How to Stop Vomiting and Diarrhea

When you're experiencing vomiting and diarrhea, your body is trying to expel irritants. Vomiting, for example, can help eliminate toxins from food poisoning or clear the virus from your stomach if you have a stomach flu. Many factors can cause vomiting and diarrhea, such as viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections. You may also encounter this condition due to toxins, spoiled food, medications, or hard-to-digest foods. While vomiting and diarrhea may resolve on their own, dehydration can be dangerous, especially for infants, young children, and the elderly.

Stay hydrated. Try to drink plenty of water to replenish the fluids you're losing. Herbal teas (such as chamomile, fennel, or ginger tea) or ginger ale (non-carbonated) can help soothe nausea. Also, avoid beverages that could irritate your stomach, intestines, and worsen diarrhea. Avoid:

• Coffee
• Black tea
• Caffeinated drinks
• Soda
• Alcoholic drinks, as they can exacerbate dehydration.

Eat more fiber. To treat diarrhea, consume foods such as brown rice, barley, whole grains, or fresh vegetable juices (such as carrot or celery juice). The fiber in these foods absorbs water, making the stool firmer, which helps slow or stop diarrhea. Also, avoid foods high in fat, greasy, spicy, or acidic (like orange juice, tomatoes, fermented foods), chocolate, ice cream, and eggs.

• To prepare a fiber-rich snack, you can cook grains with chicken broth or miso soup. The liquid should be at least twice the amount of grains. For example, to cook ½ cup of barley, use about 1 to 2 cups of chicken broth.

Use probiotics. You can purchase probiotics and follow the manufacturer's directions or your doctor's advice. Probiotics help improve the balance of gut bacteria. When you take probiotics during diarrhea, the beneficial bacteria in them will fight harmful bacteria. Some good sources of probiotics include:

• Yogurt with live cultures
• Yeast (Saccharomyces boulardii)

Eat easily digestible foods. If you're feeling nauseous, try eating a few crackers to help ease the discomfort. When you're ready to eat, opt for foods from the BRAT diet. Bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (made from whole grains) can help firm the stool and replenish nutrients lost during illness.

• Avoid dairy products, as they stimulate intestinal movements and worsen diarrhea.
• If vomiting occurs frequently, avoid solid foods and contact a doctor.

Drink tea. Ginger tea or herbal teas can soothe the stomach and intestines. Some herbal teas also have antibacterial and antiviral properties. Opt for ginger tea or ginger water made from pure ginger without carbonation. Ginger tea is safe for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children over 2 years old.

• You can also drink tea made from mulberry leaves, raspberry leaves, blueberries, or carob. However, avoid blueberry tea if you are on blood thinners or have diabetes.
• Drink chamomile tea (for both children and adults) or fenugreek tea (for adults). You can brew one teaspoon of chamomile or fenugreek in a cup of hot water and drink 5 to 6 cups a day.

Take anti-diarrheal medications. Although diarrhea often resolves on its own, you can also use medications to control it. Over-the-counter options such as bismuth subsalicylate or psyllium (fiber supplements) can be helpful. Adults can take 2.5 to 30g of psyllium daily, divided into several doses.

• Bismuth subsalicylate can also prevent "traveler's diarrhea" and has mild antibacterial properties.
• Psyllium is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Use ginger products. For nausea caused by food poisoning, gastroenteritis, or other non-dangerous reasons, you can take 1,000 to 4,000 mg of ginger (divided into 4 daily doses), equivalent to 250 to 1,000 mg each time, four times a day. Ginger has long been used to treat nausea and vomiting caused by various factors, including chemotherapy-induced nausea and morning sickness during pregnancy.

• Studies have shown that ginger effectively reduces nausea after surgery by inhibiting certain brain and gut receptors related to the sensation of nausea.

Make ginger tea. Wash fresh ginger and cut a 5 cm piece. Peel off the outer "skin", then slice or grate it to obtain about one tablespoon for the tea. Add ginger to boiling water (about 2 cups), cover the pot, and boil for another minute. Then turn off the heat and let the ginger steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the tea into a cup and add honey if desired. You can drink 4 to 6 cups of ginger tea a day.

• Use fresh ginger, not ginger-flavored soda. Most ginger sodas don't contain actual ginger and are loaded with sweeteners. Avoid sweeteners when feeling nauseous, as the sweetness can make it worse.

