What to drink, what medications to take, what to eat when you have a cold? The treatment process is influenced by many factors: adherence to the regimen and special diet, compliance with medical prescriptions. When you have a cold, it is recommended not only to take medications, but also to use additional products traditional medicine. Gargling with decoctions will speed up recovery; the menu can include taking vitamin teas based on cranberries and rose hips.
Nutrition for flu and colds is important for a speedy recovery. There are several rules that should be followed during illness:
Diet during flu is very important, as the body is weakened and requires help. Nutrition for colds in children requires adherence to similar principles. Children's body most susceptible to the influence of various products.
What and how can you eat when you have a cold?
It is important not only to include in the menu foods that help during the flu, you also need to adhere to a certain gastronomic order. You should develop a specific diet, divided into 5 meals. It is better to eat in small portions, but several times, than to eat at one time a large number of food. These techniques should be performed at a strictly defined time, this is especially important for children.
It is better to give preference to boiled or baked foods rather than fried foods. The presence of a crust, a large amount of fat or vegetable oil- not an option for someone with a cold. If you want fruit when you have a cold, you don’t need to limit yourself. On the contrary, fruits and berries rich in vitamins will benefit a weakened body. Please note that fruits should be consumed fresh. Combining them with sugar, syrup or jam will negatively affect white blood cells, which play a protective role in the body, actively fighting viruses.
The diet of the child and adult during this period should be enriched with vitamins. To do this, you need to eat as much fresh vegetables, berries and fruits as possible. Vitamin C is found in lemon, black currants, apples, oranges, tangerines, sauerkraut and sweet pepper.
The vitamin is found in rosehip infusion and decoction. Vitamin A, which is important for a sick body, can be found in eggs, liver, butter and hard cheese. Vitamin B2, also called riboflavin, is found in almonds, cheese, chicken eggs, yeast and cottage cheese. B6, or pyridoxine, is found in sufficient quantities in offal, beans, soybeans, yeast, potatoes, rice, millet and buckwheat. To improve immunity, you need to provide your body with vitamin D, which can be obtained by eating salmon, herring, mackerel, tuna, eggs, sour cream and cream.
Should you include fish and vegetables in your diet?
When dealing with the flu in adults, you need to act rationally: be sure to eat carrots, beets, and herbs (parsley, onions, dill). For meat products, lean pieces of chicken and veal are best. Do not neglect fish products; it is better to give preference to squid and shrimp. You should definitely include in your diet porridges cooked with milk, rice, millet or oatmeal. You should drink as much milk as possible, eat dairy products: cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, kefir. It is important to eat nuts during this period; eating a small handful per day is enough.
Consumption of all these foods in reasonable quantities is the basis of proper nutrition. It will have a positive effect not only on a sick body, but also on a healthy one. This rule is especially true for women. A representative of the fair sex who eats according to these principles will be able to get into shape quite quickly and without harm to her health, without following strict diets.
One of the useful foods at this time is garlic. It actively fights various viruses and microorganisms. Most the best option- this is used in pure form. Only the most desperate people can eat garlic this way; for the picky people there are alternative options for consumption. Garlic cloves can be eaten with some dish, preferably soup. It can be grated on a fine grater, mixed with sour cream and butter and season the salad with the mixture or spread it on bread.
Garlic can also be eaten after the flu for preventive purposes.
Onions and hot peppers have a slightly lesser effect. These foods are worth eating to prevent colds. It is important to drink plenty of fluids when you have a cold. This can be boiled water, all kinds of teas and infusions. An effective remedy against colds is tea with spices. An excellent option would be to consume various unsweetened berry fruit drinks, mint infusions and herbal teas. It is better to exclude alcoholic drinks, fruit juices, strong tea and coffee from the diet during illness.
What should you not eat when you have a cold?
Proper nutrition consists not only in eating quality foods, but also in excluding harmful ones that have a negative effect on the body. What foods should you not eat during colds and flu? There are several of them:
You should not consume these products for several weeks after the flu. This is due to the fact that the body, weakened after illness, will not be able to adequately respond to the appearance of harmful food, even if previously it was often present on the patient’s menu.
By following a special diet during a cold, you can recover much faster. You should always be aware of what you eat. Any harmful product will negatively affect the functioning of the body.
Flu is an unpleasant disease that affects the respiratory system. After it, the body is greatly weakened, it requires long-term recovery, which should be carried out in accordance with the doctor’s recommendations.
