Rotavirus infection or intestinal flu is an insidious and unpleasant disease. It begins as a common cold with a slight increase in temperature, sneezing, and runny nose. But further - more. Nausea, severe vomiting and diarrhea turn the patient's life into a real nightmare. Children especially suffer.
Diet for rotavirus infection can sometimes be almost the only method of treating the disease. After all, the virus is “not afraid” of antibiotics, sulfonamides and other similar drugs.
A specialist will prescribe drug therapy. In most cases, these are general antiviral agents. But following a diet is entirely the responsibility of the patient or his loved ones. What do you need to know about nutritional habits during the acute period, during the recovery process and after illness?
We are silent about the need to consult a specialist, since this is an immutable truth. In the midst of an illness, most likely, no one will think about food, since nausea, vomiting and diarrhea will completely discourage the desire to eat.
- However, in case of rotavirus infection, it is necessary for the body to have the strength to fight the disease. The diet is aimed at relieving inflammatory processes in the intestines. Simple rules will help you get out of the acute period faster and easier.
- To avoid dehydration, drink plenty of fluids to restore electrolyte and salt balance. Pure water or unsweetened dried fruit compotes are allowed with minor fluid loss (vomiting and diarrhea are not frequent). If dehydration is severe, it is necessary to take Regidron and similar solutions. You need to drink often, but in small portions (no more than 50-70 grams) so as not to provoke vomiting.
- Eliminate sweets, spicy and fatty foods, and irritating drinks (carbonated sweet and unsweetened) from your diet. Alcohol, even weak alcohol, is strictly prohibited for adults.
- If there is no appetite, do not force food or force the child. Meals during rotavirus infection should be frequent, but in small portions. In no case should it be dry food, since the intestinal mucosa is already damaged. In this case, the food should be liquid and at a comfortable temperature.
In the first days of illness, cook all dishes in water, without adding any oil and preferably without salt. It is better if it is mucous porridge that does not cause fermentation in the intestines. As you recover, you can gradually expand your diet.
In adults, symptoms of rotavirus infection may be vague or absent altogether. In children, as a rule, the clinical picture is very pronounced. It is for them that rotavirus is especially dangerous, since dehydration can be so severe that it can be fatal.
Enemy Products
There is a whole list of foods that are strictly not recommended to be consumed during illness. They provoke peristalsis, irritate the intestinal mucosa, and aggravate diarrhea. And therefore, they have a detrimental effect on the condition of the sick person.
What to avoid:
- fresh baked goods - white bread, buns, any products made from fine flour;
- pasta;
- wheat, pearl barley, barley cereals;
- whole milk and all dishes made from it;
- sour milk, especially fatty milk. For this type of product, restrictions apply only for the acute period. When the condition improves, low-fat kefir and cottage cheese should be introduced little by little;
- raw vegetables and fruits;
- meat and fish of fatty varieties;
- preserved, smoked and spicy dishes;
- fried and fatty foods;
- sauces, mayonnaise, ketchup;
- any mushrooms;
- sweets, candies, chocolate, baked goods;
- coffee and strong black tea;
- alcoholic drinks of any strength.
All of the above things are delicious foods that are loved by almost everyone. But don’t despair, this won’t last forever. After recovery, they gradually return to the diet.
Friend Products
Now let's look at what you can eat during illness. After all, you should never give up food completely. There are foods that not only can, but also should be consumed by patients. They act as a kind of medicine, as they help restore damaged intestinal mucosa and improve the natural microflora. And therefore, they contribute to the healing process.
