Eating Well when You Don't Feel Well

Even when you are feeling sick it is important to get the right nutrients. It seems it would even be extra important in order to help your body heal faster, whether you just have a case of the flu or even if you are fighting something like cancer. Getting ample amounts of fruits, grains and vegetables, as well as protein, are the keys to eating well when you aren't feeling so well.

A salad is a light meal that can fill up your tummy without making it weighed down. This food will give you the vitamins and antioxidants your body needs to help fight off whatever ails you and it will make sure you are getting all the nutrients your body needs to survive. Try mixing both fruits and vegetables in your salad. Instead of using nutrient lacking iceberg lettuce try baby spinach, romaine or fresh garden greens, which have lots of healthy stuff inside them. Use a fat free dressing, mildly, or a vinaigrette. Chop up an apple or add some raisins. Go all out with tomatoes, carrot shavings and even cucumbers. The more fruits and vegetables the merrier. There is really no "too many" when it comes to these wonderful foods.

One of my favorite snacks when I am feeling nauseous but needing something to eat is a banana. The potassium in bananas helps your stomach calm itself down, it can even work as an anti-spasmodic. If you are feverish try munching on some frozen blueberries. These little guys are packed with antibiotics and can help bring your fever down, and frozen they taste great!

Whole grains will help keep your body regular. A bowl of oatmeal is one of the most tasty bland meals you could ever eat. Just a small amount will fill you up. I like to eat rice a lot when I have the flu. It's bland, it's great for you and it goes down easy. You can add some meat to it to get some protein too, which will help you build your energy back up.

Last, but not least, is protein, which I just briefly mentioned. Protein helps our muscles stay strong and gives us the most energy out of all off our calorie intake. You will want to eat something light, which means no greasy steaks and burgers. Try some chicken. White meats are less fatty so they don't clog up your arteries like red meats do. Just cook up a chicken breast and make some homemade soup with broth, rice and whatever veggies you have laying around (fresh or canned). What a powerful punch against whatever ails you this meal will be!

Source:

Haller, J. What To Eat When You Don't Feel Like Eating.