A post-holiday crush of patients are crowding into area physician offices and hospital emergency rooms as individuals of all ages suddenly find themselves laid low by a highly contagious and quick-striking virus.

"This bug goes by a lot of names. But whether you call it a stomach flu, a vomiting virus or any other name, the fact is that if you get it you are going to feel badly for a few days," said Dr. Christopher Zipp, a family physician at the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine. "This virus causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, and head and muscle aches. Although the virus itself most often is not a serious health threat, it can cause serious complications like dehydration, which can be especially dangerous for young children and older adults."

Dr. Zipp offers these tips for surviving a bout with the 'stomach flu.'

-- Drink plenty of liquids to prevent dehydration. Water or half-strength juices are best. Avoid soda or sports drinks as they have little nutritional value, but they can be given to individuals who cannot tolerate the preferred liquids.

-- Get plenty of rest.

-- Take over-the-counter, non-aspirin pain relievers like acetaminophen for fever and body aches.

-- Stay home until fully recovered. Sick individuals may continue to be contagious for up to 72 hours after they feel well again.

-- Practice good hygiene to prevent the spread of the virus. Wash your hands often and dispose of used tissues immediately. Wash soiled bed linens or clothes separately from other laundry.

"Keep in mind that this illness is caused by a virus. Antibiotics, which work against bacterial infections, will not help you to recover," Dr. Zipp added. "Most people will begin to feel better after a couple of days, but don't hesitate to contact your physician if you or a family member experiences extreme symptoms, such as uncontrolled vomiting or a high fever that persists and does not respond to over-the-counter medications."

While most of us look forward with anticipation to the culinary delights of the holiday season, the decedent buffet can be treacherous territory for those with food-related health concerns.

Too often, eating large quantities of rich foods outside our normal diet and routine can leave those with digestive conditions feeling ill and unable to fully enjoy their time with family and friends. Food-related health issues, such as celiac disease, dyspepsia and lactose intolerance, have become an increasingly common diagnosis.

Symptoms can range from feeling uncomfortable after a rich meal to experiencing nausea, abdominal pain, and, in some cases, fatigue and depression.

"We all love holiday food, but we can't let the buffet get the best of us," says Charlene Prather, M.D., professor of gastroenterology at Saint Louis University.

"It's better to enjoy a few delicious dishes that agree with you. Then, you'll truly enjoy other special parts of the season."

Holiday meals and buffets, in particular, can defeat our best intentions if we aren't careful, Prather says.

"We don't want to take too long choosing our food and hold up the line of people waiting behind us, we don't want to hurt the chef's feelings, and we may not realize how large our portions are because the food is served in such large quantities," Prather said. "But for those who have food problems, it's worth it to ask what ingredients are in a dish and take our time choosing what we'll eat.

"It is possible to have a delicious meal and still feel great for the rest of the day."

And, if you're hosting an event, remember that it's not personal if your guest declines seconds or refuses a dish. While you don't need to alter every dish to accommodate a guest with special dietary needs, it's considerate to make sure there are at least a few items on the menu that everyone will be able to enjoy.

Prather offers the following advice:

For celiac disease or gluten-intolerance

Avoid wheat, rye and barley. Celiac disease is a condition in which gluten, which is found in these grains, damages the small intestine. Even a small amount of gluten can cause damage, so it's best for those with the condition to choose every dish they eat carefully.

It's not only those with celiac disease who need to avoid wheat products. Many people who experience less severe symptoms have a lower level of gluten intolerance, and find they simply feel much better when they avoid these foods.

Good alternatives include potatoes, rice, soy, and quinoa. Many grocery stores also sell gluten-free bread and other products.

For dyspepsia

Avoid too much fat and alcohol. Dyspepsia, a condition characterized by upper abdominal pain or discomfort, bloating, belching, or nausea, is very common. Doctors don't understand all of the reasons why people experience dyspepsia, and the National Institutes of Health is conducting a study to learn more.

Doctors do suggest that patients with chronic dyspepsia limit fat and alcohol consumption to help minimize symptoms.

Steer clear of heavy dishes, like mayonnaise-based casseroles and butter-filled desserts, and instead choose dishes that feature grains, fruits, and vegetables. Consider limiting alcohol to one cocktail, and substitute sparkling grape juice for a dinner-time toast.

For lactose intolerance

Avoid milk, cheese, and other dairy products. People with lactose intolerance don't have enough of the enzyme lactase, which is needed to digest the milk sugar in dairy products. By limiting dairy consumption, they can avoid the digestive upset that goes along with the condition.

