What to Eat on an Upset Stomach
Maybe it was a raucous night out with too much to drink or an oddly tasting (now you know why) meat dish at a new restaurant. Perhaps you succumbed to the latest stomach bug – care of your jamhanded preschooler. Or maybe you’re making your way through several weeks of intense morning sickness (nature’s rather cruel joke, isn’t it?). Whatever the case, you’ve been bent over the porcelain throne for the better part of the last few hours – or stuck sitting on it. Alternatively, you’re in agony and wish to any and all forms of Providence that you could simply throw up already to get some relief. When the worst of the drama is over or you realize it’s probably not going to hit a crescendo, so to speak, you realize you feel weak and maybe a little shaky. It’s a sensation, you imagine, akin to having your insides cleaned out with a turbo suction engine. Nothing is left, and it’s starting to feel funky. Especially if it’s been a longer haul than the hours since last night’s questionable dinner, you know you need to eat or at least drink. But what exactly?
I’d venture to say most of us grew up with CW’s rule of thumb. Generally, that meant something like 7Up, saltines, rice, or dry toast. Having gone Primal, however, the massive sugar spike plan doesn’t sound very soothing. (To be honest, there’s something about even writing this list that induces a stomach ache.) That said, you’re not exactly in the mood to chow down on a turkey leg or assemble a raw vegetable salad. Where exactly does that leave us Primal types when down for the count? I’m sure others will offer their own tried and true ideas, but let me offer a few suggestions for what to eat when nausea has taken over your day and is taunting your best laid Primal plans.
A big, fat nothing for the acute phase
This goes without saying perhaps, but our mothers were right on this point. Don’t bother eating if you’re in the throes of losing your lunch – from either end. Wait until things calm themselves. Your body needs the rest. If even a sip of water unleashes another bout, you’re probably doing more harm than good. (The exception here is a case of extended illness, which puts you at risk for dehydration. If you can’t keep a small amount of water down after a full 24-hour period, it might be time to at least call the doctor. It’s definitely the case if you’re taking care of a sick seedling.)
Once the worst is over…. (Keep in mind that you might not be 100% “done” in the bathroom at this point, but the reactions aren’t instantaneous anymore. In other words, fluids and food are retained long enough for your body to garner some nutrients and hydration benefit.
First fluid
This one’s easy of course. Water (preferably filtered). Small sips just like Mom suggested.
Subsequent fluids and first foods…
If the coast is generally clear and you’re keeping a tablespoon of regular water down, try moving on to a few more therapeutic, restorative options.
Simple carbonated water (if you’re feeling gassy)
If you’re feeling like you have a lot of air in your stomach (sometimes the case after vomiting illnesses), try a bit at a time. Actual mineral water might be a bit harder on a sensitive stomach than merely carbonated water, but it can begin to replenish your body if you can handle it.
Ginger tea or powdered ginger in water
Pregnant women hear this recommendation for morning sickness, but it works for other brands of nausea as well. While a ginger containing tea might taste better, using the actual ground powder or steeped shavings will likely be more effective. If a hot liquid sounds unpalatable to you, add some ginger to a room temperature glass of regular or carbonated water. (Consider it a much better option than ginger ale soda which generally contains no or next to no actual ginger and will shoot your glucose levels through the roof.)
Water with bitters
Yes, good old bitters. There’s more to them than your father’s traditional cocktail. Certain cultures (including many countries in Europe) use them medicinally to aid digestion and soothe a sour stomach. I’d recommend them if you’re feeling a bit rough from a too heavy/too large meal.
Bone broth
When you’re ready to graduate from water (a milestone that has you singing praises), consider holding off on solids if you have a stock of – well – stock in your freezer or refrigerator. I’m not talking about the sodium and preservative filled canned soups. We always keep a few containers of homemade broth on hand for cooking and the occasional under the weather days. It can help rehydrate you while giving your body a manageable boost of lost minerals and protein. Once you’re ready to try solids, add some shredded meat and a few cooked veggies to make a more hearty soup.
