How to Treat a Stomach Flu

I'm livin' the dream, guys.

I'm going to spare you the nitty gritty details of how my digestive system feels right now, but let me just say that stomach pain is the worst because my usual coping strategy--snacks--is useless right now. I have no appetite. Boo.

Thankfully, I didn't have to go to the doctor (driving to and sitting in an office while clenching my stomach sounds like absolute misery) and I had our school nurse help me during lunch. A stomach flu could be a lot of other things, she says, and it's important to know whether you have a viral infection or just ate one too many enchiladas last night.

Do I Have a Stomach Flu?

Here are the symptoms:

• Abdominal cramps
• Stomach pain
• Nausea/dizziness 
• Vomiting/diarrhea

I Have a Stomach Flu. Now What?

1. Rest. 

This is obvious, I know, but also really hard to actually do. Laying in bed when I'm not asleep is really hard. I get restless and start feeling anxious that I'm not using my time well (I should do the dishes. I should respond to emails. etc. etc.) 

In times like this, what helps me is making my bed into a nest. Sort of. Everything I need is within arms reach, and it makes it easier to just roll around and enjoy bed rest. 

Lots of pillows, cozy socks, tea, water, an apple-scented candle, and Friends.

2. Pedialyte

I got a couple of bottles of pedialyte to make sure that I don't get dehydrated, and can I just say that I'm horrified by how sugary this stuff tastes? According to my friend Coby, it tastes like melted otter pops. And I agree. You're not supposed to dilute them, so I chug a cup down every few hours (or every time I uh go to the bathroom) and wash it down with water. 

3. Bland Food

You want to stick to toast, rice, potatoes, and bread. The plainer, the better, so that it doesn't upset your stomach. Small amounts of greek yogurt are okay--I added a drizzle of honey on top of mine and it didn't upset my stomach. Stay away from caffeine, spices, and... anything delicious, basically.

A Few More Tips...

• Clean your toilet when you're starting to get over it. The stomach flu is a virus, so you don't want to spread it to anyone else who uses your bathroom.
• You're contagious for up to two weeks after you show no more symptoms of the stomach flu, so be sure to frequently wash your hands!

Alright, my croissants are all cooked in the oven. Time to go lay in bed again.

Tea Tree Essential Oil

Today I want to talk about the best antibiotic. 

Yep yep yep it's another post about tea tree oil.

This stuff is an antiviral, antibacterial, and an antifungal, and can treat a myriad of things. Plus it smells amazing. 

I have some products with tea tree oil in it, but I used it in its "essential oil" form for the first time last night. Just woke up and my skin feels awesome.

Here's what I did: 

Take off any and all makeup. Then, slip a cotton pad under running water for a sec. (Using tea tree oil without water will dry out your skin!)

Put a drop or two of the oil on the pad and pat it all over your face. Let it air dry.

Applying tea tree oil to your face before you sleep has three major benefits:

- Treats acne/kills the gunk in your pores
- Inhaling it can treat coughs and colds + it's great aromatherapy
- It can also treat a sunburn



But whatever you do, DO NOT INGEST TEA TREE OIL! Don't put it in tea, don't take a little dropper and swallow it, don't use it near wounds or open sores.

This morning, I did notice that I had some flaky patches around my cheeks, so I'm going to use a wetter cotton pad next time. I didn't wash my face this morning because I didn't want it getting more dry. Instead, I just put some moisturizer on and my skin was fine afterwards!

Natural Cold/Flu Relievers

I have this thing about medicine/pills... I don't like them. I'm not against them, I'm not an anti-vaccine movement nutso, no no no. I just try not to take medicine unless I have to. I was sick with a cold all week, and I want to share my top non-nyquil remedies:

(If you're looking for herbal remedies, stop reading this now.)

Still there? Great!

1. Sleep. Even if there's something good on TV. Even if there are a thousand funny pictures online. Sleep.

2. Shower, even if you don't want to. Sure, your body is achy and you already feel gross and you know that you'll become snotty and gross 2 seconds after you step out of the shower, but the warm steam will clear out sinuses and make you feel better. Promise.

3. Speaking of runny noses... I stuff tissues up my nose (who has time to reach for a tissue every 2 seconds?) It helps, I swear!

4. Stay hydrated! Chugging water is obviously the best, but if you need a little more flavor:

Mint Tea w/lemon & honey // Coconut Water // Blueprint Juice // Lemon-water & Cucumber-water

I previously wrote about why I stopped drinking coffee, but recently came across a new study that states that coffee doesn't seem to dehydrate you after all. That said, you should probably still keep away from it while you're sick, because it'll make you jittery when you should be relaxing!

Hope you're staying healthy and enjoying the sunshine!