What to eat during Fever?

Fever is a common term which most of the people is aware of. Each one of us has got fever at least once in a lifetime. It is actually an elevation of body temperature above the normal which may occur due to internal problems like antigen-antibody reaction or external problems like viral, fungal or bacterial infections.

Fever can be for short duration like in case of cold, flu, influenza, typhoid, etc. It can also be chronic like in case of tuberculosis. Fever in case of malaria is an intermittent one which means it peaks and subsides, resulting in the occurrence of fever at one time and recovery in the other. According to University of Maryland Medical Centre, the most common causes of fever include respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, bacterial and viral gastroenteritis, severe infections like Tuberculosis, skin or bone infections, appendicitis, pneumonia, etc.  

Whatever may be the case there are certain changes in the body which increases the metabolic rate of the body during fever which leads to increased perspiration, restlessness, weight loss, weakness, etc. Now, this makes good diet really an important factor along with medicine and rest in the speedy recovery from fever and its effects.

There are certain myths that during fever certain foods like rice, ice-creams, fruit juices should not be taken or since you don’t feel like eating, you can have spicy, fried or junk food. But the reality is different. For the speedy recovery from the effects of fever, along with medicines you need to follow the 10 following points:

1. Drink lots of water. It will cool down the body temperature and flush out the toxins.
2. Take lots of fluids such as fruit juices, coconut water, lime water, glucose water, electrolyte drinks etc. They will keep your body cool and provide you with vitamins and minerals needed to boost up the immune system. Electrolyte drinks will maintain the electrolyte balance in the body which is lost due to excessive perspiration, urination or when fever is accompanied with diarrhoea.
3. Never go for raw foods as they take time to get digested. Eat boiled or cooked foods like soups, porridge, khichdi, etc so that your organs don’t have to work hard. Do not take canned vegetables or fruits. Go for fresh whole fruits or fresh fruit juices.
4. During high fever patient should be given fluids at an interval of 2 hrs. When the fever subsides, patient can be given soft diet like yoghurt, porridge, soups, khichdi, etc.
5. Fish, chicken, oat meals, eggs, banana, etc. increase white blood cell production which fights against infections in the body.
6. Fermented foods like yoghurt, idli, buttermilk, soy products, etc. will provide you with beneficial bacteria which help the body to fight against infections and diseases.
7. Ice-creams and cold yoghurt can give soothing effect on sore throat whereas in case of pneumonia go for hot boiled milk, hot soups or khichdi.
8. Do not take sugar or honey instead take glucose. Blood will absorb glucose more easily than sugar.  This will get you instant energy.
9. The taste buds get coated during fever so keep cleaning your tongue. To activate them you can try out eating cooked bitter gourd (karela) or lemon cut into halves and roasted with little salt on each halves.
10. Do not take alcohol, tobacco, cigarettes, coffee, carbonated beverages, sea food, red meat, spicy or fatty foods, etc. during fever.

• Nicotine of tobacco and caffeine of coffee and carbonated beverages decrease the immunity power of the body.
• Sea food and red meat have high amount of cholesterol.
•  Fatty foods take long time to get digested.
• Spicy food can irritate your weak organs and disturb the bowel movement.

Now this time office goers, students or mothers of young children won’t have to worry about their health. By following the above 10 points you can surely cope up soon with fever and its effects without further deteriorating your health.