Probiotics
Your digestive system has been put through the wringer. If it’s an illness or food poisoning that has gotten the better of you, your beneficial bacteria could likely use some reinforcements. If you like yogurt and feel you’re up for it, try it. (Just avoid the sugar laden varieties.) If you’re a kombucha fan, you might enjoy the double benefit of carbonation and probiotic. Not everyone enjoys the taste, however, even on their best days. If you’re not a fan, don’t try to force it down when you’re already nauseous. Go with what sounds good to you at the time.
When you’re ready to take the plunge into solid foods again, soft or cooked foods are generally easier on the stomach.
Soft fruits and veggies
Avocado, maybe flavored with a pinch of sea salt, can give you a wallop of healthy fats and other nutrients, but there’s no reason to steer away from other veggies and fruits. After a full day’s worth of shouting groceries, you’ve probably depleted your glycogen stores. Although I wouldn’t suggest anyone hurl themselves over a fructose cliff, there’s little reason to avoid them entirely. If it’s what your body wants to eat, heed its wisdom. Intuitive eating, after all, has its place.
Soft meats and eggs
At some point you’re ready for some real, stick-to-your-bones kind of food to feed your now growling empty stomach. This is the kind of fare that will really get you moving and feeling like yourself again when you’re ready for it. You’ll lose the last of that awful shakiness and enjoy a steady stream of Primal energy. Nonetheless, when you’re trying to get past lingering nausea, the last thing you want to do is gnaw and chew yourself to fatigue. Scrambled eggs or soft, mild tasting fish (like tilapia) are favorites of mine, but moist poultry or tender cuts of meat can do the trick as well. Eat and rejoice your return to the land of the living.
Thanks for reading today, everyone. Be sure to add your own advice and suggestions for what to eat on an upset stomach. Happy Groundhog Day!
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
When I was sick when I was younger (which was most of the time) it was buttered toast and strangely enough rusks and milk all the way (anyone else on board with this one?). Nowadays it’s all about the salty chicken stock and butternut squash roasted until almost obliterated. Sooo comforting!
Love the food ideas for recuperation!
I used to battle sore throats a few times a season (pre-primal), and seem to have headed off the last few I have had post-Primal by holding coconut oil (1-2 TB)in my mouth until liquid, swishing, then swallowing it. Worth a shot, anyway!
That sounds effective to me. Coconut is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and just very soothing – not to mention that it tastes good
.
I love milk or yoghurt. Also, some fruits, like apples make my tummy feel better if I encounter problems with it.
Great list! Don’t forget aloe vera juice. It tastes wretched but it calms the guts down incredibly fast – it’s so soothing.
The last time I was ill and delirious my husband made me tea and dry toast. At first I thought “NO GRAINS!” but I was grateful for the fast relief..
great idea to keep broth on hand for times like these…
Bread is also a good idea to keep on hand for emergency supplies.
I’m keeping a loaf of non-gluten bread in the freezer strictly for emergencies. One of our dogs is a real clown when it comes to eating things that she shouldn’t. She loves coconut oil, and any sort of soap or lotion. She once got ahold of a new bar of dove soap and ate most of it before I got it away from her.
Poison control said to give her hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting and a slice or two of bread to help protect her stomach. Worked like a charm. Didn’t make her hate soap, though – darn it!
Bread is also given to dogs when they swallow other things like pins or needles – to help them pass more safely, if they will.
Probably works good for other instances like kids swallowing things, but I’d check with the pediatrician first.
My mother, who is an acupuncturist/herbalist, said that there was a reason why Asian fish dishes were usually served with ginger, either cooked with the fish, or served on the side. It was perhaps to combat or prevent the slight possibilities of food poisoning from fish.
Works with motion-sickness nausea, too. My stepdad was suffering from sea sickness on a small expedition ship. When my mom discovered the galley didn’t have ginger, they went to a market in the next port. She smuggled a small piece of ginger back on board and made him ginger tea, which worked.
Thanks for the list, I’ve had only two episodes of upset stomach in the past year and ate pretty much my regular meals, I think with your advice things recovery will be much better next time.
