After Diarrhea, When Can You Resume Eating Normally?

The BRAT diet, a home remedy for diarrhea, may not be suitable for all people, especially children, as it may not provide all the necessary nutrients. It is best to wait at least 24-48 hours before eating regular foods after diarrhea, as the body loses a significant amount of water and nutrients. Fluid replacement should be done as soon as you feel better, and you should return to a normal, healthy diet.

After dealing with a bout of diarrhea, adults can handle a day or two without food, but when starting to eat again, it is important to ease yourself back with small, light, plain meals and easy-to-digest foods. Doctors recommend cutting back on food excessive in salt, fat, and oil for cases that aren’t serious or threatening.

During the first few days, your digestive system won’t take well to foods you normally eat, like cooked meat, vegetables, fruits, or dairy products. It is best to wait at least 24-48 hours before trying to reintroduce these foods to your stomach. Hold off eating food until the diarrhea slows down to two bowel movements a day. On day 2, you should be able to eat plain toast, saltine, and other foods.

Timing changes can relieve diarrhea symptoms, which typically resolve within a day or two. After a week or so, you should be back to your normal diet. Doctors recommend giving your stomach a rest for the first six hours after vomiting or diarrhea, and drinking small amounts of water frequently to avoid dehydration.

Blank foods can be eaten for the first day or so, but it is crucial to return to your normal diet as soon as possible. Dehydration is a serious risk, and it is essential to follow a bland diet after a soft, formed stool.

How soon can I eat normally after diarrhea?

What to eat after a stomach bug. Doctors recommend giving your stomach a rest for the first six hours after vomiting or diarrhea, Beal says. Drink small amounts of water frequently to avoid dehydration. Later that day, you can progress to clear liquids — anything you can see through and sip.

“Clear liquids include things like water, apple juice, flat soda, Jello, weak tea or broth,” Beal says.

The following day, begin to incorporate foods from the BRAT diet and other bland foods, like crackers, oatmeal, grits or porridge.

How do I go back to normal diet after diarrhea?

Bland FoodsBananas. Applesauce and canned fruits (unsweetened)White rice. White bread. Melba toast or saltines. Fruit juices (unsweetened)Scrambled or boiled eggs. Cream of wheat.

Deciding what to eat after you have diarrhea can be tricky. It typically starts with knowing which foods to eat and which to avoid. The goal is to ensure you get enough nutrients without aggravating your digestive tract.

To treat diarrhea directly, many healthcare providers recommend starting with the BRAT diet consisting of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. As you start to feel better, you will want to eat a bland diet that is easy on the stomach and gradually add fiber and other nutrients that help normalize digestive function, including probiotics.

To guide your diet during recovery from a bout of diarrhea, the number one rule is to keep foods simple. Because diarrhea diminishes the absorption of water and nutrients, you need to replenish them with nutritious foods that are both gently binding and gentle on the stomach.

How long after diarrhea can you handle food?

In most cases of infection, bacteria and viruses can still be found in someone’s faeces after symptoms stop. It is therefore important that managers continue to exclude food handlers for a period of time after this. 48 hours is the recommended length of time.

When does appetite come back after diarrhea?

When to Seek Medical Attention. It’s normal to experience diarrhea and/or loss of appetite for a few days, especially if you have or are recovering from a stomach bug or have been traveling. But if these issues persist for more than four days or worsen, consult your healthcare provider. They can help determine the underlying cause and direct you to the appropriate treatment.

Contact your healthcare provider if you have diarrhea that does not improve in five days or occurs with any of the following symptoms:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Stools that smell unusual
• Stools that are an unusual color, such as black or tarry
• Bloody stools
• Fever
• Stomach pain

How do you reset your body after diarrhea?

Drink plenty of liquids, including water, broths and juices. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Add semisolid and low-fiber foods gradually as your stool returns to what’s typical for you. Try soda crackers, toast, eggs, rice or chicken.

Diagnosis. Your healthcare professional will likely ask about your medical history, review the medicines you take and conduct a physical exam. Your health professional may order tests to determine what’s causing your diarrhea. Possible tests include:

• Blood tests. A complete blood count, measurement of electrolytes and tests of kidney function can help indicate how bad your diarrhea is.
• Stool test. You may have a stool test to see if a bacterium or parasite is causing your diarrhea.
• Hydrogen breath test. This type of test can help determine if you have a lactose intolerance. After you drink a liquid that contains high levels of lactose, your breath is measured for hydrogen at regular intervals. Breathing out too much hydrogen indicates that you aren’t fully digesting and absorbing lactose.
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. Using a thin, lighted tube that’s inserted into the rectum, a medical professional can see inside of the colon. The device also has a tool that allows the doctor to take a small sample of tissue, called a biopsy, from the colon. Flexible sigmoidoscopy provides a view of the lower colon, while colonoscopy allows the doctor to see the entire colon.
• Upper endoscopy. A medical professional uses a long, thin tube with a camera on the end to examine the stomach and upper small intestine. They may remove a tissue sample to be checked in a laboratory.

