If you are a Parent with a child in a school system, than it’s likely that at one time or another your family has caught a stomach bug. It just went through my family and it was a nightmare…

I haven’t been that sick, throwing up all night in years….After about 12 hours of absolute misery, and another 12 of half-misery, I was feeling better. I knew I needed to begin to restore balance and replenish my electrolytes asap, as I felt an SVT on the horizon…so here’s what I did:

1. I drank as much water and probiotics as I could handle for the next 2-3 days
2. I was taking the powder childrens form probiotic by the ¼ teaspoon just to get as much down as I could.
3. I drank electrolyte packs with a full glass of water at night and in the morning.
4. Drank Cal mag citrate or CALM, with a full glass of water
5. Took Vit B
6. Took a multi
7. Took liquid iron (this was essential!) I felt the difference immediately. Here’s how I knew I needed it…my heart was “off”, feet cramping, and when I took a teaspoon of it, it tasted GREAT. Like I needed it! No more irregular beats after I took it. (note: I have taken it at other times when it has tasted disgusting, my body’s way of telling me I must not have needed it then. This time it tasted divine)
8. Drank green juice that was a little sweet
9. Tea with honey

Even WHILE DOING ALL OF THAT, I noticed that my heart was slightly murmuring and “TRYING” to go into an SVT a few times. So imagine if I was not doing all of that!

While I was vomiting all night, I really felt as close to an SVT as possible, and completely out of control, which once again, make it so clear to me that we are likely to have an SVT by first having a series of depleting events occur. What could be more damaging to our system than uncontrollably vomiting for hours and hours…

I am POSITIVE that if I didn’t take full charge and become totally PRO-ACTIVE in adverting an SVT, that I would have had an SVT. I am pleased to say that I did not have one and I totally attribute it to being intentional about replenishing my body.

So, here’s a few tips in case you have little or not so little ones who are likely to bring home the stomach flu…

1. LOTS of hand washing, and remind your kids to hand wash at school. Even tell them specific times to do it like before and after lunch etc.
2. LOTS of probiotics for everyone. Up everyone’s dose in late Dec and Jan. (that’s when it goes around in NJ, USA)
3. IF someone does get the stomach bug in your family, be on high alert and get intentional about your own self-care. Everyone else in the family should LOAD up on probiotics immediately. The next time one of my kids starts to throw up I will up my dose to about 10-15 per day. A normal day is about 3-4
4. If you do catch it, a cold wash cloth on my face and neck worked wonders during the bouts and having a stool in the bathroom helped a lot.
5. As bad as it is, know that with every time you vomit, you are closer to it being the last time. Lots of deep breathing.
6. While I am NEVER a fan of soda, ginger ale really did help me feel better ! With ice! Cold things in general seemed to help.
7. Remember plain water during the episode can make you more nauseous but if you add fizzy electroylets to it with ice, it makes you feel better.
8. As soon as you are feeling better, start to rehydrate and restore by doing some of the things on my first list.
9. Stock up the house in advance with ginger ale, electrolytes etc. just in case, because once you have it, it’s too late to get to the store.

Good Luck! While I am a firm believer that the healthier you are, the less likely you are to catch a cold, there seems to be no avoiding the stomach bug once someone close to you gets it. Xoxo Laura