When you have the stomach flu, avoid sugary drinks (soda, juice), caffeine (coffee, tea, soda), and alcohol because they worsen dehydration and diarrhea; also skip dairy products (lactose is hard to digest), and anything fatty, spicy, or highly seasoned, as these can irritate your stomach. Focus on small sips of clear fluids like water, broth, or oral rehydration solutions.
Try sucking on ice chips or taking small sips of water often. You might also try drinking clear soda, clear broths or noncaffeinated sports drinks. In some cases you can try oral rehydration solutions. Drink plenty of liquid every day, taking small, frequent sips.
Stop mild symptoms of norovirus infection from becoming worse by staying hydrated by drinking water or oral rehydration fluids after each bout of diarrhoea and vomiting. Avoid milk, fruit juices or sugary drinks.
Stomach bugs in pregnancy
What should I avoid eating if I have viral gastroenteritis?
There's no medicine for stomach flu. Antibiotics don't work on viruses — they're for bacterial infections. The best thing you can do to help your immune system do its work is to stay home and rest, stay hydrated and eat a little if you can. Give your body the energy it needs to fight the infection.
Here are ten of the best foods for a sensitive stomach:
People who have norovirus are still contagious for 48 to 72 hours after recovering. You should limit certain activities, but you may be able to resume others. To reduce your risk of spreading the stomach bug to others: Avoid preparing and serving food.
Symptoms
Not likely to help. “Many people stand by ginger ale as a remedy for nausea, but in truth, it doesn't contain enough real ginger to actually settle your stomach any better than other clear liquids,” Dr. Lipold reports. “And the carbonation can make bloating, gas and indigestion worse.”
Broth-based soups, such as chicken noodle, vegetable soup, or miso soup, are excellent options for replenishing fluids and electrolytes when recovering from gastroenteritis. Avoid creamy, high-fat and spicy soups, which can further irritate the stomach and hinder healing from gastroenteritis.
Hydration is key with norovirus
“Gatorade, Powerade—any of those beverages that are not carbonated, that don't have any citric acid in them but do have electrolytes—are the best fluids for” mild dehydration, she added, noting “certainly no caffeine as well.” “Norovirus can last for 24–48 hours.
Avoid milk and dairy products, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and fatty or highly seasoned foods for a few days. Get plenty of rest. The illness and dehydration can make you weak and tired.
The Worst Foods for Your Gastrointestinal System
Give small sips of liquids often. This may reduce the vomiting. For children under 1 year: use a spoon or syringe to give 1 to 2 teaspoons every few minutes (5 to 10 mL). For older than 1 year: give ½ to 1 ounce (1 to 2 tablespoons or 15 to 30 mL) every 20 minutes for a few hours.
Gastroenteritis is often mistaken for stomach flu although it is actually an inflammation of the lining of the intestines caused by a virus, bacteria or parasites. Symptoms of gastroenteritis include diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, headache, fever and chills. Most people recover with no treatment.
How to Treat the Stomach Flu at Home
Is Diarrhea a Symptom of Early Pregnancy? Diarrhea itself isn't a recognized sign of early pregnancy, unlike common symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, or missed periods. However, you might experience diarrhea during early pregnancy due to hormonal changes that affect your digestive system.
The best way to prevent catching a stomach bug: thorough hand washing. Everyone in your family should wash their hands with soap and water before eating and after using the bathroom. If you have an infant, be sure to follow proper handling and disposal of dirty diapers.
In a plastic bucket, mix 5 to 25 tablespoons of household bleach in a gallon of water. This solution is great at killing norovirus, but becomes less potent if it is exposed to a lot of organic matter (such as vomit or stool).
The uptick in norovirus started slightly earlier than usual and appears to be driven by a newer variant of the virus, which fueled a harsh 2024-2025 season. Last winter, norovirus outbreaks surged to decade-high levels.
Whether you're recovering from a stomach bug, experiencing a flare of a gastrointestinal (GI) condition, or dealing with GI symptoms, you may need to temporarily eat a diet of easy-to-digest foods and drinks. Bananas, white rice, crackers, and broth are common go-to foods when managing stomach troubles.
When you vomit, (we know it's a bit gross to talk about) your brain releases endorphins and adrenaline. Particularly, these endorphins are a natural, feel-good chemical which is why you feel sooooo amazing when you exercise, listen to music, eat food… and, of course, have a vomit.
To stop diarrhea, focus on bland, binding foods like the BRAT diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast), lean proteins (chicken), boiled potatoes, crackers, and probiotic yogurt, while avoiding high-fiber, greasy, spicy, or dairy-heavy foods, and staying hydrated with water or broth to help bind stools and restore electrolytes.