When wintertime brings colds and fevers, we must make every effort to take care of ourselves and make a speedy recovery. Sicknesses need to run their course, but there are things we can do to stay comfortable and well-nourished.
- Get Plenty of Rest
- Drink lots of Fluids
- Maintain Good Nutrition
The old saying “Feed a cold, starve a fever” is based on previous thinking that fasting would help keep your body temperature down. Although this is true to some degree, the saying can be better thought of as “Feed a cold, feed a fever,” as consuming calories is essential, whether you have a cold or a fever.
When you have a cold, eating helps your body generate heat, just as wearing an extra layer of clothes or having a warm blanket does. When you have a fever, your body’s elevated temperature increases your metabolism, thereby increasing your energy demand. Fever also dehydrates your body through increased sweating from elevated body temperature. Staying hydrated is critical for getting better, as it also helps keep mucus moving, and mucus is one of our best natural defenses!
Proper nutrition, while we are sick, can be achieved by eating small amounts of food and drinking plenty of liquids. You can offer favorite foods, but serve smaller portions, as smaller meals are easier to digest. Loss of appetite is common as your body is focusing on getting better. Although you must stay hydrated, you do not want to force yourself to eat if you do not feel hungry.
Focus on eating easy-to-digest foods and fluids:
- Simple foods such as rice, pasta, noodles, bananas, applesauce, or toast.
- Avoid fatty, fried, or greasy foods.
- Include lots of fruit for proper nutrition and hydration. Include Vitamin C-rich fruits such as lemons, kiwis, oranges, grapefruit, and berries. Try thawing frozen berries to offer a cooling sensation for the throat!
- Fluids such as water, diluted fruit juice, soup, broth, and herbal tea. Tea with honey and lemon is always the right choice!
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as they can worsen dehydration.
What about Chicken Soup?
Chicken soup does not contain any magic ingredients, but it does have calories and the all-important liquid. The warm vapor rising from the bowl can also moisten and loosen dried mucus.
Prioritizing proper nutrition and hydration is a critical element in combating winter sicknesses. It is also essential to keep ourselves clean and comfortable with access to fresh air and light. Love and attention will also help the recovery process!
