Eat your way out of 'under the weather'

New Delhi [India], Aug 30 (ANI): Since the weather is all over the place, the roller-coaster temperatures can actually leave you with a heavy head, aching joints and itchy throat. But it turns out, all you have to do is eat right to fight off the bug that has broken through your defenses.

Dr Anil Chaturvedi, senior consultant (lifestyle diseases and preventive health) at the PSRI Hospital in New Delhi, told ANI, "The weather is changing a lot and affecting everybody's health. There is at least one patient in every house who is down with viral fever. Apart from talking medicines, we should also keep a check on what we are eating when we are in fever."

Dr Chaturvedi has listed down the foods that you should avoid when you are feeling under the weather:

1. Coffee, tea and alcohol should be avoided because at the time of fever, the increased temperature of the body can lead to dehydration and caffeine and alcohol can lead to further dehydration. It is suggested to drink a lot of water to keep the body well hydrated.

2. Avoid drinking unpasteurized milk or milk products because the bacteria in raw milk can be dangerous to the people with weakened immune systems.

3. Avoid eating red meat and fish as they are high in cholesterol and are not easy to digest.

4. Snacks and fried foods should be avoided during fever. The foods those are high in fats produce inflammation and inflammation produces a less active immune system.

5. Avoid drinking packed juices as they are loaded with extra sugar that can reduce the ability of white blood cells to fight illness. One should have fresh juice.

He further pointed out which foods are best to ingest if you are already feeling unwell:

1. One must take a soft diet, which includes steamed vegetables, porridge, boiled eggs and yoghurt. Such foods are easy to digest and supply the body with energy required for recovery.

2. One should go for a fruit diet that includes oranges, apples, grapes, lemons, pineapples and so on.

3. The patient should take a lot of juices. One must add garlic to the fluids that he is taking as it contains a high percentage of antioxidants boost the body's immune system.

4. When a person is in fever, he should eat rice porridge with ginger and vegetable broth. This food is very simple to digest and has healing properties.

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