In my experience most of the time that one has vomiting or diarrhea, the cause is food poisoning. All foods are potential causes of this problem. I think that it is rare to have a flu that causes these symptoms. I can remember having and seeing many cases of the “stomach flu” that I feel certain were actually food poisoning. Here are the most common foods to cause the problem.
http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/health/2011/04/28/10-riskiest-pathogen-food-combinations/#slide=1
I have had food poisoning so many times that I spent a lot of time attempting to find a solution. What I found is that if you can kill the bacteria in your stomach before your body goes into hyper mode, you can dodge most of the unpleasant symptoms. Potassium iodine kills these bacteria. I always have a bottle of this with me. If I don’t feel right after eating something, I take two of the 325 mg tablets. I have been successful with this strategy up to about five hours after I consumed the bad food. I think that grapefruit seed extract might also work, but I have not tried it.
Grapefruit seed extract is like magic for food poisoning. I picked up a ten-day case of the runs in Italy … lost 15 pounds and felt awful. A friend gave me some GSE and that night I slept through the night and didn’t have any more diarrhea thereafter!
Ok Sheila, £10 down but a bottle of GFS extract up I’m keen to try this on day of hugging the thrown! It sure seems strong enough to disinfect a cesspool – “in case of contact with skin rinse for 10minutes”!!
In the event of serious digestive problems (such as chronic diarrhea) the best course of action is no solids for a while. When I was diagnosed with Celiac, my sister-in-law gave me nothing but bone broth and very strong homemade ginger tea for two weeks. It gave my gut a chance to heal. After being too ill to look after my children for 6 weeks, I felt amazing after the fourth day.
Ahh! I needed this about three days ago! I was searching everywhere for what do eat when sick and still stay primal (the CW BRAT, bananas, rice, applesauce, toast – just doesn’t fit).
At least I’ll know for next time.
Will certainly be printing this article for reference! Thanks Mark!
While everyone is commenting on natural remedies, I could use some advice. I currently have pneumonia. I have the prescribed antibiotics, inhaler, etc. However it does not seem to be improving as well as I hoped. I see the doc again next week (once the antibiotic course is done) Are the any tips of tricks from a primal standpoint??? Any help is greatly appreciated
I have asthma and have been through the ringer with respiratory infections. What helps me is extract of Pelargonium Siodides. You can get a bottle of it sold as “Breathe Free” from Amazon. (Just make sure you get the full strength and not the homeopathic.) It’s a kind of African Geranium and it works really well for respiratory infections.
Any Canadians who have a “Davids Tea” location nearby…their “Bravissimo” tea is AMAZING for a killer sore throat.
I second drinking broth. I make a huge batch of it when I’m sick, add veggies, with lots of garlic, onion, ginger and whole peppercorns. Sip, sip, sip away!
steeping ginger root shavings to make tea works wonders…
If it’s food poisoning or a vomiting flue, there’s not much one can do other than vomit. I’m usually done after 12 hours, which is when I can finally sip some water without it coming back up. Honey ginger tea is my go-to beverage after I know I can hold down my fluids. The ginger helps with the nausea, and the honey provides some energy so I don’t feel like I’m dying of starvation.
Also, am I the only one who does this?: When I’m recovering, I watch cartoons! It’s the same routine from my youth (which was not actually that long ago, lol). The feeling of nostalgia takes my mind off the nausea. Might as well have some fun if you’re stuck at home, right? Plus, Aladdin is still good the 194th time…
For me there is something about toast that provides extreme comfort when not feeling well. I bake a loaf of the almond flour “basic bread” from the Paleo Comfort Foods cookbook. Stick it in the freezer and it can be pulled out when needed, sliced, toasted, and with a bit of butter it is so good on a sensitive stomach! Yes, it’s a nut flour bread so shouldn’t be overeaten, but thankfully I’m not sick much since going Primal!
My daughter came over last night with a horribly upset GI mess brought on by legumes. Live and learn, I say. We were all eating Mark’s braised cabbage and kielbasa. Not her idea of tummy soothing. I gave her a bottle of kvass a handful of probiotics, some glutamine for later, some raw milk goat cheese and some pickle juice and raw fermented sauerkraut. . And some ginger. My thinking was to repopulate her gut ASAP. Plus sent her home with some fresh roasted beets. She was good as new today.
ACTIVATED CHARCOAL. You can get it at Walgreens. It’s what they give you in the ER for food poisoning. We keep it on hand for stomach bugs. Immediately take about ten of them and your stomach will settle. It soaks everything up or something. Not good for morning sickness though, because it keeps you from digesting nutrients.