What products can you use:
- slimy porridge of rice and semolina in water, without salt and oil - during the acute course of the disease. When you feel better, gradually introduce oatmeal, buckwheat, corn porridge, boiled in water with a small amount of salt, but still without oil;
- secondary low-fat chicken broth, weak vegetable broths;
- soups with a small amount of potatoes with permitted cereals and broths (chicken, vegetable, low-fat fish);
- Lean meat (chicken, rabbit, turkey), boiled or steamed. Dishes made from them (cutlets, meatballs, quenelles, pates) are also steamed, boiled or stewed;
- stewed, baked or boiled vegetables and fruits;
- weak green tea, rose hip, raspberry infusion, herbal teas. Sugar can be added only when symptoms subside, and in small quantities;
- compote of dried fruits, jelly of homemade seasonal berries (oatmeal or corn starch).
For rotavirus infection in adults, you need to expand your diet gradually, introduce several new foods in small portions and monitor the condition. If deterioration is noted, return to the previous set of products.
If formula-fed children are sick, the formula should be replaced with lactose-free formula and no new complementary foods should be introduced at this time. Drink solutions with electrolytes and salts, which the pediatrician will recommend.
Some doctors also recommend switching infants to lactose-free formulas. But it has already been proven that breast milk contains everything a baby needs to successfully fight the disease. So you need to put your baby to your breast even more often than usual.
Do I need a diet after illness?
The diet after rotavirus infection is not as strict as in the acute period and during recovery, but nevertheless... In order to avoid worsening the condition and the return of unpleasant symptoms (nausea, vomiting and diarrhea), you need to adhere to certain dietary principles for at least 10-14 days .
The thing is that during illness the intestinal mucosa suffers. The recovery period for epithelial cells is approximately two weeks. If you put stress on a fragile organ at this time, the condition may worsen.In addition, the natural microflora is also disrupted, which makes it impossible to fully process the incoming food and promote the absorption of useful elements.
You can eat a lot more foods. But meals should still be fractional, in small portions up to 8 times a day. The returning appetite must be satisfied in such a way as to avoid overeating.
All this time, fatty, fried, smoked, spicy, salty foods, fast food, alcohol and other irritating dishes remain prohibited. Then you can gradually add them to your diet, but in reasonable portions.
Rotavirus infection is terrible due to its course and lack of specific treatment. Although it is difficult, with the right approach to therapy and following a diet, it does not cause complications.
Rotavirus is a widespread intestinal disease that develops from cold-like symptoms and ends with symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting. Usually this disease is seasonal. People at risk include people with weakened immune systems and young children.
In some cases, the disease is severe, and drug therapy, unfortunately, still does not have drugs that would act directly on the source of the disease. Medicines only help to weaken and relieve the symptoms of rotavirus infection. The body needs to cope with this illness on its own, and in order for this recovery to occur as quickly as possible, special dietary nutrition is indicated.
Diet during and after rotavirus infection: why is it needed?
Despite the negative reaction of the digestive system to rotavirus (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), it is necessary to eat during this disease, since along with food the body receives nutrients that help strengthen the immune system. And strong immunity is the key to the fact that almost any disease can be defeated. Nutrients are elements that perform a kind of construction function; they are the ones that replace cells that were destroyed by rotavirus.
During any illness, a lot of energy goes into fighting it. Digestion is also a very energy-intensive process. For rotavirus infection, you need to feed the body with easily digestible foods and reduce the amount of food consumed by 20 percent.
Properly selected food can, in addition to its nutritional function, also play the role of a kind of medicine. For example, some cereals have binding and astringent properties, which is simply necessary to combat such a symptom of rotavirus as diarrhea. Fermented milk products mostly contain beneficial lactobacilli, which do not allow pathogenic microorganisms to develop. Herbal teas and fruit and berry compotes saturate the body with fluid, preventing dehydration, and also nourish it with various microelements.
If you eat right, a balanced diet will allow you to cope with a disease such as rotavirus much faster. Nutrition for this infection for children and adults is in many ways similar and based on the same principles.
Diet after rotavirus infection in children
Rotavirus infection primarily affects children under three years of age. An older child is less susceptible to this disease, since by the age of four the immune system has time to develop antibodies to rotavirus.
Among the main symptoms of this disease are:
- cramping abdominal pain;
- nausea;
- vomit;
- diarrhea;
- elevated temperature;
- weakness.
