Self-Care Guide: Stomach Bugs

Photo: Matthew Wiebe

December. 

A beautiful month full of family, friends, good food, fun parties, hopefully lots of rest, and frequently: Presents! 
I love watching these "What I Got for Christmas" videos on Youtube. It's usually a bunch of very clean looking beauty gurus talking about products and gadgets they've received over the holidays. In case you are as nosy as I am, and were wondering about what I got for Christmas, I'll provide you a quick list: 

• Food Prep Containers
• Cookbook
• The new Ghostbusters! 
• The fluffiest bathrobe known to man
• Glassware
• Stomach Virus

Yep.

Dear sweet Saint Nicholas brought me a stomach bug. Realistically, it probably wasn't that jolly old elf to infect my insides, but the many tiny humans I interact with on a daily basis. 

Luckily, I was already home with my family when it hit. Which means I had the built in support of family to help take care of my puppy, run to the store for supplies, make me warm beverages, and all together make sure I wasn't dying (even though that's how it felt at times).

It struck me that, as someone who lives on her own, who considers herself to be a strong and independent woman, I am WOEFULLY unprepared for the rare occasions when I do get sick. This experience served as a wakeup call as to what I need to have on hand, just in case I can't make it to the kitchen, let alone the store. 
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Here are the top things I recommend having in supply, just in case you get sick, and don't have family around for support.

Immediate Support​

• A Bucket - Just in case you can't make it to your preffered plumbing apparatus quickly enough
• Toothbrush and toothpaste, Mouthwash
• Cold washcloth for your forehead

​Beverages
If you happened to spend the night sweating with a fever, and with your body rejecting everything you've consumed in the past 12 hours, you are at risk for dehydration. 

• Electrolyte support such as: Pedialyte or Gatorade. It was my great pleasure to discover that Pedialyte also comes in popsicle form! 
• Ginger ale
• Tea - I recommend Ginger or Pepperment - Both are soothing for nausea 
• Water - A Pitcher is helpful as well, so you don't have to keep running back and forth to the kitchen.
• Ice Chips 

Gentle Foods
Once you're beyond the worst of it, you're going to want to replenish your body, and revive your blood sugar, but probably should take it easy on what you ingest for the next day or so. You also won't feel like cooking, so here are some quick and easy foods to put in your belly.

• Apple Sauce
• Rice Pudding
• Miso Soup or Vegetable Broth - Add tofu to get some protein as well. 

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*Medicine and Supplements​​
*I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, this is simply a list of things that have helped me when I was ill.*

• Dramamine - to help tame nausea and knock you the hell out so you can sleep it off
• Probiotic - To replenish any lost gut bacteria and re-establish the balance of your flora
• Digestive Enzymes - Provide support when adventuring back to the land of solid foods
• Advil, Ibuprofen, etc - Relief for fever symptoms, headaches, body aches, muscle soreness from vomiting
• Antacid - Active Calcium Chewable is my favorite because it provides your body with calcium, instead of depleting it.

Comfort Items

• Soft pajamas, and a warm cozy bathrobe
• Hot water bottle, heating pads, and ice packs  - To help soothe your muscles from intense contractions and fever aches
• If you really want to think ahead, make sure your bathmat is plush and soft and easy on the knees for when you are snuggling up to the porcelain prince.

ASK FOR HELP

• YES we are strong. YES we are independent. YES we can do it on our own and pull through. HOWEVER, that doesn't mean we should HAVE to, or that we can't utilize our communities to make our lives easier.
• Whether you reach out by text, or phone, reach out and let somebody who loves you know that you're sick. Perhaps make an agreement with a friend TODAY that you can be there, and call upon each other, guilt free. <--- Do this today!
• Here are some ideas for things you can ask your friend to do:
  • Take on your dog or child for the day or just the afternoon, so you can rest and recouperate
  • Go on a zombie supply run to the store for any of the items listed above, in case you're out of stock
  • Make a doctor's appointment, or take you to an urgent care facility - I know that the way I was feeling, there's no way I should be behind the wheel
  • Recommend a trashy show to stream on Netflix. As Julie says on Difficult People: "It turns the brain off so the body can heal."
  • Check in on you every couple of hours to see if you need anything/make sure your cat isn't chowing down on your deceased body. (Sorry, had to be addressed).

I've added most of the items above to my Retail Therapy Amazon Store, so you can find them quickly, and easily, and take action today.  Add them to your cart so you aren't left high and dry when the unexpected happens.

Let me know in the comments: 
Is there anything you would add to this list?
This is mostly specific to stomach bugs, so if you'd like to see an edition dedicated to the illness of your choice ( Strep throat, head cold, hangover, allergies, PMS, ETC. ) let me know!

Wishing you a lovely and healthy week, 
xx
Caitlin