In addition to preventive therapy, the patient should pay attention to the diet; it should be balanced and correct. Diet for flu should include healthy, natural foods with high levels of vitamins. It is she who will be able to increase immunity and energy, and the body will be able to quickly recover from an unpleasant illness without possible complications and unpleasant consequences.
Important Rules
Nutrition for flu and colds is not chosen as usual; when compiling a diet, you should be careful and choose natural, fortified products that can support vitality body and improve the functioning of internal organs.
Before you begin, there are a few important rules to consider:
- Drinking plenty of fluids. You need to drink at least 2.5 liters of water and other liquids per day.
- Increasing the amount of vegetables and fruits. They will be the main source of vitamin C.
- During the recovery period, you should consume foods that can inhibit the growth of microorganisms. The best example is ordinary garlic.
- It is worth removing fried and smoked foods from the menu for a while.
- In addition to proper nutrition, do not forget about proper rest. During a cold, doctors recommend bed rest, except physical activity during the period of illness increases the effectiveness of therapeutic therapy.
Important! Treatment with medication alone may not always provide successful results. It is recommended to supplement the main therapy with other home and available methods- proper nutrition during colds, proper rest, ventilation and humidification of the room.
What can you eat when you have the flu?
You definitely need to know what you can eat when you have the flu and a cold. Thanks to this, it will be possible to create the right therapeutic diet, which will speed up the healing process.
During flu and colds, it is recommended to eat the following foods:
- garlic. The vegetable contains allicin. This substance has a detrimental effect on bacteria and viruses;
- chicken bouillon. It has a positive effect on well-being. Fights neutrophil cells that cause congestion and inflammation;
- The diet must include foods high in zinc. These include nuts, seafood, eggs, meat;
- If you don’t know what to eat for a cold, then pay attention to spices. They make breathing easier and constrict blood vessels. Increases sweat separation. For colds, ginger, mustard, coriander, and cinnamon are especially useful;
- fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C - tomatoes, citrus fruits, peppers and many others;
- fruits and vegetables with increased levels of beta keratin, magnesium, folic acid. This list can include such vegetables and fruits as - cauliflower, beets, carrots, grapefruit, kiwi, tangerines and many others;
- foods rich in vitamin E - almonds, nuts, fish oil, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and others;
- food that is based on bioflavonoids - onions, broccoli;
- products with flavonoids - lemon, raspberries, peppers, lingonberries, grapes.
It is worth noting! During a cold, it is recommended to eat small meals - optimally 4-5 times a day. Portions should be small. Small amounts are digested much easier, and thanks to short breaks, the feeling of hunger does not occur.
What is contraindicated to eat when you have the flu?
Proper nutrition for colds and flu should include not only healthy foods, but it is worth remembering about forbidden foods. It is recommended to exclude it for a while until the body has fully recovered.
We have already looked at what to eat when you have the flu; during this disease you should eat light and as light food as possible.
A completely logical conclusion follows from this - you should refuse heavy meals during this period. These include the following products:
- fat;
- spicy;
- smoked;
- It’s worth eliminating pickles for a while.
Salt has an unpleasant feature - it lingers in the body, which creates additional stress on the kidneys. During illness, these organisms work in critical mode; they intensively remove toxins and harmful substances.
What else should you not eat when you have a cold? During this period, any semi-finished products are prohibited. This also applies to food under the fast food category. These products make it difficult for the digestive tract to function. As a result, all the body’s forces will be spent on restoring the functions and functioning of digestion, and not on fighting viruses and bacteria.
Note! The list of what not to eat when you have a cold or flu includes store-bought sweets. Numerous studies have proven that sweets have a negative impact on the work of leukocytes - red cells that resist pathogenic organisms during the pathological process.
A healthy diet during various colds requires avoiding certain drinks:
- Be sure to completely exclude different foods from your diet during this period alcoholic drinks. They reduce the immune system and have a negative impact on the functioning of the liver, which at this time is busy cleansing the body of toxins;
- coffee. The drink causes dehydration. And this is completely unacceptable for colds, flu, ARVI;
- store-bought juices.
Features of water balance
We've covered what to eat when you have the flu, but Special attention It's worth paying attention to drinking. Diet for colds involves drinking plenty of fluids. Thanks to this, increased hydration of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and upper respiratory tract occurs.
It is worth noting! Liquid increases the speed of blood circulation, which is what facilitates the introduction of toxins and waste. This all contributes to the rapid recovery of the body.
The flu diet should include the following types of drinks:
- Cranberry juice. This is famous folk remedy, which is often used for colds. It is based on a high level of antimicrobial components. Morse increases the effectiveness of other drugs and has an antioxidant effect on the cellular structures of the body.
