The vomit bug: how to beat it!

Why is the winter vomiting bug like Mike Tyson? Because it strikes as fast as his left hook. The grim nickname given to this winter's nastiest virus is all too accurate. Victims come down in a matter of hours and symptoms include projectile vomiting and diarrhoea. For the next 24 hours, sufferers can expect to hold nothing down for long. It is also highly contagious, as Professor Hugh Pennington, an expert in disease at Aberdeen University, explains: "It is a very clever virus. It is pretty good at spreading itself."

Public-health laboratories confirm that although gastroenteritis is common at this time of year, there is certainly more of it about than usual. And all you need to succumb to the bug are a few virus particles in your gut. They can be caught by poor hand hygiene after visiting the loo or cleaning up vomit or can simply be breathed in as they hang in the air. So unless you really don't like your work colleagues, don't go into work if you fall prey. The good news is that, although thoroughly unpleasant, symptoms last for only 24-36 hours and even the elderly and frail should make a full recovery.

PRACTISE GOOD HYGIENE

When the bug is in your area and at its peak, advises homeopath and GP Dr Eric Asher, avoid unnecessary convenience food to minimise the risk of exposure to contaminated produce. Basic hygiene is crucial, so wash your hands after going to the loo and before handling food.

DON'T GET DEHYDRATED

A viral infection does not require antibiotic medication, says Dr Asher. But it is important to stay hydrated, and over-the-counter solutions such as Dioralyte, Rehidrat or Electrolade can be very helpful. Available in fruity flavours, they are designed to replace nutrients and fluid lost by vomiting and are perfect for children and babies as well as adults. Try administering frequent teaspoons to small children and be vigilant: if a baby or child is lethargic and has a dry tongue it is vital that they are treated immediately. Grown-ups should watch for a decrease in urine flow and drink small amounts of clear liquids often.

EAT CHICKEN SOUP

When you can actually hold something down, chicken soup - the ultimate comfort food - is ideal (research at the University of Nebraska found that chicken soup actually reduces the symptoms of a cold). Dr Asher swears by the soothing properties of his grandmother's version of the broth, which he says contains electrolytes, water and amino acids to protect the liver properly. Ian Marber, nutritionist at The Food Doctor, also raves about chicken soup's health-giving properties. He says: "Chicken is a good source of protein and soft vegetables are easily digested and will give you some nutrients back. Put some brown rice in the soup if you are suffering from diarrhoea. And make the soup nice and thick - too much liquid can actually be a bad thing when the stomach is upset."

PUT GOOD BACTERIA BACK IN THE GUT

Although other dairy produce such as cheese should be avoided if you have a dicky tummy, live yoghurt is very good for it. "Live yoghurt helps replace the lactobacillus, the healthy bacteria that live in the gut," says Marber. "You can also buy supplements of lactobacillus, which is very useful for any condition affecting the digestive system." Dr Asher recommends Actimell or Yakult once or twice a day until things are back to normal.

TRY GINGER TEA FOR NAUSEA

Herbalists treat nausea with ginger tea, which is easy to make. Steve Kippax, a western and Chinese herbalist at Third Space Medicine in Soho, advises: "Peel a two-inch piece of fresh root ginger, chop it up and simmer in a mug-and-a-half of water. Reduce to three-quarters of a mug, strain, sweeten with honey and drink." According to Kippax, ginger beer will do at a pinch.

AVOID THESE FOODS

"Lots of people reach for the vitamin C when they have a cold," says Marber, "but it softens the stools, so is best avoided when your stomach is very delicate." Highly spiced and fried foods are also worth steering clear of during and straight after a gastric virus, as is the fruit sugar sorbitol - often found in fruit juice, sweets or lollies - which adds to the osmotic load in the gut.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Homeopathic remedies are gentle on the gut and are easily available from natural-health shops. The remedy that beats everything else, according to Dr Asher, is podophyllum, "and if you are feeling exhausted, arsalb is good, too".

AT-HOME ACUPRESSURE

A DIY acupressure point that is effective for nausea is located on the inside of the wrist. It is located three finger-widths back from the creases of the wrist, in between the tendons. By applying pressure for two or three minutes, Kippax says feelings of nausea will be relieved. If you are concerned by symptoms that persist for more than 48 hours, consult your doctor.