.
How to improve gut health after stomach flu
1. Stay hydrated and replenish lost electrolytes
When you’re seriously ill, you’re depleted of nutrients and electrolytes. Some of my favorite ways to stay hydrated are broth with lemon juice, water, herbal tea, hydrogen water, or electrolytes.
Avoid sugary or caffeinated drinks, which can irritate the digestive system. If you like a soft drink, we all love Poppi and Ollipop. The lemon, lime and ginger flavors will be nice and delicious.
2. Reintroduce foods gradually with gentle options
When I feel like eating again, I like to try bland foods like plain rice, bananas, applesauce, crackers (simple mills are our favorite), and toast once my symptoms subside. Random note: Green corn tamales are always good for my stomach after I get sick.
These foods are gentle on the stomach and can help the digestive system recover.
Best to avoid jumping into any rich, acidic or sugary foods.
3. Incorporate probiotics into your diet
You can start replenishing beneficial bacteria by including probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and miso. Start small; You don’t need much to enjoy the benefits. I like to start with a tablespoon of sauerkraut to see how my body and stomach react. Miso is also lovely stirred into broth!
Probiotic supplements are also a great option, especially if your gut flora is severely disrupted.
These gut health gelatin gummies are a fun and easy way to support gut health – kids love them too.
4. Manage stress levels
Stress also affects 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, put on some headphones and listen to binaural beats on Spotify.
5. Get plenty of rest and sleep
Rest and sleep are essential for healing the body and reducing inflammation.
It’s always important to listen to our bodies and prioritize plenty of rest to support digestive and immune system function.
6. Slowly reintroduce high-fiber and nutrient-dense foods
Fiber can support gut health but should be reintroduced gradually to avoid digestive upset.
Some of my favorite nutrient-dense options are steamed veggies, lean proteins, 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 nutrition, I like to make a smoothie with almond milk, berries, protein powder, a little coconut oil, and broccoli paste. Another great combo is pineapple, coconut water, spinach, vanilla protein powder, and chia seeds.
7. Avoid inflammatory foods and reduce inflammation
Stay away from rich foods, alcohol, caffeine and processed substances, as they can irritate the intestines during healing.
Instead, choose things like ginger tea, vegetable soup, turmeric tea, or bone broth to soothe the digestive system and reduce inflammation. For my food supplies and immune system essentials (like aloe vera juice, crackers and broth, and tea), I use it all the time Market is booming <— The link gives you 40% off your first purchase.
What should you do when you have the stomach flu or food poisoning? While I feel sick to my stomach, I will Usually take a binder And it seems to help.
The girls and I were seriously ill two years ago, the same night we used the air fryer for the first time. Now that you know that paints are toxic, it makes perfect sense. We got a new one Non-toxic air fryer And I feel much better about using it.
Have a great day and I’ll see you soon.
xoxo
Jenna