As much as I love the colder weather, it does mean it’s time to brace ourselves for illnesses! I have several young children, and it seems that no matter how many precautions I take, we always have at least one week of sickies around here. Dealing with throw up and diarrhea is never fun, but if you at least know what to feed your family to help them recover quickly, you can hopefully limit the time you’re dealing with sickness!

The most important thing to think about when you’re sick is staying hydrated! That can be really hard to do when everything is coming back up or going right out! If you’re throwing up, try to take tiny, frequent sips of water if you can- don’t overdo it. As soon as you can stomach it, gradually increase your water intake. Especially with diarrhea, continue to drink enough water to keep your urine clear and to make sure you are urinating frequently enough.

While drinking is the most important thing when you’re, eating the right food and in the right amounts will also play a big part in your recovery! Though it’s a good rule in general, it’s especially true when you’re sick- avoid eating 3 big meals in a day. Instead, shoot for eating 6-8 smaller meals.So the question is, what do we eat for those 6 small meals? We’ve all probably heard of the BRAT diet, and for good reason! These are thick, low-fiber, bland foods that will be easy on your digestive system and help you on your way to a quick recovery!

Bananas

Rice (white)

Applesauce

Toast (and soda crackers).

When suffering from diarrhea, you also want to make sure your diet includes a few things that are high in salt, such as pedialyte or soup with Saltine crackers. Normally you want to avoid sugar and salt, but when you’re suffering from diarrhea, these will actually help you to retain fluids, which is exactly what we need. Bananas and boiled potatoes are great because they are high in potassium and will help your body replenish the nutrients it so desperately needs. Oatmeal and baked chicken (skinless) are also safe foods to eat when recovering.

After vomiting, you’ll want to wait several hours before eating anything. Try to suck on ice chips or take very small sips of water (if your stomach can handle it- if you end up throwing it all up, try waiting a couple hours). If you’re able to keep this down after 3-4 hours, try other clear liquids such as clear broth, gelatin, or sports drinks. Once your body is able to tolerate these (after another 3-4 hours), you can start slowly introducing the BRAT diet. Stick to this diet until you feel ready to branch out.

Even if you think you’re feeling better, it’s best to stick to the BRAT diet for 24-48 hours after vomiting or having a bathroom episode to help your body recover as quickly as it can without regressing. If you do start introducing other foods, you’ll definitely want to avoid the following:

Dairy is hard on the digestive system, and even if you normally have no problem consuming dairy, it’s best to avoid products such as milk, cheese and butter until your stomach and intestines have had time to recover fully.

Artificial sweeteners, fatty/greasy foods, and other foods that can cause gas such as beans, broccoli, etc; your digestive system doesn’t need any extra work to do!

Spicy foods may be tasty, but they’ll just cause you a lot more pain when you’re sick! Think bland and tasteless- at least until you’ve recovered!

Alcohol and caffeinated drinks can actually cause you to lose fluids and become more dehydrated, so you definitely want to avoid these, especially when experiencing diarrhea.

Being sick is never fun, but it doesn’t have to last forever! By being smart with your food and water intake, you can avoid complications and help yourself have a quick recovery!