The problem is that the above symptoms accompany a variety of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and only a professional doctor can identify rotavirus among them. That is why it is very important not to self-medicate, but to show the child to a doctor as soon as possible, who, after making a diagnosis, will prescribe adequate therapy.
But even before visiting a doctor, you can significantly alleviate the child’s condition, and a properly selected diet will help with this. A special diet, thanks to easily digestible food and a decrease in its quantity, will reduce the load on the gastrointestinal tract, which will give the body strength to fight rotavirus infection, the use of suitable drinks and solutions will prevent dehydration, which is natural with diarrhea and vomiting, and in addition, food and drink will provide the nutrients the child’s body needs substances.
The child’s diet should be switched to fractional meals; portions should be small. If the baby has no appetite, then under no circumstances should you force him to eat. You can offer him to drink jelly, tea without sugar or low-fat chicken broth. Water-based porridges, as well as vegetable or fruit purees, have proven to be very good for diarrhea, and fruits and vegetables should not be raw. A few days after starting treatment, you should start giving your child fermented milk products and drinks, such as acidophilus or yogurt.
Diet after rotavirus infection in adults
The acute phase of the disease lasts from two to four days, during which time the main symptoms are severe vomiting and almost constant diarrhea. In order not to irritate the gastrointestinal tract and not to intensify these symptoms, nutrition during the acute phase should be limited to the maximum; food should be taken in small quantities several times a day.
The most suitable food option during this period is porridge cooked in water, primarily rice or semolina. The consistency of the porridge should be liquid; salt or sugar should not be added, as well as butter or vegetable oil. Such porridges have a strengthening effect on the intestines and envelop it. Their advantage also lies in the fact that they do not cause fermentation processes. When the patient's condition improves somewhat, oatmeal, corn or buckwheat porridge can be added to the diet.
When the condition has stabilized, the addition of lean meats is indicated; it should be steamed or boiled in water. The most dietary are rabbit, veal, turkey and chicken breast. For easier digestion, it is better to grind the meat into minced meat and prepare meatballs, meatballs or cutlets from it, of course, not fried. Lean fish is also suitable, such as hake.
In case of rotavirus infection, baked goods should be excluded from the diet. For diarrhea, you can only eat crackers (white, gray), and biscuits or cookies that do not contain sugar go well with tea. This will eliminate the risk of fermentation processes in the gastrointestinal tract.
Hard-boiled eggs or steamed omelettes can be included in the menu after meat products. It should be remembered that eggs contain large amounts of cholesterol, so you should not abuse them. A couple of eggs a week is enough.
You should not eat raw fruits and vegetables; they can only be used baked or boiled. The patient can be given mashed potatoes, carrots, zucchini, cauliflower or broccoli. This puree should be prepared in water and nothing else should be added to it.
During the acute phase of rotavirus infection, manifested by vomiting and diarrhea, it is advisable to drink large quantities of clean, still water, as well as special solutions, powders for the preparation of which can be purchased at the pharmacy. These are “Regidron”, “Orolit” and “Gastrolit”. Herbal decoctions can be given only after the patient’s condition improves. Decoctions of rose hips, raspberries or blueberries, as well as compotes of dried fruits, with the exception of prunes, which act as a laxative, are well suited. Weak tea (including with the addition of mint or ginger) and jelly are also allowed.
When the peak of the disease has already passed (this usually happens with adequate treatment and the right diet on the fourth day), you need to introduce fermented milk products (acidophilus, kefir, yogurt) into the diet to normalize intestinal acidity and restore its microflora.
What not to eat if you have rotavirus infection
Neither a child nor an adult with rotavirus should consume the following types of food:
- fatty meat or fish;
- fried, smoked, spicy food;
- pickles and canned food;
- raw fruits and vegetables;
- sausages;
- candies, chocolate;
- pasta;
- rich pastries, fresh bread, especially black bread;
- fatty broths;
- pearl barley, barley, millet porridge;
- cocoa;
- whole milk.