Treatment. Most cases of sudden diarrhea clear on their own within a couple of days without treatment. If you’ve tried lifestyle changes and home remedies for diarrhea without success, your healthcare professional might recommend medicines or other treatments.

How long does it take for stools to return to normal after diarrhea?

Diarrhoea is passing looser, watery or more frequent poo (stools) than is normal for you.

It affects most people from time to time and is usually nothing to worry about. It can be distressing and unpleasant. It normally clears up in a few days to a week.

Diarrhoea self-help guide. Complete our self-help guide to check your symptoms and find out what to do next.

• It’s particularly frequent or severe
• it lasts for more than 7 days
• you’re concerned
• poo with blood on it
• persistent vomiting and are unable to keep fluid down
• a severe or continuous stomach ache
• weight loss
• have passed a large amount of very watery diarrhoea
• it occurs at night and is disturbing sleep
• have recently taken antibiotics or been treated in hospital
• have signs of dehydration – including drowsiness, peeing less than usual, and feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• have poo that’s dark or black – this may be a sign of bleeding inside your stomach

When can I start eating regular food after a stomach virus?

After 2 to 3 days, if you continue to improve, you may add more foods. Do not rush back to a full, regular diet. Avoid the following for several days: milk products, raw fruits and vegetables, spicy foods or fatty foods, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine.

Gastroenteritis (nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea) is usually caused by a virus and resolves in 2-5 days. It often starts suddenly. During this time the stomach and intestine may not be able to digest and process food properly. Your digestive tract needs to rest and this is best accomplished by sipping on liquids and small quantities foods with sugars and starches. As symptoms of the illness subside, gradually advance the diet toward a normal diet as tolerated.

Infection control is extremely important as gastrointestinal viruses can spread rapidly in communal settings such as college campuses. If experiencing symptoms of gastroenteritis you should follow these recommendations from the CDC for at least 2 days after symptoms resolve:

• Do not prepare or handle food for others
• Do not care for others
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
• Clean and disinfect common areas and high touch surfaces using a bleach solution
• Wash laundry or other soiled fabrics using detergent and high heat

How do I get my gut back to normal after diarrhea?

Probiotics. Eating food with probiotics can help your gut recover from a diarrheal infection. The live bacteria in probiotics help restore the beneficial intestinal bacteria needed to maintain a healthy gut microbiome.

Yogurt or kefir, a fermented milk drink, would be good choices despite being dairy products, which are typically a no-no with diarrhea, says Dr. Kirby. (Just make sure the yogurt or kefir are low in sugar.)

Food to avoid when you have diarrhea. As important as it is to eat the right foods when you have diarrhea, it’s equally important to stay away from food that might trigger more gastric distress and worsen the situation.

How long should you rest your stomach after diarrhea?

• Rest at home.
• Stay off work or school until you have not had a loose bowel motion for 24 hours.
• Drink clear fluids or oral rehydration solution to replace lost fluids — take small sips if you feel sick.
• Avoid foods and drinks with artificial sweeteners — they can prolong the diarrhoea.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
• Manage your diet until you get back to normal — eat bland foods, such as rice, pasta and crackers, and avoid fatty foods or those high in insoluble fibre.

You can buy oral rehydration solutions over the counter from your pharmacist or at the supermarket.

For older people and children, oral rehydration solutions are better than plain water. They contain the right concentration of salts to replace both fluids and electrolytes that your body needs.

How long does it take to get back to normal after diarrhea?

Diarrhoea is passing looser, watery or more frequent poo (stools) than is normal for you. It affects most people from time to time and is usually nothing to worry about. It can be distressing and unpleasant. It normally clears up in a few days to a week.

How long does it take your digestive system to recover from diarrhea?

Diarrhoea is passing looser, watery or more frequent poo (stools) than is normal for you. It affects most people from time to time and is usually nothing to worry about. It can be distressing and unpleasant. It normally clears up in a few days to a week.