Doctor’s Recommendation: What To Eat When You’re Sick?

When you’re down with a cold or flu, the last thing you want to do is contemplate what to make for dinner. At the same time, the foods and drinks you choose to consume can make a difference in how you feel while you’re still sick and how long it takes for you to recover from the virus. After all, the last thing you want to do is hinder the recovery process and make the symptoms worse. To add more clarity to the situation and make choosing the best flu diet an easy task for you, we explain what foods and drinks doctors generally recommend or warn against during an upper respiratory infection.

The drinks to choose and avoid when you've got the Flu

As you already probably know, increasing your fluid intake is crucial when you’re down with a cold. As doctors explained: "During an infection, the body's basal metabolic rate increases, which can lead to increased loss of fluids, and you need to increase hydration with water to mitigate these losses." Therefore, the recovery process can be quite dehydrating, and drinking plenty of fluids can really help support your health and flush out those germs from your system as soon as possible.

However, it’s important to choose the right kinds of drinks, as certain beverages can actually be dehydrating for the already weakened body. The absolute best choice is sipping on some plain room temperature water, warm herbal tea, or ginger tea to warm up the throat, as these drinks provide plenty of hydration and antioxidants. 

 

What about the quintessential vitamin C rich orange juice, you say? Doctors actually recommend avoiding it when you’re sick, as juices can be quite high in sugar, which, in turn, can cause diarrhea that further dehydrates the body. Other sugary drinks, such as energy drinks, sweet tea, and soda are best avoided as well. 

 

Alcohol and caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, tea, and sports drinks are off the table, too. As Alpert, a certified dietitian, stated in an interview, “Not only are caffeinated beverages very dehydrating to the body but drinking these beverages as a replacement for hydrating drinks puts you even further behind on your overall hydration status." If you drink coffee every day, try limiting your intake to just one cup a day when you’re sick and drink plenty of water afterward.

The Best Foods to Eat When You’re Down With a Cold 

 

Although dehydration is a major concern when you’re sick and it should be the top priority, the recovery process also drains your body from necessary nutrients at a quicker rate, and symptoms like muscle aches and fatigue are evidence of that. Therefore, it’s our job to get as many beneficial nutrients back into our bodies in order to feel better as soon as possible. 

 

This doesn’t mean that you have to eat all the time. After all, you may be nauseous, and getting food to stay in the stomach may be difficult as is, so don’t push yourself. Instead, look for specific nutrient-dense foods instead of junk foods and snacks. Dr. Charles Peters recommends foods like chicken soup, leafy greens, yogurt, oatmeal, broccoli, pepper, and horseradish in a statement. Here’s why:

Chicken soup or broth- soups are not just easier to slurp down when you’re feeling ill, but they’re also full of beneficial nutrients and water that will help replenish and rehydrate your system. Be careful with canned soups, though, as most of them are too high in salt, and hence, dehydrating, so opt for low-sodium options if you have to get canned soup. 

 

 Plain white yogurt - not only is it pleasantly cooling for an inflamed throat, but yogurt is also a great source of proteins, vitamins, and minerals (calcium and zinc), so it can replenish the much-needed nutrients in your body. Yogurt also contains probiotics, which will help with digestion, therefore, it’s a great choice for those who feel sick on their stomach when they have the flu as long as you’re sticking to sugar-free plain white yogurt, of course.

Fruit and veggies - particularly leafy greens like spinach or kale, as well as broccoli, bell peppers, berries, apples, and mangoes - are full of vitamins and antioxidants that help you fight the cold. An added bonus is that most of these foods you can just eat as-is or blend up into a smoothie, no cooking required. 

 

Oatmeal - easy and quick-to-make, oats will fill you up in no time and alleviate any digestive discomfort, too, as they have plenty of fiber. 

 

Foods with a bit of spice, such as horseradish or ginger can clear up your airways if your nose is feeling clogged.

Foods to Avoid When You’re Feeling Ill  

 

If you like to have your chicken soup with a few saltine crackers on the side, or you’re really eating as many citrus fruits as you can when you’re sick, we have bad news for you - both of these habits may be hindering your recovery or just make the process of recovering more difficult than it has to be. Here are the foods you should avoid when you have the flu, and why: 

 

Acidic foods, such as citrus fruits or tomatoes, are not the best choice for those who are experiencing nausea and stomach flu, according to experts. These foods may cause heartburn and could hurt your throat.

Saltines are considered to be a staple food for upset stomachs, but these crackers actually contain a lot of sodium, high fructose corn syrup, and soybean oil, which can drive up the inflammation in your body according to dietitians. An equally crispy and low-calories alternative to saltine crackers is rice cakes. 