If you follow all these tips, the disturbing symptoms will disappear within a week after the onset of the disease.
I present to your attention an interesting video that will tell you in great detail about rotavirus infection!
The essence of the diet for rotavirus infection in adults and children
Rotavirus infection is an infectious disease characterized by severe intestinal upset - diarrhea. The danger of this disease is that in just a few days it can lead to dehydration and death. Therefore, rotavirus infection must be combated from the very first minutes of its manifestation.
Unfortunately, there are no medications that can stop diarrhea and destroy the infection. Systematic nutrition is used to treat it. The diet for rotavirus infection should be followed throughout the entire treatment and after it for 2 to 3 days.
How to recognize rotavirus infection
Unfortunately, it is impossible to recognize rotavirus infection on your own, since it has almost all the same symptoms as common food poisoning. These are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, dizziness, etc. The infection is determined only in laboratory conditions.
The purpose of the rotavirus diet
Nutrition for rotavirus infection is necessary. After all, the nutrients we get from food help our immune system defeat infection. They are small bricks from which new tissues will later be built, replacing cells destroyed by the virus. But the body does not have the strength for complete digestion. He spends his energy fighting the disease. Therefore, our task is to reduce food consumption (by about 15-20%) and make it easily digestible.
In addition, food itself can be an excellent medicine. The astringent and bonding properties of some cereals help prevent diarrhea. Lactobacilli in fermented milk products suppress the growth of pathogenic flora. Compotes and herbal drinks provide the body with fluid and essential microelements.
Food heals, and that means you shouldn’t give it up during an infection. Which dishes can help a sick person, and which, on the contrary, will worsen his condition? Let's talk about this in more detail.
How is treatment for rotavirus infection carried out?
Treatment of rotavirus infection begins with the removal of dairy and fermented milk products from the diet, as they cause fermentation in the intestines and create favorable conditions for the development of bacteria. And this can lead to a sharp deterioration in the patient’s well-being.
As a rule, in the presence of an infection, a person’s appetite is completely absent, so he should not be forced to eat. You need to provide him with plenty of fluids. In this case, it should occur every 10 - 15 minutes in small quantities.
To avoid inducing vomiting, during this period you need to eat in small doses. It is recommended to divide the usual portion into 3-4 parts and consume only one part at one meal.
If the patient has not lost his appetite, then during this period it is useful to feed him rice porridge, but without adding butter, sugar, salt and other flavoring additives. Between meals you need to take breaks of 1.5-2 hours.
Why is rotavirus infection dangerous?
Symptoms of rotavirus infection:
- heat;
- diarrhea;
- acute abdominal pain;
- vomit;
- weakness and malaise.
Rotavirus infection is dangerous because the human body is dehydrated due to diarrhea. It is dehydration that doctors are trying to correct with a special diet.
Diet for rotavirus infection is the main method of treatment
There are no drugs that eliminate rotavirus; symptomatic measures and nutritional therapy will constitute treatment for this infection. When the first signs of rotavirus infection appear, dairy and fermented milk products must be excluded from the patient’s diet, as bacteria grow and multiply quickly in them.
The patient most often has no appetite; there is no need to force him to eat; you can offer homemade jelly, strong unsweetened tea or chicken broth. If the patient has not lost his appetite, it would be useful to feed him rice porridge, but without oil. One of the main rules for eating will be to eat and drink often, but in small portions and take a break between meals. These simple rules will prevent vomiting. The patient needs to be given more fluids to help the body restore lost fluid.
For some time you need to give up black bread, dairy products, raw vegetables and fruits, sugar, cakes, pastries, sweets and various sweets.
If an adult becomes ill with rotavirus infection, he is allowed the same food products that are included in table No. 4.
