What to Eat and Not to Eat When Sick
When you’re sick, the last thing you want is to eat something that will make you feel worse. But what if you badly crave for a glass of wine hoping to calm down muscle aches or ice cream in the midst of headache? While it depends on what you are feeling, here are the common symptoms and suggestions on foods that can help, as well as hinder, relief.
1. Constipated
Constipation happens when there’s no enough fibre in the body. Therefore, the solution is to eat fibre-rich foods.
What to eat: Whole grain breads, beans, nuts, oatmeal, pears, apples, prunes, and broccoli are rich in fibre. Drinking eight glasses of water a day also helps to boost your metabolism.
What not to eat: Dairy products and chocolates, as well as narcotics, iron supplements, and anti-depressants, can worsen constipation.
2. Feeling Nauseous
Feeling nauseous makes all food taste unappealing, but the right food can see the sickness by calming the stomach acids. In general, eat foods in small proportions and choose ones with mild to no odour.
What to eat: Salted pretzels or crackers can help, as does small quantities of cereal and dry toast. For beverage, lemon or ginger tea, frozen or fresh lemon slices, and peppermint can work.
What not to eat: Spicy and oily foods, alcohol, caffeine, and carbonated drinks can all make nausea worse.
3. Aching Muscles
Foods that ease this symptom depend on the cause of muscle aches. However, for general muscle aches, food rich in calcium and magnesium help ease the soreness.
What to eat: Nuts, beans, bananas, avocados, and leafy greens are rich in magnesium; while yogurt, canned salmon, and fortified orange juice are rich in calcium, which can lessen muscle ache and cramping.
What not to eat: Anything dehydrating, such as alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, can worsen muscle aches.
4. Itchiness and Redness on Skin
Redness and itches on skin can be a symptom of allergy. The best way to ease possible allergic reaction is to avoid eating foods that trigger the rash and itch.
What to eat: Omega3-rich foods, such as walnut, flax seed oil, and fatty fish (sardines, salmon), as well as foods high in protein are all important for the health of your skin.
What not to eat: Chocolate, nuts, tomatoes, berries, eggs, wheat, milk, and soy are the most common cause of skin itching, so better avoid these foods when you seem to notice redness and itchiness on your skin.
There are many more ailments out there that can be eased and cured by taking the right kind of food, and these are just some of the most common. So next time you feel any of these complaints, drink lots of water, get plenty of rest, and consider these guidelines for a quicker recovery.