Have you ever made chicken stock from chicken feet? Its great stuff! If you can’t get feet or don’t like the idea of feet, try chicken wings. Wings also have a lot of connective tissue.
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_stock_from_chicken_feet/
I can vouch for ginger tea, carbonated drinks, etc.
What I do for ginger tea is this: I keep fresh ginger root around. I cut off a piece, peel it, and then grate it. I put the grated-up stuff in a mesh tea ball and then pour hot water in.
Usually, I make 2 or 3 quarts of ginger tea at a time. I use the small tea balls and fill them with a couple of tablespoons of grated fresh ginger. Pour in hot water (either boiled or from a whistling teakettle), and let steep for 20 to 30 minutes or more. You can vary the strength. I usually use stevia to sweeten it. It helps a queasy stomach, but I also like it enough that sometimes I drink it just because it tastes good. Also tastes good iced.
My favorite tummy soother of late: GT’s Ginger Kombucha. I love the taste of ginger, and I usually keep a few bottles on hand just in case. Ginger People ginger chews are also a good standby. When I had morning sickness a couple of years ago, I had these ginger/fennel/herbal candies that would dissolve in my mouth that worked well to take the edge off the worst nausea.
For stuffy noses we use a Neti pot, with a bit of salt in it. Feels weird, like you’ve just been pounded by a big wave, but helps a lot to flush out the oncoming cold.
Now I have a question for you. I had been on the diet outlined at http://www,naturalhealing by bee.com for close to 2 years; was pretty much fully on the diet. It’s a low-carb, high-fat diet with supplements.
I had had several healing reactions.
But a week before this past Christmas, I woke up with a recurrent visual disturbance in one eye, plus a mild headache and some nausea.
I drove myself to the ER. They CT scanned my head and told me I’d suffered a small stroke. I drove myself home from the hospital 2 days later.
They put me on BP medications. I’ve been slowly upping my fat intake, with plans to get back on the diet plan and up my fat intake again. I’m also taking nattokinase, L-arginine, and some other supplements. I’ve got a pot of soon-to-be-chicken bone broth on the stove (with chicken feet simmering too).
Could you please suggest any other supplements that would be particularly helpful? I figure that pushing good fats (coconut oil, Kerrygold butter, etc.) ought to be good.
Thanks in advance. I enjoy your website and will eventually purchase some of your books. I also want to thank you for the helpful and respectful manner in which you treat your website visitors.
I have had irritable bowels and a sensitive stomach for years. I’ve learned to live with it for the most part, but the fewer processed foods I eat, the less of a problem it is. I’ve also noticed that chewing thoroghly helps a lot.
This article is 2 weeks too late! I had a bad case of the brown bottle flu for the first time in a long time. First place I came to look for an answer was here, though, and to my surprise I didn’t find anything. Turns out, I wasn’t too far off. I should’ve tried to not eat anything all day, though… was trying things like bone broth, and saltines (I know, I’m a sinner) and my gut wasn’t liking anything. Would have been an easy way to get in a day long fast… well, maybe not so easy. Now I know. Thanks for the article!!
I’ll weigh in as a TCM doc and herbalist.
perilla/beefsteak plant works wonders on all types of nausea. it’s often prescribed in china for morning sickness, as well as food sickness due to seafood (the weird plastic grass you get at sushi restaurants is supposed to represent perilla – you can still get it at more expensive places – also has anti-parasitic qualities)
ginger is good, but be careful about the raw/fresh vs dried/powdered. it really depends on how hot you’re running. in general, fresh is better at harmonizing the stomach, dried/powdered is better at warming you. if you take too much dried/powdered, or of you’re too hot already, you’ll end up with a frontal headache and irritability.
mint is great if the nausea is stress related, because of its effect on the nervous system. However, it also relaxes the cardiac sphincter and can make heartburn worse (just like coffee and chocolate). it also cools you down, so it’s best to take if you are on the warmer side, with irritability. if you feel cold it can make you worse. you can also overdose on mint, in which case you will break into a cold sweat and become very fatigued.
bitters are good for stress, and for problems of immoderate consumption of bad fats.
fennel is great for symptoms that are at or below the belly button, especially if those symptoms feel better with warmth. anise is similar but is effects the lungs as well, and has more of a diaphoretic action.
hawthorn berry (not seed) helps to digest fats and proteins. but it is said to weaken the digestion with chronic use.
hope that helps
Off topic to this article but relevant to primal living as a whole….
