The Best Hack I Discovered While Experiencing a Crohn’s Flare
One of the most common side effects of having a Crohn’s or UC flare is dehydration. Since we are constantly using the bathroom or throwing up, it is easy to suffer from side effects such as dizziness, weakness, increased heart rate, and fatigue. And, given that we are in a flare, it is difficult to keep anything inside of us, which makes it even more difficult to stay hydrated while keeping our electrolytes in check.
Too much Gatorade caused more GI distress
I used to go the Gatorade route, sipping on the overly sweet and salty beverage hoping it would give me life. That typically led to more GI distress, so I would switch over to water, but that did not replenish the vitamins and nutrients that I had lost. So, what is a gal to do?
Get creative.
Hydrate with electrolytes during a flare
It was summer during one flare that I had so I was dying for something really cold to drink. I had been enjoying water with ice cubes when I realized that I can take this beverage up a notch by replacing the water in the ice cube tray with Gatorade. Then, while the ice melted in my water glass, I would slowly get the electrolytes and flavor from the Gatorade without it being overkill and totally wrecking my stomach.
I then took it a bit further and ordered long ice cubes from Amazon so that they could fit in my water bottle and I would take them with me when walking around town or driving in the car. Not only was this making me feel cool, refreshed, and hydrated, it also helped my body adjust to the slowly melting Gatorade that gave my body the nutrients it was losing. Win-win!
The same can be done with Pedialyte because that is just as sweet (if not more!) than Gatorade so allowing it to slowly melt and dilute in water helps it go down easier. But, for those who do not tolerate dairy or who cannot drink it during a flare (it is typically on the GI’s list of foods to avoid) steer clear of it or get the dairy-free version that is available online.
While this may not work for everyone, it is worth a try when battling the effects of a flare and staying properly hydrated when you need it most.
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