How to treat gastroenteritis this winter?

How to treat gastroenteritis?

Winter is fast approaching and with it, the end-of-year celebrations, time with family and friends, but also the drop in temperatures and the seasonal illnesses that accompany it. Among them, we find a particularly dreaded epidemic: gastroenteritis. To prevent gastroenteritis and its inconveniences from ruining the end of the year, there are remedies and good reflexes to apply if you fall ill. In this article, we explain why this disease is so contagious, how long it lasts and how to relieve these symptoms as quickly as possible.

Gastroenteritis: a contagious disease

Gastroenteritis is a disease caused by two viruses called rotavirus that affects children under 5 years old and norovirus that contaminates the rest of the population. If gastroenteritis epidemics are so important each year, it is because these viruses are very easily transmitted from one individual to another.

The main ways of transmitting these are through direct contact, by shaking hands with an infected person or by breathing in droplets projected into the air. Consuming contaminated food or indirectly touching a surface touched by a sick person is also enough to catch gastroenteritis. This is why this disease spreads very quickly, especially among young children who put their hands in their mouths.

In addition, it is important to know that an infected person is not contagious during the incubation period of the virus, that is, when they do not yet experience any symptoms. This period lasts 24 to 72 hours. However, they can still transmit the disease up to 48 hours after the last symptoms.

Fortunately, gastroenteritis does not usually last long, with an average duration of three days. Therefore, if the illness persists beyond 7 days, you will need to consult a doctor.

The best thing to do is obviously to protect yourself from the virus and its spread by reducing the risk of contamination using simple actions such as:

- Washing hands after going to the toilet or in public places (public transport)

- Cough into the crook of your elbow, sneeze into a tissue

- Use disposable tissues

- Wear a mask as soon as the first symptoms appear

What reflexes should be adopted to deal with the symptoms?

The manifestation of gastroenteritis is very trying for the body. Indeed, the virus causes inflammation of the gastric and intestinal mucosa, explaining abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. It can also cause a moderate fever, often less than 39 °. In addition to the restrictive and unpleasant nature of such symptoms, the main consequence they cause is dehydration. Because of the irritation of the intestinal walls, water from food is not absorbed into the body, it remains in the stools, which explains their liquid nature. This lack of water absorption is aggravated by vomiting. Similarly, repeated vomiting prevents proper nutrition and the maintenance of blood sugar (blood sugar level).

The challenge is then to rehydrate and adapt your diet so that it can be assimilated by the body and does not aggravate the inflammation of the digestive tract. To do this, we will explain how to rehydrate as effectively as possible and what diet to adopt.

To help you combat dehydration, the first thing to do is to increase your water intake to 2L of water per day . However, it should not be forgotten that the drop in water absorption also leads to electrolyte losses (sodium, potassium, chlorine) that must also be compensated for. Hydratis is then the right solution to optimize rehydration and compensate for mineral salt losses caused by diarrhea and vomiting. Thanks to its formula enriched with sodium and glucose, water absorption is maximized compared to water intake alone and also compensates for electrolyte losses. Oral rehydration drinks are highly recommended in cases of gastroenteritis. They allow people at risk of dehydration - young children and the elderly - to rehydrate quickly. Thanks to flavored tablets that give the water a pleasant and fruity taste, as well as a range in sachets, specially developed for seniors, Hydratis ensures effective rehydration for young and old.

Regarding diet, avoid foods that irritate the stomach and intestines (spices, fried foods, coffee, alcohol, gluten-rich foods) and that could aggravate diarrhea and vomiting. Also avoid foods rich in fiber (fruits and vegetables, except those listed below) that accelerate transit and are therefore not recommended here.

Similarly, lactose-based foods can possibly be removed from the diet, if they are not well digested by the body and if the symptoms are severe. The foods to favor should be rich in starch and pectin, two substances beneficial against gastroenteritis due to their constipating effect. Thus, we recommend a diet based on rice and well-cooked carrots. You can also eat compotes and ripe bananas, which will not aggravate diarrhea and provide sugar and potassium.

Some natural supplements sold in drugstores can also help you relieve stomach aches and loose stools. Products based on activated charcoal that detoxifies the intestine or clay that lines the intestinal mucosa and helps it heal from inflammation. Be careful, however, these products can affect the absorption of medications, you will have to make sure to take them away from any other treatment, i.e. 2 hours before or after.

Although unpleasant, gastroenteritis is fortunately a short-lived illness when you adopt the right reflexes. The most important thing is to maintain your hydration level, especially in people who become dehydrated quickly.

Hydratis is an ideal solution to compensate for mineral losses and rehydrate effectively.

This is why if an infant or a senior is carrying the gastro virus, you should not hesitate to consult your pediatrician or doctor to avoid any potentially serious situation of dehydration. Finally, if the disease persists and/or aggravating factors appear (blood in the stool, weight loss, fatigue and chronic pain, etc.), we also recommend that you consult your doctor without delay.