I’ve just starting reading a new book that addresses a number of the issues that we’ve been discussing here recently about carbohydrates; human evolution in relation to carbohydrate availability; carbohydrate intolerance; nutritional ketosis; the role of carbohydrates in dyslipidemia – and a whole lot more.
The authors give evidence based references for everything they say. They make the science accessible. They make it easier for patients to discuss these issues with their doctors.
They address medical doctors with regard to the need to reevaluate the role of low carb diets for the estimated 3 in 4 people who will sometime over their lifetime develop carb intolerance. They talk about reasons why those 3 (in 4) people hypothetically became carb intolerant and specifically how to reverse that condition in relation to various levels of severity. They also provide support and guidance in living a long term, sustainable low carb diet.
“The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living” (2011), Jeff S. Volek, PhD, RD & Stephen D. Phinney, MD, PhD. ISBN 978-0-9834907-0-8
Green Tea with lemon juice, ginger, a tiny bit of honey, and a pinch of sea salt for me. Good all the time, not just when I’m sick.
I gotta be honest and disagree.
Ive been primal for almost 3 years and for the first time, i came down with an illness 2 weeks ago. saltines and sprite was all i wanted, tasted perfect, and i felt none of the effects that your normally get from a cheat meal
I haven’t had a stomach bug since going primal – but I might want to have a bit of Gatorade or ginger ale during the acute recovery part. I don’t know about crackers but maybe. I don’t have celiacs diseases or any know allergies to grains so maybe.
When our bodies are stressed like that they have specific nutritional needs that they don’t normally have – such as to keep the calorie intake up to help the immune system fight off infection, like stomach upsetting bacteria or viruses.
Any tips on dealing with anesthesia-related nausea?
For hangovers I rely on diet coke, yes the one full of additives and nasty stuff. But only for severe handovers, with splitting headaches and nausea. Really rare these days… And for suspected food poisoning, I take some activated carbon (charcoal), to absorb toxins. Then I wait it out, and sip some tea.
Caffeine (diet coke) helps with hangover headaches just like it does with migraines. Something in the coke formula is also supposed to help with “dyspepsia” – but since the formula is a secret who knows what it is. Maybe just the carbonation.
I went into the ER earlier this month and had emergency surgery. After coming out of anesthesia (combined with antibiotics during the surgery, so you KNOW my gut flora was compromised) the only thing they would let me eat was sugar laden PUDDING.
This made no sense to me, especially since I was requesting chicken broth instead.
I pulled the sugar-gives-me-massive-morning-sickness card which was the only thing that swayed my nurses.
Good one! Some people are actually allergic to white sugar. I tested positive for sugar allergy so that’s the card I pull when I need to avoid that sort of food.
Some people actually find pudding settling to the stomach – especially tapioca pudding. I think its the starch. Would be possible to make a primal version of pudding, btw.
I am right now making my first batch of Bone Broth Soup. I was making extra to have in the freezer just in case we needed for these reasons this winter.
I am amazed at myself everyday for all the new foods and ways of cooking I am willing to try.
If Mark says it…I am willing to try it.
I know what you mean. I was a pretty decent cook with a lot of experience with home made dishes, food preserving, et. pre-primal. But since going primal I have really added a LOT to my kitchen experience.
One of the initial hesitancies I had about eliminating grains and legumes is that I love to bake and to make soups like split-pea (with home made ham stock). I have a large library of cook books. I was afraid that I’d have to give all that up.
So, one of the first things that I did when I decided to commit to a low-carb approach was to look for cookbooks. That’s when I stumbled upon the primal/paleo approach. One of the first things I did was to buy Mark’s cookbooks – and the PB books as well. WOW are those cookbooks gorgeous! BOY am I having a great time in the kitchen these days! I don’t miss a thing. I feel enriched not deprived, on all levels.