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| Eating to get well | |
| Abhilasha Ojha / New Delhi November 08, 2009, 0:35 IST | |
 Strengthen the immune system with the right foods when down with dengue or swine flu.
With widespread cases of dengue and swine flu being reported, it’s important to look at the diet of a patient suffering from either disease. While it’s obviously best to check with the doctor first, ayurveda experts suggest that the main meal for a patient should consist of rice gruel and boiled vegetables. The main aim of the diet for those suffering with swine flu or dengue should be to increase the blood platelets count.
Experts suggest that oil should be avoided and, in some cases salt intake should be reduced as well. Lemon juice, however, can be used to flavour bland dishes. Additionally, porridge, plain toast (brown bread or multigrain bread, preferably) and biscuits (in limited quantity) can be consumed. Tea should be avoided but if you crave for something hot to drink, then have tea with herbs such as ginger and basil leaves. Camomile tea without milk and sugar is safe.
Surf the Net and you’ll find a plethora of recipes that are supposed to work wonders for dengue patients. Crab soup, say some, works well and helps in raising the blood platelet count. The high protein content in crab helps in increasing the blood platelet count. Those allergic to seafood, however, should avoid such preparations. They could, instead, pop a cod liver oil capsule in addition to the medicines prescribed by the doctor. (Like mentioned earlier, you should follow the diet under your doctor’s supervision.)
Vegetarians could opt for papaya leaf soup along with boiled vegetables. Have a lot of fresh fruits, especially apples which help in improving the overall immune system. While it’s okay to consume citrus fruit juice once in a while, avoid having too much of it as it is acidic in nature.
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