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.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs

7 Ways to Get Rid of Diarrhea Fast, According to Doctors

In a perfect world, everyone's poops would pop out resembling a smooth, soft sausage and snake around the toilet bowl (you know, according to the famous Bristol Stool Chart).

But the world isn't perfect—and neither are your poops. Of course, you already knew that; a quick look in the toilet on any given day and you can see a variety of shapes, colors, and consistencies—the most undesirable of which? Diarrhea.

Yes, when your poop looks more liquid than solid, it could be for a number of reasons, like bacteria growing in your gut or something you ate the night before just not agreeing with you. That, unfortunately, makes it hard to diagnose.

“Diarrhea can often be challenging to even define,” Amir Masoud, MD, a gastroenterologist at Yale Medicine, tells Health. “Some people regard a change in stool consistency to mean that they have diarrhea when the actual medical diagnosis depends on the frequency of stool.” (According to the US National Library of Medicine, you have diarrhea if you have loose stools three or more times in one day.)

Dr. Masoud points out that most cases of loose stool are self-limiting and that they stop spontaneously. However, others can point to an infection or inflammation. “Worrisome causes should always be considered and ruled out but are usually accompanied by other alarming features,” he adds. The most common of these is blood in the stool. Other associated symptoms to look out for are fevers/chills, abdominal pain, tenesmus (aka, the constant feeling like you have to go poop), mucous in stool, or weight loss. In the case of infections, most are viral—and even most bacterial cases resolve without the need for treatment.

But if nothing else seems off and you think you just have a bad case of diarrhea, there are a few treatments—both medication and home remedies—that may help stop the flow. Here, gastroenterologists weigh in on their favorite ways to stop diarrhea—fast.

1. Try some over-the-counter medications.

If you are suffering from run-of-the-mill diarrhea and there are no obvious concerning findings or complaints, you might want to try heading to the drug store for some over-the-counter relief. “Some simple strategies can help reduce the discomfort associated with loose stool or diarrhea,” says Dr. Masoud.

He suggests over the counter remedies such as pink bismuth (Pepto Bismol) and medications such as loperamide (Imodium). “They may useful in reducing the frequency of stool and may relieve cramping,” he says.

2. Follow the BRAT diet...

Remember mom’s remedy for all your childhood tummy aches? The BRAT diet—an acronym standing for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast —is an old dietary go-to that has sustained the test of time. “Dietary strategies are aimed at bowel rest and therefore following a bland diet can be helpful,” says Dr. Masoud.

3. ...Or at least skip dairy and fried foods for a while.

If you aren’t willing go hardcore BRAT, staying away from dairy—except probiotic-rich yogurt—and heavy fatty foods is almost always a useful strategy, offer Dr. Masoud.

4. Drink your water.

One of the most important tactics with diarrhea is making hydration a priority, points out Rachel Franklin, MD, Medical Director, OU Physicians Family Medicine, in Oklahoma; that's because having diarrhea can be extremely dehydrating.

Consume as much fluid as you can, but avoid dehydrating beverages with sugar, caffeine, alcohol, or prunes—all of which can have a laxative effect and make your bathroom habits worse.

5. Gulp down a sports drink

Most people think of Gatorade as a sports beverage, as it replenishes electrolytes after a workout, helping restore hydration. It works the same way when you have diarrhea. “If the volume and frequency of watery stool is significant, steps must be taken to avoid dehydration,” Dr. Masoud explains. “The most important thing to remember is that with fluid losses also come electrolyte depletion.”

6. Snack on saltines.

In addition to drinking a sports drink, Dr. Masoud suggests munching on a mildly salty crackers. “Saltines are a good choice given the low residue and salt content,” he says. Of course, he warns that if you have high blood pressure or on a salt restricted diet, you should do this in moderation.

7. Consider a probiotic or other good bacteria.

Since diarrhea often involves a whole lot of bad bacteria in your gut, replacing it with good bacteria can be beneficial, according to Dr. Masoud. “Some probiotics have been shown to be helpful in certain cases with the two most studied being lactobacillus and saccharomyces boulardii,” he says.

But it's not just drugstore probiotics—adding good bacteria and probiotic rich foods like yogurt and sauerkraut can also help inspire balance in your sour stomach.

Still, if your symptoms are severe (i.e., more than five or six watery bowel movements a day, and last more than two days), Dr. Masoud urges you to call your physician ASAP. Any cases with blood in stool or fever should be evaluated without delay.“In general it is important to never minimize or brush off symptoms," he says. "It's never a bad idea to contact your primary care physician for direction if you develop a change in your bowel habits."

The best diet is simple home cooked food, which isn't too spicy or oily. Have plenty of yogurt or as buttermilk with rice.Recently we found one of the best remedy for this is- in leftover rice, mash it well, add enough water to cover it and a little more. keep it covered overnight. Next morning, add little salt and yogurt/ buttermilk, so you can easily drink it along with the rice. This not cools your stomach, but also very good for brain functions, as discovered recently by scientists ! Since we started this for hubby, his stomach problem got solved and now both of us are having it religiously each morning before breakfast, just a big cupful each !

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

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement