The Healthy Foodie: What to Eat When You're Sick
Source: By DOUG DIPASQUALE
Posted: 01/15/08 1:04PM
Filed Under: Food
So, here we are right at the peak of cold season, and while the yo-yoing weather has me wondering what is going on with this planet, it seems there are other more immediate concerns to address. As such, I've received a few questions about what to eat when you have a cold. "Is it feed a fever and starve a cold or the other way around?" The truth is, it's neither.
The old adage may have been misinterpreted over the past couple of generations. The original saying likely went: "IF you feed a cold, you'll HAVE TO starve a fever later." What is implied is that if you continue to eat as you normally do when you have a cold your body will need to develop a fever to halt the virus' progress. Digestion requires a great deal of energy so eating regularly during a cold means you will lack the energy needed to fight off the virus.
But this doesn't mean you need to stop all intake of nutrients. On the contrary, nutrients are vitally necessary for the body to get the energy it requires while it's under attack. Rather, it means you need to avoid the normal intake of solid foods and opt for more liquids. Broths, juices and teas are great for colds.
Overall, grandma was right about the chicken soup. And I'm not talking about the powdery MSG filled, florescent yellow stuff you get out of a package, I'm talking about a real chicken stock. As well as containing high levels of the amino acid cysteine, which helps to break up and liquify mucous in the respiratory tract, chicken stock is rich in gelatin which helps strengthen the immune system by acting as a protein sparer to complete other proteins. The onion, garlic and other vegetables used to make the stock also provide cold fighting action in the form of vitamins, minerals and, in the case of garlic and onion, anti-viral oils.
But while loading up on those liquids there are a few things you should avoid. The first are dairy products. Dairy products are mucous forming foods that will have the opposite effect of what is desired. Number two - avoid sugar in any form, including those found in sweetened fruit juices. Sugar lowers the effectiveness of the immune system which is the last thing you want when fighting off a cold (funny then, that over-the-counter cough syrups are almost entirely made of sugar...). Take it easy on the fruit juice in general, even the unsweetened variety, as their natural sugar content can have this same detrimental effect. Vegetable juices are a much better idea, providing all the vitamins and minerals of a fruit juice with less sugar. Herbal teas are also very advantageous, especially ginger, thyme or licorice.
While these broths, juices and teas will provide enough nutrients to keep you going through your cold, some people just don't do well on fasts. This being said, there are definitely some light, easily digested foods you can have that will nourish your body.
Try to eat light simple foods like brown rice and vegetables. Avoid heavy proteins like meats in favour of lighter ones like eggs (hold the cheese) or legumes. And most of all, cut the portion size. You want to save most of your energy for cold-fighting, not digesting the massive, belt-loosening lump in your stomach.
Another piece of advice - colds are viruses, not bacteria. Therefore antibiotics aren't going to fight them and antibacterial soap isn't going to prevent them (plenty of rest, exercise, positive outlook and healthy eating are the only preventatives you should need).
I hope this helps alleviate some of the suffering and gets you on a quick road to recovery this winter. Who knows, if we all take some of this advice we may not need to call it "cold season" anymore.
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