Throwing up or puking is an informal term used frequently by many for vomiting. The stomach contents are forcefully expelled out orally. In fact it is your tummy’s indication to get rid of whatever you did that made it sick. In majority of cases vomiting is caused by food related problems and viruses.
However, there are many other reasons that may lead to throwing up of stomach contents. Stomach infection, food poisoning, pregnancy, disgusting smell, drugs are some other common reasons that may cause vomiting.
Throwing up one or two times may not be significant for health, but if it occurs many times it can lead to loss of fluid from the body.
How To Rehydrate Yourself After Throwing Up?
The ultimate goal of a person who has been vomiting a lot is to prevent dehydration. If you throw up many times, primary measure that can be availed at home is intake of oral fluids. Follow these steps to rehydrate yourself when you vomit.
- For few hours avoid eating anything solid. Wait for few hours for your stomach to settle.If you begin to take fluids in hurry soon after vomiting, the chance is your stomach may throw the fluid out and thus you may lose the benefit of fluid that you have taken. Therefore give your stomach rest for a while.
- Since vomiting flushes out minerals from the body, you have to take electrolyte drinks to replace the lost nutrients. Water is better than nothing. Drink sips of water or a sport drink or readily available electrolyte solution. In the beginning drink only one teaspoon with a gap of 5 to 10 minutes and see if it stays in your stomach.
- Now gradually increase the intake of water to 1 tablespoon every half an hour. If your stomach starts accepting it and you do not feel the urge to throw up, try smaller quantity of water. Sip the fluid instead of gulping it. Drink purified water as it contains minerals that are necessary to replenish the lost electrolytes if you cannot find any other oral rehydration solution to drink.
- If fluids do not stay in the stomach, suck an ice cube as the water is absorbed in the mucus membrane of the mouth and it does not go in the stomach. You can make ice cubes of fruit juice.
- To stop vomiting, heat few cardamoms in a saucepan. Powder the cardamoms and add it to a teaspoon of honey. Mix well and take it two to three times within one or two hours. This holistic approach helps to calm the stomach and thus you are able to take liquid.
- Once your vomiting has stopped for two to three hours, begin sipping small amount of chicken broth. It is a good source of potassium and sodium which are depleted in the body due to vomiting. It also contains enough water to nourish the cells. Broth also contains vitamins which are important. It is necessary to take cool broth instead of hot because the throat and food pipe may have become sensitive and hot food may irritate it.
- If vomiting has stopped completely for six hours, you can begin eating solid or semi solid food. Eat bland food such as bland pastas or non buttered toast. Gradually you can move to light protein containing foods such as chicken with rice.