Drinks allowed include strong tea or coffee, cocoa in water, decoctions of dried blueberries, raspberries and black currants.
stale crackers from white bread, pureed cottage cheese, soup without broth, one boiled egg per day, rice or semolina porridge with water, boiled lean fish or meat. Limit salt intake. The patient needs to eat 6-7 times during the day.
When the diarrhea decreases, you can move to table No. 13.
Products allowed on the rotavirus diet
The following foods are allowed to be eaten:
- Dried wheat bread;
- low-fat meat or fish broth;
- vegetable broth soup;
- lean meat and fish, poultry;
- rice, semolina or buckwheat;
- Mashed potatoes, beets, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes;
- You can also include seasonal berries, fruits, honey and jam in your diet.
Foods prohibited on the rotavirus diet
It is very important to know the list of foods that should not be consumed during rotavirus infection:
- Fresh bread;
- baked goods;
- fatty broth, soup and borscht;
- fatty meat and fish, sausage, salted and smoked fish, canned food;
- cheese, pasta, barley and pearl barley, millet.
Among vegetables, you should exclude radishes, white cabbage, radishes and onions, as well as garlic and cucumbers. You cannot eat chocolate, cocoa and flour products.
What should you give up during the period of illness and full recovery?
We make sure to maintain hygiene
The main condition of the diet for rotavirus infection in children and adults is the complete exclusion of any dairy products from the diet. It is also worth putting off all heavy foods, fried foods, salty, fatty foods, sausages, hard cheese, sweets and flour until better times. Sweets, chocolate, butter are also prohibited. For adults, it is necessary to exclude alcohol, mushrooms, mayonnaise, ketchup, garlic and strong coffee.
In children 3 years old and younger, the digestive system is still quite weak, and if you still offer your child baby food, it is worth purchasing dairy-free analogues of the usual formula for this period. But for children under one year old, you can completely get by with breast milk or only formula, removing any complementary foods.
Diet for rotavirus infection in children
Now in children, at all stages of the disease, nutritional therapy is the main treatment for rotavirus infection. The diet will reduce the inflammatory process, severity and duration of the disease.
Those children who are fed artificial milk or formula are usually transferred to dairy-free cereals and formulas that do not contain lactose. If the baby is still breastfed, you should not stop breastfeeding; you need to continue breastfeeding the baby. Mother's milk contains many useful vitamins and immunoglobulins, which ease the course of rotavirus infection. If the diet is violated, abdominal pain and flatulence will increase, so complementary feeding with additional foods should be avoided during illness.
Diet after rotavirus infection
After the cessation of unpleasant symptoms of rotavirus infection in an adult, you should not immediately return to your usual diet, especially if it is far from correct. It is better to stick to a light vegetable diet at first, eat cereals and a small amount of lean meat.
It is advisable to exclude fried foods, borscht, meat soups, alcohol, coffee and cigarettes, because after an infection the body is already weakened, so you should not subject it to unnecessary stress, and the digestive tract to unnecessary stress. A healthy diet, plenty of fluids and plenty of rest are the best recommendations for people who have had stomach flu caused by rotavirus infection.
Child's diet after rotavirus infection
Rotavirus infection affects children much more strongly than adults, so their nutrition should be taken more seriously, besides, the children's immune system, and the body as a whole, is much more difficult to tolerate, both the disease and the diet.
After the symptoms of intestinal flu have disappeared, it is highly undesirable to stop the therapeutic diet for at least another 2 weeks, and begin to gradually add other foods to the diet. Of course, you shouldn’t immediately start feeding your child pasta and stewed meat; the foods should be healthy and easy to digest. You can add other cereals, lean pork, soups, low-fat cottage cheese, light yogurt to the menu. Everything in moderation and, as before, better often and in small portions.