Avoid dishes topped with cheese, ice cream and cheesecake. When possible, choose soy milk, and if you do eat cheese, select hard cheeses like Swiss or cheddar, which have less lactose than others.

A gastric ulcer can cause gastritis, but gastritis is not always caused by a gastric ulcer. I am prone to bouts of ‘gastric’. Every time I don’t eat, I get a funny, acidic, and very ‘hot’ feeling in my stomach. My mother tells me that having ‘gastric’ is the same as having a ‘gastric ulcer’. Is this true?

Actually, gastritis means inflammation of the lining of your stomach (‘Gastro’ means stomach, and ‘-itis’ means inflammation). It’s not a single disease, but rather, a condition that is contributed to by many causes. A gastric ulcer is an actual hole, or sore, or break in the normal lining of your stomach. Having gastritis does not necessarily mean you have the ‘hole’. In gastritis, you have pain or discomfort in the upper area of your abdomen, the one flanked by the ‘V’ of your ribcage. This pain is sometimes called dyspepsia.

.What causes ‘gastric’?

The causes are very varied:
● Infections: Bacteria (Helicobacter pylori being the most common), viruses, fungi, parasites and worms can all cost gastritis, as well as tuberculosis and syphilis.
● Medicines: Aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, potassium supplements, iron tablets and chemotherapy.
● Alcohol
● Poisons: For example, acid, bleach and foreign bodies, like plastic toys.
● Stress, due to being injured or very ill. Plenty of patients who are ill in the hospital develop gastritis.
● Frequent vomiting

What is this Helicobacter pylori bacteria? I have heard so much about it and the fact that it is related to ‘gastric’.

Rightly so. The discovery of this bacteria has changed the entire landscape of gastritis and gastric/duodenal ulcer treatment over the last two decades. This bacteria infects 50% of the world’s population! Eighty percent of those infected have no symptoms.

Helicobacter pylori causes a very chronic, low grade inflammation of our stomach and duodenal lining. (The duodenum is the first part of our small intestine, which is divided into three parts.) Ten percent of all those infected develop an ulcer. This bacteria can survive the highly acidic environment of our stomach, and is impervious to being destroyed by our digestive enzymes. Helicobacter pylori also causes an increased chance of you developing stomach cancer or lymphoma. It must be eradicated if you test positive for it.

How can I differentiate between having gastritis and a gastric ulcer?

For gastritis, pain or discomfort in your central upper abdomen is common. Sometimes, this pain goes right through from your stomach to your back. The pain feels ‘burning’, or ‘aching’, or ‘sore’. The pain may be accompanied by belching, bloating, a feeling of fullness, nausea and even vomiting.

In severe gastritis, your stomach lining can bleed. Then, you may even vomit blood, and feel faint or dizzy, be very pale and sweaty, or have dark stools (or faeces). It can be very difficult to differentiate symptom-wise between gastritis and a gastric ulcer, especially since a gastric ulcer is almost always accompanied by gastritis.

An endoscopy performed by a gastroenterologist is the best way to see your stomach lining. This procedure requires you to be sedated, then to have an endoscope (a thin, flexible probe with a tiny camera attached to it) passed through your mouth and into your stomach. At the end of the procedure, you will receive a CD-ROM of your own stomach lining! So, a gastric ulcer is a complication of what can happen to your stomach lining as a result of gastritis.

How can I treat my gastritis?

Your doctor will have to find out the exact cause of your gastritis. Once you know what is causing it, you have to avoid the cause. For example, if the cause of your gastritis is a certain type of medication like aspirin, your doctor can then switch you to a similar type of medication that does not irritate your stomach. If the cause is alcohol, then you have to cut down on your alcohol intake. Coffee (caffeine) also triggers gastritis, so you should avoid it if you are prone to getting gastritis after drinking it. To alleviate your ‘burning’ pain symptoms, you can take antacids. If these are not enough, you can take histamines (H² blockers), like cimetidine or ranitidine. These reduce the acid secretion of your stomach. Then there are the newer medicines like proton pump inhibitors (for example, omeprazole). They also block your stomach’s acid secretion, but through another mechanism.

How will I know if I have Helicobacter pylori?

- You can take a test.
- You can submit a blood sample to test for Helicobacter pylori antibodies. Or a stool sample to look for the actual antigen.
- A biopsy can also be taken from your stomach lining through an endoscope, and tested.
Helicobacter pylori is eradicated by a triple therapy consisting of two antibiotics (amoxicillin and clarithromycin) and a proton pump inhibitor, taken for 10 days.