It’s that time of year again. The flu season; the cold season; the dreaded, no-good, stomach virus season.
It’s enough to make a mama want to hold her kids hostage inside for the rest of winter (although that may be a worse sentence for mom). Take heart mama, spring is coming. But, until then, there are some natural remedies to avoid getting the stomach virus after being exposed.
When my youngest got the stomach virus this season I could see it going through the rest of us, one by one. I could see us bound to this house for the next week trying to get over it. We also had a couple of our kids’ friends over that day and I DID NOT want to send them home sick.
I was determined to stop the virus then and there. And you know what? It stopped with him.
How did we escape the bug and how can your family escape it when you’re exposed, you may ask? There are several ways to keep from catching the stomach virus after being exposed.
I used a combination of diffusing and applying essential oils plus good old fashioned hand washing, but if you don’t have essential oils on hand there are a variety of other ways to protect your family.
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Here are natural remedies to help your family avoid getting the stomach virus after being exposed:
1. Immune Boosting Essential Oils
Build up your supply of essential oils to use to fight off common illnesses. My absolute favorite for immunity support and fighting off germs is
Rocky Mountain Oils Immune Strength
I diffuse in these in this diffuser and rub on topically to the back of our neck or on our wrist to keep immunity up.
2. Grape Juice
I read about using grape juice if you’ve been exposed to the stomach virus a few years ago and it’s something I keep on hand through the virus season.
Apparently, grape juice coats your stomach and keeps the virus from attaching to your stomach lining.
Note: If your child is actively vomiting, you may not want to give them grape juice as the vomit turns purple and stains just like the juice does. Been there, done that. Won’t do it again.
3. Probiotics
I like to use these probiotics from LifeSource. LifeSource vitamins are whole food based and 100% of their proceeds go to supporting organizations such as
- St. Judes
- Campus Crusades for Christ
- Samaritans Purse
- Jesus Film Project
- Compassion
- The Tim Tebow Foundation
- and many more organizations.
4. Take Your Vitamins and Supplements
Get your immunity up with vitamins and keep it up through the winter (or all year) with these vitamins.
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Echinacea
- Garlic
- Zinc
5. Activated Charcoal
To be completely honest, I’ve never had to use activated charcoal. I’ve read raving reviews about it.
Charcoal has been used for thousands of years in medicine and is an excellent absorption material. Many hospitals today use charcoal for poisonings and overdoses.
The charcoal theory is that it absorbs the bacteria responsible for stomach bugs. If you’ve been exposed to the stomach bug used charcoal capsules to take care of the virus that may already be inside your body.
Recommended dosage: Take 2 capsules every few hours with water. Continue to take 1-2 capsules a day for a couple of days after the virus has left the house.
Note: Don’t take activated charcoal with any prescription medicines or supplements as it will absorb them.
I think I’m going to get some next time I’m at the pharmacy to have on hand. It sounds like pretty handy stuff to have around.
6. Wash Your Hands
Sounds pretty simple, but we often forget not only to wash our hands, but wash them often.
Wash your hands before you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth and after you touch your children’s eyes, nose, mouth, saliva, vomit, you get the picture.
There you have it. This is how we avoid the stomach virus, stomach flu, stomach bug, or whatever you want to call it.
What are your favorite tips for how to avoid the stomach virus after being exposed?
Note: I am not a certified nutritionist, medical doctor, or practitioner of any kind. I am not licensed to counsel anyone in medical matters nor may I be held responsible for any course of action that you choose in regards to your own health or that of your family. I’m just passionate about alternative health and natural health and sharing my experiences.
