Here are the foods to choose when you are sick.
- In the event of illness, it is important to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
- Hydration also allows for better recovery, around one and a half liters per day.
- To protect yourself from winter illnesses, it is best to wash your hands as soon as you touch a surface that may be dirty.
Colds, flu, bronchitis, gastroenteritis… It’s almost winter and the return of diseases due to viruses which circulate strongly during this period. In case of infection, what to eat to boost your immune system and improve healing?
Eat a balanced diet even when your appetite disappears
“When a sick person loses their appetite or thirst, it is usually a sign that their immune system is working at full capacity.”, explains Colleen Tewksbury, registered dietitian and professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, at National Geographic.
However, even when the appetite disappears, you must eat in a healthy and balanced way to help the body recover: vegetables, fruits, proteins and carbohydrates to vary your intake. Note that, preferably, you should vary the fruits and vegetables consumed each day.
Foods to boost the immune system against viruses
If you’re not too hungry, homemade soups can help you get the necessary vegetable intake. These provide you with vitamin C, essential for the immune system. Vitamin D, also important for immune defenses, is present in certain meats and fish.
Another essential point for a good recovery: hydration, by drinking on average one and a half liters of water per day. But, with certain pathologies, this is not easy, because hydration can promote symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea). So, doctors recommend forcing yourself to replace the sick person’s fluids.
“To promote hydration, drink decaffeinated beverages such as herbal teas, water, 100% fruit juice, and other liquids containing low-sugar electrolytes, such as coconut or coconut water. cactus”, says Shea Mills, registered dietitian nutritionist at the Mayo Clinichas National Geographic.
To avoid being contaminated by winter illness, remember to wash your hands as often as possible. During the 2021-2022 season, respecting barrier gestures allowed a reduction in these pathologies, according to Public Health France.
