When the flu gets worse at the dinner table
There's little as frustrating as curling up on the sofa in a nest of used blankets and handkerchiefs, knowing there's nothing you can do to mitigate your misery - or is it there? Relief can come from an unexpected angle. Oddly, some foods can make flu symptoms worse without you noticing. Your beloved macaroni and cheese may have betrayed you in time of need.
"The flu often makes eating food difficult as flu symptoms can cause nausea or gastrointestinal symptoms," Kacie Vavrek RDLD, a dietitian at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center tells Bustle. craving to eat and [gastrointestinal] symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea can be triggered if food is eaten too soon. "
The old adage "feed a cold, starve a fever" doesn't hold up in modern medical thinking. According to Scientific American , the idea in the past was that eating will warm you during a "cold", while fasting cools a fever. Eating nutrient-rich foods, however, is beneficial no matter what type of illness you have. In fact, it is particularly important when you have a fever.
But not all food is that useful. When you have the flu, you may want to stick to a steady diet of ice cream, toast, and chocolate milk, but comfort foods won't necessarily help you get better. In fact, as Vavrek tells Bustle, you probably should. avoid i your favorite comfort foods, "as you may develop a dislike for these foods if you consume them when you are nauseous." The more you know.
Fortunately, there is also good news: thanks to the use of masks, in the winter of 2020-21 the flu did not arrive in Italy.
Colds or sore throats can also be caused by breathing microbes on the sheets, which should therefore be changed often.
Foods to avoid
- Difficult to digest cereals. The flu occasionally causes stomach upset, leading to nausea and diarrhea, so bland foods such as pasta and plain rice tend to prevail. This is a good idea, but only apparently due to the lack of seasoning, but it can prove antagonistic and worsen flu symptoms. Opt for foods that are easy to digest like simple carbohydrates like dry salted crackers, toast, which are easy on the stomach, and are more likely to be tolerated when you have the flu. High-fiber foods are also harder to digest.
- Sweetened drinks. A vitamin C-rich fruit juice or an electrolyte-rich sports drink may seem like the best drinks in case of flu, but in reality they are not particularly beneficial from a nutritional point of view. Often these drinks are rich in added sugars and do not bring minerals and vitamins contained in fruit, present in low percentages. It is always useful to carefully read the labels affixed to drinks and juices. Even better, squeeze and centrifuge fresh fruit and vegetables to fill up on nutrients, antioxidants and vitamin C, which play an essential role in strengthening the immune system.
- Beverages containing caffeine. Between the high temperature and increased sweating, dehydration is something to watch out for when you have a fever. Avoid diuretics such as caffeinated coffee, which can contribute to dehydration.
- Alcohol. Alcohol is a diuretic just like caffeine that can cause dehydration from the flu. Dehydration can dry out the mucus in your throat, nose and mouth. In turn, this can make coughing difficult and painful. if you suffer from the flu is to drink lots of liquids, even in the form of soup, an excellent food from a nutritional point of view as it is rehydrating, comforting and easy to digest, as well as rich in minerals and vitamins.
- Supplements. Some supplements such as echinacea, zinc and probiotics can help strengthen the immune system and stimulate digestion. A study published in mBio in 2020 found that the flu can have a impact on your gut biome, and it is therefore helpful to keep it healthy with probiotics.
- Fatty foods. Food rich in fat is difficult for digestion and should be avoided to avoid worsening flu symptoms. Fried, fatty and oily foods hinder the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal system.
- Dairy product. Dairy products, including milk, yogurt, and cheeses, may not prolong colds but promote the production of mucus, phlegm and irritate the throat and bronchi more.
- Meat. Not eating meat during the flu or cold could shorten healing themes. Animal fats hinder the body's ability to rid itself of the germs and viruses that cause colds and flu.
Foods that improve flu symptoms.
On the other hand, there are foods, whose intake is strongly indicated during flu constipation, because they are able to reduce the symptoms.
citrus fruits, garlic, onions, lettuce, ginger, spinach, honey, pineapple, mango, fresh juices, fruit and vegetable juices, soups and broths, vegetable broth, broccoli, cabbage, berries, black pepper, cinnamon.