 

Junk food. Let's face it, we should be eating this stuff even when we're healthy, so try to resist the temptation of ordering takeout when you're sick. The main concern with junk foods, like in saltines, are unhealthy fats, which can drive up inflammation and hinder the recovery process. 

 

Dairy. Yogurt is the only dairy food nutritionists recommend because the rest of the foods, such as ice cream, milk, and even cheese may make the saliva and phlegm become thicker and hence cause additional discomfort when you're sick.

Potato chips, toast, and other crunchy foods may likewise scratch and aggravate a sore throat, so doctors advise against them if you have a painful throat. 

 

Sweets and other high-sugar foods. As we've mentioned earlier, sugar can be dehydrating, but Sharon Palmer, a registered dietitian, also mentioned to the Insider that refined sugar can also potentially increase inflammation levels and reduce the ability of some immune cells to function as they should. Therefore, avoid sweets like ice cream, popsicles, cookies, and cake until you get better. ​

 

We hope you found this information useful, and if you're currently suffering from a respiratory infection, we'd like to remind you to stay hydrated and wish you a speedy recovery!

 

 

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Worst Foods to Eat While Battling a Fever

Fever is an illness that is characterized by an increase in body temperature. Sometimes, fever is just an indication of a more serious disease. 

One of the hardest things you need to do when you have a fever is to eat. But despite that, you need to eat to stay hydrated and to continue to supply your body with nutrients that you need.

There are good foods when you have a fever, and there are foods bad for the fever. Here are some of the foods to avoid when you have a fever.

#6 – Junk Foods
Even without fever, one must avoid or lessen the consumption of junk food and fast food because it has high-calorie content but contains fewer nutrients. The nutrients you need when you have a fever is lacking in these kinds of food. Junk foods such as chips and crackers have high quantities of monosodium glutamate which is bad for the body when taken in large amounts. Children are more prone to have a fever and unfortunately, they love to eat junk food. It is best to avoid the consumption of these foods to help quicken the pace of recovery.

#5 – Soft Drinks or Carbonated Drinks

Soft drinks are another food that shouldn’t be consumed when you have a fever. When you have a fever, you need to eat healthy foods to gain the proper nutrients you need. Carbonate drinks have no nutritional benefits which make it bad for a sick person. It contains lots of acids which is also bad when you have to drink medicine for a fever. Refrain from carbonated drinks but instead, drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated to avoid more complicated diseases. Fighting a fever is a lot easier if you avoid these foods.

#4 – Spicy Foods

When you have a fever, your body temperature rises. When you eat spicy foods, your body temperature rises even more. That is the reason why you shouldn’t eat spicy foods when you have a fever. Lower down your body temperature so the fever will go away sooner.

#3 – Caffeinated Drinks

You have to keep your body hydrated while fighting a fever. There are drinks that you must avoid such as caffeinated beverages, namely coffee and tea. These drinks will dehydrate you rather than hydrate, and it will rob away the vitamin C from your body which is very important in regaining your health. Fighting a fever is easier without these drinks.

#2 – Oily Foods

As much as possible, never eat oily foods when you have a fever. You can have soup, fruits and vegetables. All these healthy foods will hasten your recovery. Oily foods should be decreased because they have fewer nutrients needed by your body.

#1 – Hard to Digest Foods

When you have a fever, make sure to not eat hard to digest foods because your digestive system is not working well enough when you have a fever. Hard to digest foods include beans, mashed potatoes and fried foods. Stick to soup and oats as they are easy to digest. Hard to digest foods are the worst foods you can consume when you have a fever.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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Is carb addiction real? Here is all you need to know

Are you addicted to carbs?

Are you one of those who cannot resist junk food? Every time you walk by a bakery, you start feeling hungry even if you just had your meal? Or you cannot imagine your life without pasta or pizza? If you are shaking your head in approval with each question, you are addicted to carbs. It might seem like a normal thing to you, but carb addiction is a breeding ground for numerous problems including weight gain and cardiovascular issues.

What are carbs?
Carbohydrate is the primary source of food our body uses for energy. Made up of three primary elements like carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, carbs help as a precursor to ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). When we talk about carb addiction, the first thing that comes to our mind is refined carbs like pasta, pizza and cookies. However, there are numerous healthy sources of crab-like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole-grain bread, pasta, and rice. Every food items contain some amount of carbs.