Diet menu for rotavirus infection
When a rotavirus infection is raging in the body, weakness, dehydration and loss of appetite overcome, the therapeutic diet menu must be approached thoroughly, because the diet should not only be easily digestible, but also tasty, and most importantly contain the entire complex of vitamins and minerals necessary for the body. All this can be achieved by making the menu varied and comprehensive. To do this, you need to try to ensure that your daily menu includes porridges that provide the body with carbohydrates, vegetables, raw, stewed, or steamed, as well as fruits that are rich in vitamins, especially vitamin C, which is so beneficial for the immune system. Once a day you need to drink broth, it has a beneficial effect on microflora and is easily digested.
Diet recipes for rotavirus infection
If you or your child is affected by rotavirus infection, you will need recipes for delicious, and most importantly, dietary dishes that will help make your treatment more enjoyable.
- Carrot-apple puree
Boil 2-3 small carrots, bake a few apples in the oven, grind them in a blender until pureed, add a spoonful of honey and a pinch of cinnamon.
- Chicken fillet with vegetables
Take one chicken fillet, 2 medium tomatoes, 2 small carrots and mineral water. Make transverse cuts on the fillet for quick cooking, soak in mineral water for softness. Cut carrots and tomatoes into strips. Place everything together on foil and bake in the oven for about half an hour. You can add a pinch of salt for taste.
- Steamed stuffed peppers
For this dish you will need several bell peppers, a medium zucchini, eggplant and carrots. We cut off the top of the pepper, so it looks like a basket. Finely chop the zucchini, carrots and eggplant and stuff the peppers with this vegetable mixture. Place them in a steamer and cook for half an hour.
- Vegetable stew
For the stew you will need an eggplant, 2 medium carrots, 3 tomatoes, beans, cauliflower. Cook cabbage for 7 minutes. Cut the eggplant, tomatoes and carrots into cubes. Cook the beans separately for 10 minutes. Then we place it all in a frying pan or in a slow cooker, add a little water and simmer until done. You can add a little salt.
Diet for rotavirus in infants
If an infant falls ill, he should not be weaned - mother's milk contains the necessary nutrients and immunoglobulins (the latter help fight infection). During the acute period, you will have to refrain from introducing additional complementary foods. If the baby eats artificial formulas, then he should be switched to dairy-free cereals and lactose-free formulas.
Liquid diet
As you know, with rotavirus, dehydration should not be allowed. The liquid diet includes not only water, but also teas and decoctions of dried berries (blueberries, raspberries). Drinks should be given as often as possible, but little by little. During this period, doctors recommend making a solution with rehydron. Since the taste of the medicinal drink is very specific, children may refuse to drink it. In this case, you can prepare a homemade version of the water-volitional solution. The following ingredients will be required:
Water - 1 l
Raisins – 100 g
Salt – 1 tsp.
Soda – 0.5 tsp.
Sugar – a little (up to 4 tsp)
Boil the raisins covered in water for 1 hour. The cooled solution is filtered (before this, it is recommended to mash the berries so that the maximum amount of glucose goes into the decoction). After mixing with salt, soda and sugar, the drink is boiled over low heat for another 2 minutes.
Rotavirus infection, or stomach flu, is a highly contagious and common disease. As a rule, adults tolerate it more easily than children, although even in a mild form the disease causes considerable discomfort. Infectious agents cause digestive disorders, which are manifested by diarrhea and a number of associated symptoms. How effective the treatment will be depends greatly on the diet and diet during a given period, and therefore diet for rotavirus is of paramount importance.
The virus enters the body most often through contaminated food, water, and through unwashed hands and household items. In very close contacts, it is also transmitted through airborne droplets. The acidic environment of the stomach is not able to destroy pathogenic microorganisms, and they easily penetrate the intestines. It is there that the infectious agent develops vigorous activity, damaging the villi of the small intestine and preventing the normal breakdown of food.
The patient exhibits characteristic symptoms:
- severe diarrhea;
- nausea and vomiting;
- cramps and pain in the abdomen;
- weakness;
- temperature increase.
In most cases, these manifestations are accompanied by signs of acute respiratory infections - sore throat, nasal congestion, cough. The greatest danger is dehydration of the body, because a lack of fluid increases intoxication and provokes the development of inflammatory processes in the digestive tract.
