When you are under the weather with the flu you may not feel like eating. But knowing what to eat when you have the flu can make you feel more comfortable and set you on the road to recovery. While food is not a cure for the flu, never underestimate the healing power of food. Certain foods can relieve the symptoms of the flu and help strengthen your immune system.
What to Drink When You Have the Flu
Hot liquids are better than cold ones for opening up the respiratory track. Hot tea with lemon and honey soothes sore throats. Broth-based soups, especially chicken soup, has anti-inflammatory properties and helps reduce respiratory tract infections.
It is essential to stay hydrated when you have the flu. Remember the old saw, “Rest and drink plenty of liquids.” Water is great and orange juice is full of vitamin C. For some people ginger ale is soothing when they don’t feel well. Vegetable juice is packed full of vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. Energy drinks help keep the body’s electrolytes in balance.
If you just can’t eat, a meal replacement drink can give you the nutrients you need to get well.
What to Eat When You Have the Flu
It is always important to eat nutritious meals, but it’s even more so when you have the flu. You need particular nutrients to recover from the flu and regain your strength. Following are some of those nutrients and the foods that provide them.
- Protein-rich foods such as poultry, meat, dairy, beans, nuts, and eggs keep muscles strong and provide vitamins and minerals that strengthen the immune system. Turkey, beans, and non-protein foods like potatoes, spinach, and enriched grains are good sources of vitamin B6. Meat, milk, and fish have vitamin B12. Beans, nuts, meat, chicken, and turkey supply the body with the minerals selenium and zinc. Vitamins B6 and B12 and selenium also help the body produce gluthione (see below).
- Gluthione is another immune system booster. A major anti-oxidant, it is abundant in the red layer just inside the rind of watermelon. Gluthione is also found in cabbage and its relatives–kale, broccoli, cauliflower and collard greens.
- Flavonoids are another class of anti-oxidants that increase the immune function of the body. Citrus fruits—lemons, limes, grapefruit, and oranges—are good source of flavonoids (also called bioflavonoids). Apples, apricots, blueberries, pears, black and pinto beans, tomatoes, parsley, and onions also contain flavonoids. Orange juice, especially juice that has pulp, is also full of vitamin C and folic acid, more immune system boosters.
Some foods just feel good when you have the flu. Frozen fruit popsicles and ice chips soothe the throat and cool parched lips. Jello is easy to get down, especially if your stomach is queasy. Bananas, oatmeal, and toast are easy and convenient foods to support your recovery.
While dairy is a major source of vitamins and minerals and plays an important role in a healthy diet, many people find it increases nasal congestion. If that’s true for you, stay away from dairy products until you are no longer congested.
What is the Flu?
Influenza is the scientific name for the viral infection we call “the flu.” The flu affects all parts of the respiratory system, including the lungs, nose, and throat. The seriousness of the flu ranges from mild to life threatening. Anyone can develop the flu, but young people, seniors, pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, and people with chronic illnesses are at higher risk of the flu and its complications. If you are at high risk of complications from the flu, you risk developing pneumonia, bronchitis, and ear and sinus infections.
Symptoms of the Flu
Sometimes it can be hard to tell the flu from a common cold. When you have the flu the symptoms may be more severe. Plus, flu symptoms come on fast, often taking you by surprise, while the sore throat and runny nose of the common cold usually develop slowly.
When you have the flu you may have some or all of the following common signs and symptoms:
- Aching muscles
- Chills and sweats
- Dry cough
- Fatigue and weakness
- Fever above 100 degrees F
- Headache
- Sinus congestion
- Sore throat
Flu Prevention and Treatment
Knowing what to eat when you have the flu is one key to recovery. As for prevention, the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says: “The single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year.” Different flu shots are given to people of different ages, starting at six months of age.
You can take additional steps to reduce your risk of getting and spreading the flu:
- Avoid crowds during flu season. Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
- If you have the flu stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever returns to normal.
- If you have the flu try to stay away from other people as much as possible.
- Wash your hands frequently by scrubbing vigorously with soap and water for at least 15 seconds. Use alcohol-based hand wash if you do not have access to soap and water.
- Sneeze and cough into a tissue or into your sleeve to avoid contaminating your hands.
- Try to avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
The flu usually goes away by itself without medication. You can speed up your recovery by getting enough rest (more sleep than usual), drinking plenty of liquids, and eating healthy foods such as those discussed in this article.
If you are at risk of complications it is important to consult with your doctor as soon as you develop symptoms of the flu. He or she may prescribe antiviral drugs that need to be taken within 48 hours after symptom arise in order to contain the flu.