- Milk with honey. This drink is considered an ideal choice if you have a severe cough. Honey improves immunity, strengthens defenses and forces the body to actively fight the disease. Warm milk coats the mucous membrane of the throat and weakens the reflex cough. It is recommended to drink this drink before bed.
- Ginger tea. The plant has a strong antiviral effect and strengthens the immune system. Before adding to the drink, ginger can be grated or cut into small pieces. Afterwards, the tea should steep for about 10 minutes, and then drink it alone.
- Infusions of raspberries, viburnum, currants. They saturate the body with vitamins and have positive influence on condition.
A diet for colds and flu must include the above drinks. They will speed up recovery and recovery, and also boost the immune system. Additionally, you can add lemon and chamomile to the tea, this will make the drink aromatic and more healthy. Instead of sweets, you can eat raspberry jam or honey.
It is important to remember that a specialist should select nutrition for an adult with the flu. He always gives him a memo that contains a list of allowed and prohibited foods for colds. The doctor will be able to write out a detailed menu for each day, and he can also offer diet options. All this should be used as a mandatory addition to the main treatment.
Influenza is an acute viral respiratory infection that affects the respiratory tract and is caused by the influenza virus.
Varieties:
The influenza virus is characterized by constant mutation. Each new mutated strain turns out to be more resistant to known antibiotics and requires development newest types medicines. There are now about 2,000 varieties of influenza virus known in the world. There are three main groups of viruses - A, B and C: group A viruses usually lead to epidemics and pandemics; group B affects only humans, usually children first, group C is poorly studied, the virus also spreads only in the human environment and is not particularly severe.
Causes:
The most common cause of infection with the influenza virus is contact with a sick person. The route of infection is airborne.
Symptoms:
Several days of the incubation period transition into the period of acute disease. A sick person has a fever, chills, headache and muscle pain. Severe dryness in the nasopharynx is accompanied by a dry, very painful cough. Of particular danger are the complications that are possible in severe cases of the disease: pneumonia, meningitis, otitis media, myocarditis; in the elderly and children under two years of age, the complication can be fatal.
Useful foods for the flu
- chicken broth: inhibits the development of neutrophil cells, which cause inflammation and nasopharyngeal congestion;
- garlic: contains allicin, which is destructive to bacteria, fungi and viruses;
- spices (ginger, cinnamon, mustard, coriander): increase sweating, which is good for high temperature, and lead to constriction of blood vessels, easing difficulty swallowing and breathing;
- products containing zinc (meat, eggs, seafood, nuts);
- fruits and vegetables with high levels of beta-carotene, folic acid, magnesium (eg: cantaloupe, spinach, apricots, asparagus, beets, cauliflower, carrots, mango, pumpkin, pink grapefruit, tomato, tangerine, peaches, watermelon, kiwi) ;
- foods with vitamin C (papaya, citrus fruits, orange juice, yellow or red peppers, strawberries, tomatoes and sweet potatoes);
- foods high in vitamin E (corn oil, almonds, fish oil, lobster, tree nuts, safflower oil, peanut butter, sunflower seeds and salmon steak);
- products containing flavonoids (raspberry syrup, lemons, green peppers, cherries and grapes, lingonberries);
- foods with quercetin, a highly concentrated form of bioflavonoids, (broccoli, red and yellow onions).
Sample menu
Early breakfast: semolina with milk, green tea with lemon.
Lunch: one soft-boiled egg, cinnamon rosehip infusion.
Dinner: vegetable puree soup with meat broth, steamed meat balls, rice porridge, pureed compote.
Afternoon snack: baked apple with honey.
Dinner: steamed fish, mashed potatoes, fruit juice diluted with water.
Before bedtime: kefir or other fermented milk drinks.
Traditional medicine for the treatment of influenza:
- black currant fruits (brew with hot boiled water and honey) - take up to four glasses a day;
- a decoction of blackcurrant branches with honey (break the branches, add water and boil for five minutes, keep in steam for several hours) - drink two glasses at night;
- steam onions and garlic (grate an onion and two or three cloves of garlic and inhale deeply several times) – two to four times a day;
- infusion of dried raspberries (pour a tablespoon of berries with one glass of boiled water, leave for twenty minutes) - take 250 ml twice a day;
- a mixture of linden flowers and dried raspberry fruits (pour boiling water over a tablespoon of the mixture, leave for twenty minutes) - take 250 ml twice a day;
- decoction of crescent and licorice root (licorice) (brew a tablespoon of the mixture with three hundred ml of boiling water, leave for fifteen minutes) - take 250 ml twice a day;
- infusion of lingonberry twigs and leaves (pour boiling water over a tablespoon of the mixture, leave for thirty minutes) - take two tablespoons five times a day.