Make herbal tea. Though not fully researched, several herbs are believed to alleviate nausea caused by viral or bacterial infections. Drinking herbal tea can help you relax, which may reduce nausea. To make herbal tea, steep one teaspoon of dried herb powder or leaves in a cup of boiling water, and optionally add honey and lemon for extra flavor. You can use:

• Peppermint
• Cloves
• Cinnamon

Try Aromatherapy. Apply a drop of peppermint or lemon essential oil to your wrists and temples. Both peppermint and lemon oils have traditionally been used to reduce nausea. Research indicates that these essential oils help alleviate nausea by promoting relaxation or affecting brain areas that control the sensation of nausea.

• Make sure you don’t have a skin reaction. Put a drop of essential oil on your wrist; if irritation occurs, the skin may turn red or itch. If this happens, you can try a different essential oil or switch to another method.
• Use only essential oils. Scented candles or air fresheners may not actually contain peppermint or lemon oils, and even if they do, the amount may not be enough to reduce nausea.

Practice Controlled Breathing. Lie on your back with a pillow placed under your knees and neck for comfort. Rest your hands on your stomach just below the rib cage, bringing your fingers close together to feel the movement. This will help you check if you're doing it correctly. Slowly inhale deeply and fill your belly, breathing with your diaphragm rather than your chest. The diaphragm creates a stronger pull and draws in more air than chest breathing.

• Studies show that deep, controlled breathing can help reduce nausea. Many other studies suggest that breathing exercises can manage nausea after surgery.

Keep your child hydrated. Diarrhea and vomiting can quickly lead to dehydration in young children. Therefore, it’s important to help them drink as much fluid as possible while awaiting a doctor's consultation. If your child refuses water, you can offer other options, such as:

• Crushed ice (not for infants)
• Popsicles (not for infants)
• White grape juice
• Snowy smoothies
• Breast milk (if breastfeeding)

Feed your child light foods. For children older than 1 year, offer clear broths like chicken or vegetable soup (you can also provide beef broth, though it may be too rich for some). You can also give diluted fruit juice at a 1:1 ratio.

• Avoid giving your child foods or drinks with too much sugar, such as soda or pure fruit juice, as this could worsen diarrhea.

Give the child an oral rehydration solution (ORS). If an infant or young child experiences diarrhea and vomiting for more than a few hours, it is advisable to seek medical attention. The doctor may prescribe an electrolyte replacement drink, such as Pedialyte, which contains the necessary fluids and minerals to prevent dehydration. This product can be purchased at a pharmacy.

• For infants and young children, start by offering 1 teaspoon of ORS every one or two minutes. If the child drinks it without vomiting, you can gradually increase the dose. The solution can be administered using a spoon, dropper, or cup. For infants, you may soak a small cotton cloth in the solution and squeeze it into their mouth if they refuse to suck from a bottle or breastfeed.
• If you are giving formula to an infant, choose one without lactose as sugar and lactose can worsen diarrhea.
• You can also offer Pedialyte ice pops if the child refuses to drink the liquid Pedialyte.

• Diarrhea is categorized into three types: osmotic diarrhea (when too much water is drawn into the intestines), secretory diarrhea (when the body stimulates the release of water into the stool), and dysentery (when the stool contains blood and pus). Various causes contribute to these types of diarrhea, though most respond to general treatment approaches.
• Avoid places with strong odors, smoke, excessive heat, or humidity, as these triggers may induce nausea or vomiting.
• Encourage breastfeeding during diarrhea to keep the child comfortable and hydrated.
• If diarrhea or vomiting persists for several days (or more than 12 hours in infants, young children, or the elderly), seek medical attention.
• If approved by the doctor, consider giving the child psyllium. Children aged 6 to 11 can take between 11.25 and 15 g of psyllium per day, divided into multiple doses.

• If you or your child have a fever lasting longer than 24 hours, it is crucial to consult a doctor immediately.
• Young children are at a higher risk of dehydration, so ensure they drink plenty of fluids while waiting to be seen by a healthcare provider.
• If there is blood or mucus in the stool, seek medical attention promptly.
• Avoid attempting to treat diarrhea at home in children under 2 years of age and do not treat older children without first consulting a doctor. Consult a pediatrician about the best treatment options for the child.
• If the child refuses to drink fluids or urinate, seek medical care immediately.