It has been proven that the proliferation of viruses is facilitated by certain foods that create ideal conditions in the intestines for their growth. And diet correction helps to significantly reduce the number of pathogenic microorganisms and eliminate dehydration.
Diet for rotavirus
The patient's diet should consist exclusively of easily digestible dishes with a maximum content of vitamins and beneficial microelements. In addition, you need to drink a lot: the most preferable is still mineral water, you can also use unsweetened teas and berry decoctions.
What should be included in the diet:
- porridge – buckwheat, oatmeal, rice (with water and without oil);
- dietary meat broth;
- vegetable soups (not rich);
- steamed low-fat fish;
- boiled cabbage and carrots;
- mashed potatoes without oil.
As a dessert, you can eat baked apples or fruit jelly, a little natural honey.
In the first days, when the illness causes severe discomfort and appetite disappears, you should not force the patient to eat. The main thing during this period is to ensure you drink enough to avoid dehydration. The drink must be warm or at room temperature, as cold and hot liquids will only aggravate the problem. Water and decoctions can be alternated with chicken broth - it will help cope with weakness.
The best way to restore the required level of fluid in the body is to drink a water-salt solution. You can prepare it yourself: you need to boil a liter of water, dissolve 60-80 g of sugar, 30-35 g of salt and 5-7 g of baking soda in it. The resulting solution is cooled to a temperature of 20-25 degrees and drunk a quarter glass every two hours.
In between, you should definitely drink unsweetened tea or plain water, so as not to aggravate the situation by excessive accumulation of salts in the body.
Advice. This solution is given to the patient in cases where there is severe diarrhea and frequent vomiting, which is the cause of dehydration. If the signs of infection are mild, water and tea (at least 1.5 liters per day) will be enough.
Rice water will help you quickly cope with diarrhea. It’s also easy to prepare: add washed rice (3 tablespoons per liter) to boiling water and cook for 30-40 minutes over low heat until the grain is thoroughly cooked. Next, this semi-liquid mass is rubbed through a sieve, lightly salted and given to the patient in small portions. For greater effect, you can add baking soda to the broth - about half a teaspoon. This product has enveloping properties and has a very beneficial effect on the mucous membrane. As soon as the condition improves, you can refresh yourself with broth.
If you feel hungry, decoctions and broth must be replaced with something more substantial, for example, vegetable soup or porridge. Portions should not be large (about a third of the usual), but you should eat often - 5-6 times a day. As your condition improves, you can gradually increase the portions while continuing to drink liquid in the specified volume. Tea made from mint and chamomile, a weak decoction of rose hips with the addition of blueberries, and a decoction of raisins cope well with nausea and malaise.
Sample menu for rotavirus
| Eating | Diet |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Liquid buckwheat or rice porridge with water, 2-3 wheat crackers, a cup of green or black tea with honey instead of sugar |
| Lunch | Boiled vegetables, baked apple or berry mousse (no more than 100 g) |
| Dinner | Poultry broth, 2 crackers, a piece of boiled lean meat |
| Afternoon snack | Oatmeal jelly, cracker |
| Dinner | Liquid porridge, piece of fish or steamed cutlet, tea or fruit decoction |
There can be many menu options, and the more varied the dishes, the better. Salt porridges and soups should be kept to a minimum - the total amount of salt should not exceed 6 g per day. Cereals should be well boiled to make it easier for the body to absorb nutrients. It is recommended to follow this diet for six to eight days until the acute stage of the disease passes. If the infection is mild, you can stick to the specified diet for 3-4 days, but no less.
After each meal, it is necessary to monitor how the body reacts to food. If the condition worsens, for example, pain in the abdomen appears or diarrhea intensifies, the menu is adjusted, discarding those dishes that provoked the deterioration. But even after your health returns to normal, you cannot suddenly switch to your usual diet, so as not to overload the fragile intestines.
Advice. To restore normal microflora after a week of strict diet It is recommended to introduce yoghurt, fermented baked milk, yogurt and other fermented milk products into the diet. They should be low in fat and free of dyes and other artificial additives. And here You should abstain from whole milk until complete recovery..
What not to eat if you have rotavirus
With intestinal flu, first of all, you need to exclude from the diet everything that can irritate the mucous membrane and contribute to the development of pathogenic microbes:
The same applies to drinks: sodas and drinks containing caffeine have a negative effect on the intestines, irritating the mucous membranes. After consuming them, the patient may experience severe pain in the abdomen, rumbling, bloating, and increased diarrhea.
It is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol and drinks with artificial colors and flavors. Herbal infusions should be used with caution and only after consultation with a doctor, because many medicinal plants have their own contraindications.
Prevention of rotavirus infection
Intestinal infections spread in many ways, and it is impossible to completely protect yourself from infection. But there are a number of measures that will help reduce the risks of the disease to a minimum. It is very important to follow sanitary and hygienic rules: regularly wash your hands, promptly clean and ventilate the premises, and do not eat unwashed fruits and vegetables. If possible, try not to buy food from street kiosks and open trays, where the quality of the products leaves much to be desired.
If one of your family members exhibits signs of an acute respiratory infection and an intestinal disorder at the same time, you should immediately isolate him in a separate room and call a doctor. The patient should have individual utensils, and it is advisable for one person to have contact with him, so as not to expose everyone living in the house to the risk of infection.
Video - Diet for rotavirus in adults
Many mothers have encountered such a problem as rotavirus infection. The baby’s health deteriorates sharply, the illness is accompanied by vomiting and indigestion. This raises a natural question about how to feed children with rotavirus infection. In the article you will find a complete list of recommendations, a list of permitted and prohibited products, and a sample menu.
What is rotavirus infection
The source of this disease is the virus carrier. The infection attacks the stomach and intestines, and a sick person can spread the virus through airborne droplets.
The peculiarity of rotavirus infection is that in the initial period its symptoms are similar to respiratory diseases. Its first manifestations are coughing, sneezing, and fever. Because of this, diagnosis is difficult, which contributes to the further spread of infection.
Symptoms and treatment
A baby can become infected not only through close physical contact with a sick person, but also through infected household items, toys, food and water. Entering the body through the oral cavity, the virus penetrates the intestines and causes severe diarrhea. The disease is accompanied by fever, acute abdominal pain, and vomiting. Due to dehydration, the child becomes weak and lethargic.
Rotavirus infection in children is dangerous precisely because of the threat of severe dehydration, which can lead to serious consequences, including death. Moreover, the lower the weight and age of the child, the greater the risk he is exposed to, the faster the deterioration occurs. This is why diet is so important for rotavirus infection. You will find menus and recipes suitable for sick children in this article. Maintaining a proper diet is essential for successful recovery.
Baked apples and bananas are suitable as dessert. As your health improves, you can add dried white bread, lean boiled meat and fish, meatballs, steamed cutlets, and soufflé to your diet.
Vegetables are given boiled, in the form of puree. Zucchini, pumpkin, and broccoli are appropriate. Fermented milk products should be low in fat. Kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt, and yogurt are suitable. Offer whole milk only three weeks after recovery.
Water-salt solution
Thinking about whether it is possible to feed a child with rotavirus infection with certain foods, parents often forget that the most important thing during this period is drinking, especially in the first days. To avoid dehydration, you need to give your child a water-salt solution. You can buy it in sachets at the pharmacy or prepare it yourself.
Dissolve 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 spoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of soda in a liter of boiled water. Instead of water, you can take 50 ml of the solution every 2 hours. In addition to the solution, offer your child tea, rosehip infusion, rice infusion, water, and chicken broth.
If a child is sick with rotavirus infection, nutrition is very important. The speed of recovery also depends on your diet.