# I'm sick! What can I eat/drink to settle my stomach? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 15, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sick-what-can-i-eat-drink-to-settle-my-stomach/503130 "2009-07-15T17:39:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PotLuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@PotLuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PotLuck)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sick-what-can-i-eat-drink-to-settle-my-stomach/503130/21 "2009-07-15T21:24:03Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > There’s actually ginger tea, which might be harder to get than ginger ale, but you don’t have to deal with the sweetness or the carbonation. I drank it a lot in my first trimester and it really helped with the nausea. I also enjoy a nice plain saltine when I feel barfy. Bananas are supposed to help with diarrhea too, though that might be an old wives tale. Lipton’s Ginger Twist Tea tastes great when you’re well but is blissfully soothing if you’re barfy, especially if it cools down a bit first. As far as the bananas go, I’ve heard they can cause _ **and** _ cure constipation. I can’t vouch for the veracity of [this link](http://www.natural-health-remedies.net/bananas-and-constipation.html), but it kinda explains how both can be true. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sick-what-can-i-eat-drink-to-settle-my-stomach/503130/22 "2009-07-15T21:27:00Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > My personal regimen, regardless of whether I’ve eaten something of questionable origin or drank alcohol in questionable amounts: > > 1. Drink water. As cool or icy-cold or lukewarm as you like it. (It’s a weird sensation to puke up cold water, though.) > Does it stay down? If yes, good, go to step 2. If not … try again, as serious dehydration is no fun. (Signs of getting really dried out include twitchy or spasming muscles, like your hands and feet cramping up. At that point, you may need IV fluids if you really can’t keep it down. But you’re not \*that \*sick, are you?) > > 2. Drink something slightly more than water. Gatorade is a good one. Chamomile tea is popular - mint tea is another good choice. (Got a mint plant sitting around?) At this point I nibble on something like crackers or Saltines; dry Cheerios or Chex cereal are good, too, as is plain toast. > Did the crackers’n’Gatorade stay down? Go to step 3. > > 3. Move to semi-liquids. The default is chicken soup. I like those little Lipton packets with a coupla croutons thrown in, but Mr. Horseshoe’s usual “I’m sick” remedy is Campbell’s Homestyle chicken soup, made with millk if he’s feeling really adventurous. > > 4. Take a nap. This is important - try not to skip this step if at all possible. > > By the time you wake back up and drink another big cup of water, healing should occur. Yes! Food _won’t_ settle a sick stomach. Only time will do that. But rehydration is essential, even if the water doesn’t stay down for long. More complex liquids & bland food can be tried as gradual tests–has the stomach settled down? ---
**Author:** ![tarragon918](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@tarragon918](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarragon918)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2009, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sick-what-can-i-eat-drink-to-settle-my-stomach/503130/23 "2009-07-15T22:34:03Z")
Stash Tea makes a lemon-ginger herb tea which I’ve found to be very soothing if you’ve got an upset stomach. Other than that, I go along with the previously suggested ginger-ale then saltines or dry toast routine. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sick-what-can-i-eat-drink-to-settle-my-stomach/503130/24 "2009-07-16T00:10:01Z")
Gotta be flat lemonade (7up/Sprite to you), and a piece of Vegemite toast 😃 What? As has been mentioned give the 7up/Sprite a stir with a spoon, will get it flat much quicker. This is serious advise, I realise it may be hard to get hold of vegemite but this is the number #1 ‘under the weather’ DIY remedy. (I say DIY, because while Chicken soup is supposed to be very good, it’s probably the last thing you want to do when you feel like crap.) ---