Are carbs addictive?
Yes! Carb addiction is real, especially for the one that contains refined sugar, salt and fat. As per a 2008 study published in "Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews," a lot of people are addicted to carbs, which is a major obstacle to optimal health. Excess intake of carbs from grains and sugar in your diet can disrupt normal body function, leading to weight gain, rise in blood sugar level and an eating disorder. Another study revealed that eating high-carb meals stimulate certain regions of the brain that are linked with cravings and rewards.

Tips to deal with carb addiction

The first step to get over carb addiction is to recognise that you are suffering from this problem. Here are 4 easy way to get rid of this addiction:

-Rather than filling your plate with carb-rich food, eat more protein-rich food items. Both plant and animal source of proteins are considered good for health and will help you keep fuller for longer.

-Sometimes when you feel hungry untimely, your body might actually want water. Most of the time people confuse dehydration with hunger. So drink plenty of water.

-To get rid of carb addiction, you must first recognise your triggers. What you cannot resist at all- pizza or pasta. This will make it easier for you to avoid those trigger foods.

-Do not be too hard on yourself. Shunning carb is not an appropriate solution to this problem. Controlling is good, but do not shun carbs. Just be mindful and eat in moderation.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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Food With Low Nutritional Quality & Cancer - Is There A Link?

We easily get attracted to foods that look appealing, smell delicious, and taste good. Most of the times, junk foods are the one to blame. No matter how hard you try to resist yourself from digging into a tub of ice cream or from taking a bite of a pizza slice, you always fail. These foods only satiate your hunger and cravings but do not really contribute to your good health – they are low in nutrition but high in calories.

While binging on junk food occasionally is fine, people who consume low-nutrition value foods daily or frequently are at high risk of cancer! Low or zero nutrition foods contain nothing but calories in the form of fats, sugar, and other artificial ingredients. Here are a few examples of foods, which have little or no nutritional value –

• French fries

• Potato chips

• Cheeseburgers

• Pizza, pasta

• Aerated drinks, soda, cola

• Ice cream

• Candy bars

• Cookies, pastries, muffins

• Frozen meat – sausages, bacon

• Canned fruits and- fruit juice

• Breakfast cereals

These foods are devoid of proteins, healthy fats, essential minerals, vitamins, and carbohydrates – everything that your body needs to function. Moreover, many of these foods or drinks contain components and preservatives that may even cause cancer. For instance, processed meats (bacon, sausages, salami), which are preserved by salting, curing and adding chemical preservatives, release heterocyclic aromatic amines – a carcinogen.

Cancer is one deadly disease, which spreads rapidly from the affected organ to other parts of the body. The best way to counter cancer is to prevent its onset.

Healthy eating can reduce the risk of cancer. Want to know what foods can cure the disease naturally by killing the cancer cells? Here is a list –

• Broccoli – contains a plant compound named sulforaphane, which is known to have anti-cancer properties

• Carrots – a few chunks of carrot in your meal can lower the risk of lung, prostate, and stomach cancer

• Beans – contain a high amount of fibre, which shields you against colon cancer

• Berries – these are rich in anthocyanins (plant pigments having antioxidant properties) and are linked to a decreased risk of certain forms of cancer

• Cinnamon – extracts of cinnamon are known to destroy and prevent tumours from spreading

• Turmeric – Turmeric consists of a chemical named curcumin, which has been shown to minimize the growth of various types of cancer and lesions

• Tomatoes – the compound lycopene, found in tomatoes, has anticancer properties and reduces the risk of prostate cancer

• Flax-seeds – high in fibre and healthy fats, flaxseeds also reduce breast and prostate cancer growth

• Fatty fish – fishes like salmon, mackerel, Pomfret and others are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins, both of which are believed to keep cancer at bay

• Citrus fruits - they are best known for their high vitamin-C content, which helps protect against cancer

Apart from citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, grapefruits and others, experts recommend eating soursop (also known as custard apple or graviola). This ‘super fruit’ can kill cancer cells. Lab studies have confirmed its effectiveness in curing liver cancer and breast cancer. The efficacy of soursop leaves in destroying cancer cells is about 80%. Nevertheless, what makes custard apples a preferred natural cure for cancer is that, unlike chemotherapy drugs, its effects are specific to cancer cells and not the healthy cells of the body.

How do you beat cancer naturally?

The key to beating cancer naturally is good nutrition. Your body executes a hundred different functions, most of which are dependent on high nutrition value foods. Make sure that you steer away from foods that are low in nutritional value, and switch to those that are known to kill cancer cells. Besides, also ensure that you are maintaining a healthy body weight – exercise is a great way to keep yourself active. Therefore, ditch those unhealthy, low-nutrition value foods and ask for a balanced diet chart from your dietician instead.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
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