TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - It's flu season in Northwest Ohio, but that's not the only bug going around, and area doctors are urging everyone to make sure they're staying hydrated when they're sick.
"For hydration solutions, Pedialyte is the one that's most commonly known. In adults we usually advise Gatorade or PowerAde or those sports drinks that have the right amount of sugar in them, not too much, but enough, and they have electrolytes in them too, and so pushing those fluids and staying away from solids is important," said Dr. Brian Kaminski, medical director for Toledo Hospital's emergency room.
Both the flu and the Norovirus have been going around recently, and Dr. Kaminski says both can cause patients to be dehydrated.
"Whenever dehydration is a concern, sort of shutting down what you're putting in to your gut that could challenge it, anything that's too heavy or too spicy or too greasy while you're sick can be too much of a challenge," Kaminski said.
He also says it's important not to rush trying getting back to what someone normally eats, especially with kids. They might want to eat their favorite food, but it might actually make them feel worse.
"To feel better, you'll want to start a solid diet right away, and it's really not advisable to do that until you've accomplished liquids first and advance real slowly and gradually into a normal diet," Kaminski said.
Doctors say for anyone who hasn't, now is the time to get a flu shot.