Dangerous and harmful foods for influenza
Prohibited products include alcohol and coffee. It's all about the dehydration effect that is inherent in them.
Sugar in sweet dishes also negatively affects the healing process, reducing the activity of leukocytes, the main fighters against the virus. For this reason, you should not drink juices from sweet fruits. Also, you should exclude: fresh and rye bread, pastries, cakes and baked goods, fatty cabbage soup, broths, soups, borscht, fatty meats (goose, duck, pork, lamb), sausages, canned food.
Despite the fact that we do everything possible to avoid getting sick in the winter, almost every person usually gets even a slight runny nose. During cold and flu season, you need to know a list of foods and drinks that will get you back to work in no time.
Very often during a cold or flu there is absolutely no appetite, but our body needs nutrition to fight viruses and diseases. So what should you eat when you're sick? After all, you need to choose a light, nutritious and healthy food, so that the body receives the maximum amount of useful and nutrients to fight the disease and at the same time spends a minimum amount of energy on digesting food. In addition to the fact that food must be nutritious, it must also be tasty, because during illness you so want to please yourself with little joys.
What to eat when you are sick and why?
During illness, our body needs a lot of calories. Our body works twice as hard to fight infection, especially if you have a fever. For more effective fight With illness, our body spends a lot of energy. Therefore, eating the right food during illness helps you recover twice as fast.
All doctors say that it is necessary to eat properly and regularly, because if we eat little, the body does not have enough calories to repair itself. The latest research shows that when food is reduced, the patient’s health worsens and the duration of illness lengthens.
Of course, during illness there is no appetite or strength to eat anything, but you need to eat in small portions and often. We have decided that we must eat, now we will decide what to eat during illness.
What to eat to recover during illness?
1. Chicken soup
You won't believe it, but in fact, ordinary chicken noodle soup is a wonderful food during illness. Chicken contains an amino acid called cysteine, which helps remove mucus from the lungs. Chicken broth helps keep nasal passages moist, prevents dehydration, and also fights sore throats.
2. Hot tea
Warm liquids help soothe a sore throat, such as freshly brewed green tea, rich in antioxidants that effectively fight infections, maintains a healthy immune system. Or, for example hot water with lemon is an ideal remedy for combating throat disease, and also helps relieve nasal congestion.
3. Citrus fruits
We all know very well that vitamin C is an excellent remedy for fighting diseases. Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C and they reduce the severity and length of diseases. The film between the slices on oranges, lemons, grapefruits and limes contains flavonoids, which boost the immune system and are great for speeding up the fight against disease.
4. Spicy food
Spicy foods will help relieve nasal congestion. In addition, chili pepper, wasabi or horseradish will help kill viruses in the nasopharynx.
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We all more or less know how to treat colds, what medications to take and why you need to stay in bed. But few people think about the fact that eating certain foods during illness is no less important for the healing process. What should be the diet for colds, acute respiratory infections and flu?
Replenishing fluid reserves: what should you drink when you have a cold?
When dealing with colds and flu, it is very important to adhere to a certain drinking regime. Drinking large amounts of fluid during illness is worth it for the following reasons:
- With flu and colds, the temperature often rises, and this, in turn, contributes to increased sweating and therefore provokes dehydration. Lack of fluid negatively affects internal organs and slows down recovery;
- During the acute period of the disease, viruses and bacteria begin to multiply intensively in the body, and their waste products cause intoxication, which is accompanied by headache, chills, a feeling of weakness, and aches throughout the body. Most toxins are eliminated by the kidneys, and therefore you need to stimulate the work of these organs by drinking more fluids;
- healthy drinks are good way easily and quickly get a portion of vitamins that a weakened body so lacks. Liquid products instantly enter the stomach and are well absorbed, and all the necessary substances immediately penetrate into the bloodstream.
A diet for colds and respiratory infections involves drinking 1.5-2 liters of liquid per day, but not every drink can be drunk during illness. The most accessible drink for replenishing moisture in the body is a herbal decoction. It is advisable that there is no sugar in it. It is better to replace the sweet ingredient with honey. Do not forget that honey can only be placed in warm liquid, otherwise the nectar will lose its healing properties. By the way, drinking too hot, which many mistakenly consider useful for sore throat and chills, is generally contraindicated during the period of flu and colds:
- Firstly, it irritates the already inflamed mucous membrane of the larynx.