**Author:** ![horsetech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dec6dc/32.png) [@horsetech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/horsetech)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sick-what-can-i-eat-drink-to-settle-my-stomach/503130/25 "2009-07-16T00:38:47Z")
Besides the ginger ale (I’m a Schweppe’s snob myself, but anything will do if desperate) and/or Gatorade, nibble on something salty – saltines, Ritz crackers, soup only if you’re up to it. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sick-what-can-i-eat-drink-to-settle-my-stomach/503130/26 "2009-07-16T01:00:16Z")
Thanks all for the replies. I was able to have my roommate get me some Ginger Ale, which helped immensely. My stomach has settled down, but my joints are still sore all over. Do you think it’d be a bad idea to dry having some Tylenol? I don’t want to piss my stomach off again! ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sick-what-can-i-eat-drink-to-settle-my-stomach/503130/27 "2009-07-16T14:08:52Z")
I sometimes feel sore and achy all over when I’ve been sick - it’s kind of a “washed-out” feeling. Personally, I think you’re better off re-hydrating (that helps lubricate the joints) and leaving any potentially stomach-irritating tablets out of it for now, but that depends on your pain tolerance and how well you deal with Tylenol. But if you DO take it, don’t take it on an empty stomach. At least eat a cracker with the Tylenol. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sick-what-can-i-eat-drink-to-settle-my-stomach/503130/28 "2009-07-16T18:08:24Z")
Day 2: I feel much better–surprisingly so. Definitely not 100% though, as I still have a headache, and I still feel slightly “off,” but otherwise, I’m amazed I’ve recovered this quickly. Thank god too, otherwise I’d be out $300 for the dirt bike camp I had booked this weekend. Hopefully I’ll feel perfect by then 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sick-what-can-i-eat-drink-to-settle-my-stomach/503130/29 "2009-07-16T18:44:37Z")
Good to hear that you’re feeling better. Everyone has mentioned everything that my mom used to give us when we were sick, except for the popsicles. I assume they’re just another way to keep kids hydrated. Does anyone have a comment about popsicles? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sick-what-can-i-eat-drink-to-settle-my-stomach/503130/30 "2009-07-16T18:55:58Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > My stomach has settled down, but my joints are still sore all over. Do you think it’d be a bad idea to dry having some Tylenol? I don’t want to piss my stomach off again! Tylenol (acetaminophen) would at least be easier on your stomach than ibuprofen or aspirin. You probably want to try the smallest dose first. ---
**Author:** ![BlakeTyner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@BlakeTyner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlakeTyner)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sick-what-can-i-eat-drink-to-settle-my-stomach/503130/31 "2009-07-16T19:45:34Z")
Man, I feel like I should be the king of this thread…IBS, gastritis, and just an overall weak stomach my whole damn life. (Incidentally, in addition to actually learning my lesson about binge drinking the FIRST time, Prilosec OTC and amitriptyline have been life savers.) When I’m upchucking, particularly after it’s been going on a while, I find that I crave 3 things: Gatorade, Coca-Cola, and 7-Up. Gatorade for the electrolytes, and because the flavor, as mentioned above, is mild enough to not make your tummy reject it outright. Coke and 7-Up are tougher to explain; those may be more comfortable than anything else, since it’s an age-old home remedy, BUT I think it all boils down to sugar. I once realized that Emetrol, the OTC nausea medicine, is really just a thick sugar solution. And for me at least, Emetrol works. Sadly, the night after my wedding, staying in the Presidential Suite of a beautiful Bed and Breakfast, my belly decided to go all stabby on me. Usually I pack lots of stomach medicine, just in case, often including phenergan (sp?) but because of the wedding I had nothing. On one of many trips to the bathroom, I noticed the in-room coffee pot, which had, beside it, condiments for said coffee. I nabbed 3 sugar packets and as soon as I was still enough to not be completely nauseated, I downed them. It worked. The nausea went away for a while–long enough for the new wife to return with a stockpile of Coke, etc. Popsicles are amazing, too. Keeps fluids going in, feels good on your usually parched mouth and throat, and limits you from chugging too much at one time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-sick-what-can-i-eat-drink-to-settle-my-stomach/503130.md?page=1)