Gastrointestinal or stomach infections are the most commonly encountered infections, which is mainly caused by bacteria and viruses. Stomach infections are not only caused by bacteria and viruses but by maintaining poor hygiene as well. They might not always be severe and may often resolve rapidly, but they can be serious in specific healthcare settings or patient populations.
Safeguard your immune system by taking the first step, and that is by maintaining good hand hygiene. Hence, the use of Dettol hand wash is highly recommended by doctors around the globe. However, you cannot practice hand washing everywhere, especially when you are traveling, so instead keep Dettol Hand Sanitizer with you.
Let’s look at the symptoms, causes, and cure of stomach or gastrointestinal infections:
Symptoms
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Fever
- Abdominal cramps and pains
- Vomiting and nausea
- Blood in your stools
Contact a doctor immediately if the symptoms do not improve after five days (two days in case of children).
Causes
- Staphylococcus, which is mainly found in dairy products such as meat and eggs
- Shigella found in water (especially swimming pools)
- Campylobacter, which is found in meat and poultry
- Yersinia, found in pork
- E.coli, which is found in salads
- Salmonella, which is found in dairy products, eggs, and meat
As you can see, eating contaminated food is the main cause of stomach infection as many bacteria enter your body via these foods. Hence, it is advised to follow a diet that will prevent stomach infection. Here is the list of stomach infection diet that you should follow to avoid any stomach related issues:
- Ginger
Ginger is commonly used to alleviate nausea, which is a primary symptom of a stomach infection. Ginger is available fresh, as an ingredient in teas, candies, and ginger ale or as a spice. You can find concentrated amounts of this spice in tinctures, syrups, and capsules.
Drink soup or tea with freshly grated ginger root in it to potentially relieve nausea during the stomach infection. However, it is advisable to avoid a high dosage of ginger as it may cause diarrhea.
- Electrolyte beverages
These electrically-charged minerals aid critical bodily functions, such as muscle contraction and blood pressure regulation. Replacing lost electrolytes and fluids is the cornerstone of stomach infection treatment.
Health professionals recommend oral rehydration solutions when you suffer from symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting. These contain water, electrolyte, and sugar in specific proportions that will be easy to digest.
Another example of electrolyte beverage that helps in replenishing fluids and electrolytes are sports drink, but they are higher in sugar.
- Plain potatoes
Bland foods such as plain potatoes are great options when you are suffering from a stomach infection. Plain potatoes are good for health as they are soft, low in fat, loaded with potassium (which you lost during diarrhea and vomiting), and made up of easily digestible starches.
Plain potato with a pinch of salt as sodium can become depleted during a stomach infection is a perfect stomach infection diet that you can follow.
- Fruit
When you suffer from a stomach infection, replenishing your fluids is your top priority. Eating fruits that are rich in water concentration can also help you replace your fluids. The following fruits that you can eat to reduce stomach infection are:
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Peaches
Eating fruits will not only replenish fluids but will also provide an abundance of minerals and vitamins, such as vitamins C and A, fiber, and potassium.
- Eggs
Eggs are rich with multi-nutrient and can be a beneficial choice when you’re ill with the stomach infection. Eggs, when they are prepared with minimal dairy, fat, and spices, can be very healthy.
They are an excellent source of protein, vitamin B, and selenium, which is an important mineral for your immune system.
In a Nutshell!
Prevent gastrointestinal infection with the help of the above-mentioned stomach infection diet. Also, it is advisable, and manty healthcare professional recommends that you should wash hands before eating a meal to reduce germs and bacterial intake. Not just practice hand washing but also clean it properly and what is better than Dettol Handwash that cleans about 99.99% germs. Washing your hand properly before taking a meal will vastly reduce the cause of stomach infection.