- Secondly, it can increase the temperature even more.
Therefore, any drink during respiratory diseases can only be consumed warm. You can also add lemon, ginger and various herbs with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects to your drink.
Doctors also advise drinking mineral water with an alkaline composition (for example, Borjomi). This drink is famous for its ability to “wash out” bacteria that have lingered in the body.
In addition, mineral water perfectly quenches thirst, replenishes water balance well and has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
For colds, it is recommended to consume unsweetened berry fruit drinks, for example, cranberry, and herbal infusions with chamomile, linden, mint, and herbal decoctions. The most effective decoction for treating colds is one based on rose hips - it contains a huge amount of ascorbic acid, known for its tonic and antioxidant properties.
Foods that can and should be eaten during illness
Nutrition for flu and colds means one thing: important rule: a sick body needs to be “unloaded” as much as possible so that all the energy is spent not on digesting food, but on fighting the disease. It is for this reason that food for a cold should be light, but balanced, so that there is no deficiency of valuable microelements - a weakened immune system does not need this at all.
So, what foods should you eat when you have a cold?
- Vegetables and fruits are a real storehouse of vitamins. You can eat them either fresh or boiled or baked. But during a period when the body is fighting a fever, it is better to give preference to thermally processed vegetables and fruits: this will reduce the amount of fiber and reduce the load on the digestive organs. Those that are especially useful natural gifts, which have a positive effect on the immune system. These are carrots, pumpkin, beans, beets, asparagus, garlic, onions, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, citrus fruits, apples, melons and watermelons, peaches. But doctors do not advise overusing potatoes: this root vegetable contains a lot of starch, and starch is known for being able to thicken phlegm and mucus, thereby slowing down the elimination of cough and runny nose.
- Food containing plant proteins. Protein nutrition during a cold, it is extremely necessary for the human body, since protein is very important for the work of leukocytes - red blood cells that fight bacteria and viruses. Studies have shown that a person who ate protein foods recovered much faster than someone who neglected such foods. Treatment will be undoubtedly successful if you saturate the body with plant protein - eating chickpeas, lentils, red beans, oat bran and nuts. Regarding the last point, doctors note: you can eat nuts during a cold, but in limited quantities, because they are high-calorie foods.
- Porridge. You need to eat cereal dishes in order to saturate your body with easily digestible carbohydrates. This will allow you to quickly get the necessary energy and achieve a feeling of fullness without overeating. Oatmeal, rice and buckwheat porridges are especially recommended during the development of colds or respiratory infections. The latter, by the way, is another source of protein.
- Healthy spices. We are talking about coriander, cinnamon and ginger. You won’t be able to eat a lot of them, and it’s not necessary. These products are most often consumed in drinks as a tasty, healing additive. Such spices effectively fight the symptoms of colds - fever, runny nose, cough and sore throat.
When you have a cold, you must eat fractionally – 4-5 times a day in small portions. Small amounts of food are digested much easier, and thanks to short breaks, hunger does not occur.
A proper diet during illness includes not only what you can eat when you have a cold, but also foods that should be excluded from your menu at least temporarily.
As mentioned earlier, in case of flu and colds, food should be light and as healthy as possible, so it is logical that you will have to give up heavy dishes. These include fatty, spicy, smoked foods, and any foods prepared by frying. You should not overuse salty foods: salt is retained in the body and increases the load on the kidneys, which are already working in critical mode, removing toxins from the body.
Any semi-finished products are also prohibited, as are products from the fast food category. They complicate the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and the body’s strength will begin to go to restoring digestive functions, and not to fighting viruses and bacteria.
The list of things to exclude from your diet when you have a cold includes all kinds of store-bought sweets. Scientists have proven that sweets negatively affect the functioning of leukocytes - red blood cells that resist pathogenic microorganisms during illness.
A healthy diet for flu and colds may require avoiding certain drinks. Of course, first of all, you need to completely eliminate the use of alcohol: it reduces immunity and impairs the functioning of the liver, which at this moment is busy eliminating intoxication. Coffee and strong tea lead to dehydration of the body, which is completely unacceptable for colds, ARVI and flu.
To quickly cope with a cold, acute respiratory viral infection or flu, it is important not only to adhere to the treatment regimen prescribed by the doctor, but also to follow a certain diet. Proper nutrition for respiratory diseases helps strengthen the body's defenses, improves well-being and speeds up recovery.
