Anti-Nausea Electrolyte Drink

Several weeks ago, I got an awful stomach virus that was going around our town. One morning, I was happily playing in the park with my boy, and by dinner time that night, I was laying on the bathroom floor wondering how I was going to get up.

I hadn't been so sick since I was a kid. It lasted for eight days, and for the first couple of days, I could not eat at all. At one point, I couldn't even drink water without throwing up. Not good for a breastfeeding mommy of a big, growing toddler! To make things worse, a few days in, my son also got a touch of this virus, though fortunately, he had a much, much milder version.

I'm going to share with you the homemade electrolyte drink that helped me fight nausea, stay hydrated, and get back on my feet. It is based on a re-hydration beverage recipe distributed by the World Health Organization, but replaces refined sugar and salt with raw honey and unrefined salt.

Many people in the world can't just go buy a bottle of Pedialyte or Gatorade when they're sick. We are fortunate to have easy access to these drinks in a pinch, but I much prefer this homemade version, because not only does it not include the artificial flavors, sweeteners, and dyes that store-bought drinks do, it includes health-promoting, nourishing foods, like raw honey, full of minerals and other nutrients.

Note that my son did not drink the recipe below because he is still breastfeeding. Breast milk not only re-hydrates extremely effectively but also has powerful antibodies to actually fight off the particular illness. Unlike me, my son had a mild illness and was better in just a couple of days. If your little one is sick, and you're concerned, get your doctor's advice. Be aware that babies under one should not have honey as it may cause infant botulism.  


Why raw honey?

Growing up, I thought honey was just a natural sweetener that was especially yummy on toast. But honey, in raw form, is an anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal food full of powerful phytonutrients.

Raw honey contains natural antioxidants, enzymes and minerals including iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, and selenium. Vitamins found in honey include B6, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and thiamin. Honey boosts immune function and eases digestion, among many other amazing benefits, which makes it perfect for this drink! 

The reason why honey should be raw is because excessive heating of honey destroys the natural enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. Much of store-bought honey is ultra-filtered and doesn't even contain pollen, the source of all the good stuff. In addition, honey from outside of the U.S. can contain harmful additives. 

The best honey is local from a source you trust and in raw form, so that all the good stuff is left in tact. Many stores seem to carry at least one raw honey these days, and your local farmer's market may, too. If you cannot find raw honey locally, here is a source I trust.

Unrefined salt

Regular table salt is bleached and refined, giving it a uniform appearance and long shelf life, and in the process, it is stripped of minerals naturally found in salt. Synthetic iodine is then reintroduced.

Unrefined salt, by contrast, still contains those naturally occurring minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, and bromide, as well as many other minerals in trace amounts. Because it's not bleached, unrefined salt may come in a range of colors, from gray to a gorgeous pink! [Note that just because a salt is called "sea salt" does not mean that it is unrefined]. 

In my opinion, unrefined salt tastes much better than refined salt, and that is reason enough to use it, especially since salt is one of the stars of the show in this drink.

Ginger

We have solid research evidence to show that ginger not only relieves the symptoms of motion sickness (dizziness, nausea, cold sweats) better than drugs, but it also relieves nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. And you only need a small amount of ginger to reap the benefits. The addition of fresh ginger in this drink makes a huge difference if you are experiencing nausea, vomiting, or stomach upset.


Here's what you need:

5 cups filtered water
2 tbsp raw honey
1/2 tsp unrefined salt, such as Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt
A  knob or chunk of fresh ginger
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, for flavor and to add additional potassium.

Here's what you do:

1. In a small pot, add 1 cup of the water, honey, and salt. 

2. Cut a hunk or small knob off your ginger root, peel with a small paring knife, then cut it into a few pieces, and add to the pot. Note that if you keep your ginger root in the freezer like I do (it lasts forever in there!), you will have an easier time peeling the knob right on the root, then shaving the pieces into the pot with your paring knife.

3. Heat the water just enough to melt the honey and salt. You don't want to cook the honey and destroy the enzymes, thus losing the benefit of the raw honey.

4. Meanwhile, juice your orange. You may need a couple of oranges to equal 1/2 cup juice.

5. In a large pitcher, pour remaining 4 cups of cold, filtered water, add honey/salt/ginger mixture (keep ginger chunks in to continue steeping in the jug) and orange juice. Mix well and refrigerate.

6. Serve cold with ice, especially if you're fighting nausea. Take small sips, as tolerated; I think drinking with a straw helps. Drink throughout the day and night until you are well. You need to drink quite a lot to stay hydrated when fighting a stomach virus. I kept a glass of it with me at all times.

This drink would also be great for times when you sweat excessively, such as when working out. If you don't need the anti-nausea boost, or if you cannot stand the taste of ginger, you can always omit it and still reap all the benefits of electrolyte replacement. The taste of the drink is very light, however. You could add more juice to give more flavor.

Do you have any natural tips for recovering from the stomach flu?