If we are sick type, cal cold soup tends to be our favorite companion. If we’re struck down due to the flu, we might only be able to stomach bland meals. What can you be eating when you’ve got COVID-19?
What Should You Eat Before and After Getting the COVID Vaccine? Here’s What the Experts Say
It is important to clarify that there isn’t a magic diet that can cure. There’s not a lot of information available on the foods and drinks that could decrease the symptoms of colds and flu or length of time, as well as with COVID-19. But it is a good idea to follow some general guidelines for you or someone else who is sick, such as the foods and drinks to consume in order to reduce the risk of illness and what to prepare for ahead. And if you’re experiencing chronic COVID symptoms, you might want to add certain anti-inflammatory food items to your diet.
Your Diet Is Going to Be Personal
The symptoms of COVID-19 may differ from person to individual. The most frequent symptoms, as per the CDC, are fever, cough, chills, and breathlessness. Some people feel fatigue, muscle pain, headaches, sore throats, and GI symptoms, such as diarrhea. If you’re feeling sick, consult your physician to seek medical advice.
Similar to the flu, you might not be as hungry. It is also possible to experience a loss of sense of smell and taste, and this can affect your appetite. Foods that offer comfort and nutrition when you’re sick are a way to cope (for me, it’s minestrone pretzels, pretzels, and Lemon-Lime Gatorade). But this is also dependent on whether you have a person who can cook for you or when you’re on your own.
Based on the symptoms you’re experiencing and their intensity, your preferences for food, and if you have anyone around to help cook the food, your diet could be different from those who have COVID-19. Be aware to stay at home when you’re feeling unwell, consult your physician, and ask about having food or other items delivered without contact (via friends and family members or a delivery company).
Hydration Is Super Important
Drinking plenty of water is essential when you are sick, particularly if you are suffering from fever (which could cause loss of water through sweating) or if you suffer from diarrhea or vomiting. Drink plenty of fluids by sipping at these alternatives:
- Water
- Tea with honey
- Broth
- Juice
- Seltzer
- Drinks with electrolytes
Tea containing honey can be soothing, and love can aid in helping to ease the cough. If you’re having difficulty eating or are suffering from a fever, or experience vomiting or diarrhea, drink drinks that contain electrolytes. Maple water, coconut water sports drinks, and Pedialyte all fall under that category. Juice is a delicious alternative that can aid in getting some nutrients. Make certain to get a bottle that’s 100 100% juice.
If you’re struggling to feel well, It’s essential to drink enough water and rest as often as you can.
Nutrition Matters, but Calories Matter Too
You might have heard the phrase, “Starve a fever, feed a cold.” There’s no research to support this assertion, but your body requires calories to fight off infections. Actually, when you suffer from a fever, you’ll notice that your metabolism increases, which causes you to burn more calories.
There aren’t any drinks or foods that can ease the symptoms of flu. However, there are certain vitamins, such as vitamins A, C, D, zinc, and E, that can aid in strengthening the immune system, as per an article in 2022’s Current Opinion of Food Science. Protein is required to create every cell in your body inc, including your immune system. (Get more details about proteins in foods, food that contains vitamin A, food with vitamin C, meals that have vitamin D, food with vitamin E, and those that contain zinc.)
Intake of these nutrients could be as easy as making a smoothie that includes fruits and yogurt or even nuts and butter. A soup made of chicken is an alternative that is soothing and could be beneficial in the event of a respiratory illness. Do you suffer from nausea? Ginger is believed to be an effective remedy to treat nausea as well as vomiting. Drink it with tea or mix it into soup with carrots.
You should make sure you get enough calories into your body and eat food that makes you feel great.
Foods to Limit
If you begin to feel sick, you should not drink alcohol. Drinking alcohol can cause dehydration and hinder the body’s immune system, which is fighting off an infection. Keep yourself hydrated by drinking tea, water broth, juice, or seltzer.
If you’re experiencing GI signs, then you might be advised to stay away from foods that are difficult to digest, such as cruciferous veggies, beans, and whole grains. They require longer to digest and could cause stomach upset and damage to your GI tract. Replace them with foods with a lower GI tract and can be easily digestible, like avocados, bananas, and white potatoes.
Crackers (and other hard, crunchy food items), along with spicy food and foods that are acidic (like vinegar or lemon), could irritate your throat, especially if you’re suffering from a sore throat. It is possible to tolerate these foods, but it is also contingent on the symptoms you are experiencing.
Is There Anything You Can Prepare in Advance?
It is a good idea to keep food items and a few over-the-counter medicines available when you begin to feel sick. Soups and casseroles are great to freeze, and if you get ill or develop the flu, then you’ll have prepared food options. Foods for freezers or shelf-stable storage, such as bread, crackers, and frozen fruit, are other choices to keep in your house.
Healthy Make-Ahead Meals You Can Store in Your Freezer
Food and drink aside, the most important way to avoid getting contagious with COVID-19 is following the advice of the CDC as well as the local Department of Public Health.
The Bottom Line
One of the best ways to recuperate from colds or flu is to take care of yourself by keeping well-hydrated and eating foods that are rich in nutrients. In addition, it is important to stop the consumption of alcohol while recovering and stay clear of spicy food and cruciferous veggies if you suffer from GI symptoms.
