What foods should I eat if I have indigestion, stomach, or intestinal problems?
December 6th, 2014When you have digestive issues such as diarrhea or nausea, you must be careful about what you eat. Most infections cause the digestive system to lose cells that produce enzymes. The most complicated of these enzymes digest milk/dairy, proteins such as meats, and oils. Strongly flavored spices such as chilis or curry can also cause irritation to the intestines. It is important to avoid these groups of food early on during an intestinal infection.
I once had a patient who had a gastrointestinal infection and decided to eat spicy Thai food for dinner. The following day she reported that she felt much sicker. The food irritated her intestines and caused more inflammation. After eating a “bland” diet, she felt much better.
Foods to Avoid
- Dairy (milk does not “settle” the stomach)
- Alcohol
- Meats
- Fried Foods
- Spices
- Sour foods
- Green leafy vegetables
- Carbonated beverages
- Caffeinated beverages
As a rule of thumb, when you don’t feel well think about what foods you would give a baby to eat. Infants have very premature digestive tracts, with an inability to digest complicated foods. Here are some foods I recommend when you don’t feel like your body is digesting properly. Some clinicians will include bread on this list, but I would leave it out as gluten is also difficult to digest. In general, you want to stick with boiled foods and avoid foods fried in oil.
- Bananas contain potassium, which is essential to replenish following diarrhea
- Rice
- Applesauce
- Water
- Egg whites
- Sweet potatoes (baked)
- Clear broth (miso soup)
- Gatorade/Powerade diluted 50/50 with water (be careful if you have high blood pressure as this contains a lot of sodium)
- Ginger tea
As you are feeling better, you can start adding simple proteins such as chicken breast and yogurt. This is called “advancing your diet”. If you feel ill or experience diarrhea after adding these new foods, go back one step for the next meal.
