Been suffering from vomiting and diarrhea? The BRAT diet will help get you out of bed and back on your feet.

The other day I was out walking my cat, and bumped into a neighbor who was out walking her dog (thankfully my cat and her dog get on). Diane and I got chatting, and it turned out that she had been sick for the last few days, but she wasn’t sure if she had food poisoning or not. Regardless, she had difficulty keeping food down, and had suffered from diarrhea for the past 24 hours. Diane explained that she hadn’t eaten anything for the past day and was just drinking water  - this was the first time she felt well enough to go out –to walk her dog.

Now, many years ago, in a land far, far away, I had a job that involved my getting food poisoning on a fairly regular basis. However, there was a doctor in this place of employment, and he would routinely put any employee who was vomiting or who had diarrhea on the BRAT diet, which is Bananas, Rice, Apples or apple sauce, and dry Toast (BRAT). Gingerale is recommended to wash it down– not water.

I told Diane about the BRAT diet and said – “Replace the water with gingerale, and see if you can get some banana and dry toast down. Just a little bit at a time. You need to build your electrolytes levels up, and you’ll start to feel better.” (What are electrolytes? See Column Notes at the end of this column).

I cannot tell you the number of times this diet has, to my way of thinking, saved my life. Whenever I have had a bad bout of flu, or an upset stomach due to drinking bad water or eating bad fruit, or dare I admit – over indulgence– I have reverted to my bananas, rice, apple sauce and toast diet. It’s an old friend, one that I’ve introduced to many people over the years.

But I’m always surprised by how few people know about the BRAT diet. It’s not a medical secret. In fact, when I was doing research for this column, I came across some very useful information from the Central Connecticut University (CCU) Health Service, which they had adapted from a flier from the American College Health Association. They elaborate on the BRAT diet as follows:

• Within the first six hours of experiencing nausea or vomiting give your stomach a rest – don’t eat anything. Then a couple of hours later suck on a hard candy or Popsicle. They recommend, “no chewing.”  For the next 24 hours, gradually add clear liquids if you are no longer vomiting – and the liquids include water, apple juice, flat soda, weak tea, jello in liquid or gelatin form, broth or bouillon. If you start vomiting again – take nothing by mouth for an hour or so, then start all over again.
• The next day – or roughly 48 hours later – it’s time for bananas, apples or apple sauce, rice and toast, or dry crackers, and cereals such as Farina or Cream of Wheat, and jelly.
• By day three you can begin to re-introduce a ‘regular’ diet that would include soft cooked eggs, stewed fruits, cooked vegetables, sherbet, and white meat such as turkey or chicken.

Here are the foods to avoid:

• Milk and dairy products for three days
• Fried, fatty, greasy and spicy foods
• Pork, veal, salmon and sardines
•  Raw vegetables such as parsnips, beets, sauerkraut, corn on the cob, cabbage family, onions
• Citrus fruits: pineapples, oranges, grapefruits, tomatoes,
• Other fruits: cherries, grapes, figs, currants, raisins, rhubarb, seeded berries
• Extremely hot or cold beverages
• Alcohol
• Coffee and caffeinated sodas

The other important thing to remember, if you find yourself suffering from unpleasant gastrointestinal upsets which cause vomiting and diarrhea, is to avoid becoming dehydrated: drink plenty of fluids. That said, if you don’t start to get better after three days you should see a doctor.

I will always be grateful to the doctor who introduced me to BRAT – it has seen me through some very unpleasant times during the past 20 years. If you find yourself with sour stomach - this is one diet you will want to do.