Wondering how you might be able to speed up your recovery after an infection? Here are 10 foods that might help…
Infections can prove to be extremely harmful to the body. In fact, it’s thought that severe cases can even have long-term effects on a person’s cognitive and functional development.
Whether it be from hospital acquired infections, or something brought on by another illness or injury, the body will likely need time to recover. Luckily, certain foods can have a positive impact on this recovery.
In this article, we’ll be exploring the best foods to eat at home when you’re recovering from an infection of any kind. Take a look…
Table of Contents
1. Poultry
According to numerous health sites, like Advanced Tissue, poultry is a great place to start if you’re looking to get better after an illness or infection. This includes foods such as:
- Chicken
- Quail
- Turkey
Any other birds like this are also good; the health benefits of these birds are prominent for a number of reasons. Specifically, they contain iron, which helps your body carry oxygen to the cells. This is ideal, especially after a blood infection where the red and white blood cells have become tainted, helping the blood to clot and heal properly.
What’s more, they also contain zinc, which is ideal for reducing inflammation; perfect for infections. Ultimately, it helps to ensure your body builds a better immune response to any nasty bacteria.
2. Garlic
Garlic is also a known fighter of infection. Even during ancient times, it was touted as an antiseptic, and was even applied directly to wounds in some cultures. But why is it such a powerful ingredient?
For starters, there are certain chemicals within it that reduce the risk of diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s. These include phytochemicals, like saponins, inulin and flavonoids, as well as properties which help with DNA repair!
You can’t go wrong with a bit of garlic.
3. Vitamin C
As a youngster, we all heard time and time again about the importance of vitamin C. Found in all sorts of food, including citrus fruits, broccoli, bell peppers, and strawberries, it’s a great addition to any diet.
This vitamin is ideal for recovering from infections, as it has properties that encourage cell recovery after an illness. Additionally, the vitamin is water-soluble, meaning it helps white blood cells in attacking and destroying pathogens.
4. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens, like spinach, swiss chard and kale, are also a brilliant source of vitamin C, amongst other things. On top of this, they’re also high in antioxidants, like beta-carotene, resveratrol, and rutin, which is great for fighting disease. Not to mention they’re also full of the phytochemicals we talked about before.
Although they may not be the most appetising, they sure are good for you. Mixed with all sorts of dishes, like smoothies, curries, and stews, you can’t beat them.
5. Probiotics
Infections may cause digestive issues, including bloating, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Similarly, so can the antibiotics you’re often prescribed for fighting infection.
This is why getting your immune system back on track is paramount. After all, all of this means your healthy bacteria has been overtaken by the nastier stuff.
One way to sort this is to introduce healthy bacteria back into your digestive system through probiotics. Probiotics can be found in foods like yoghurts and probiotic drinks. Considering 80 percent of our immune cells can be found in our gut, it seems only right to start at the source.
6. Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids, which can predominantly be found in green vegetables and fish, is also perfect post-infection. Starting with foods like salmon, herring and sardines will give you the boost of this ideal ingredient we all need.
7. Dark Chocolate
A surprising one for those sugar lovers out there is dark chocolate. Okay, it’s not necessarily the chocolate itself, but what’s in it; magnesium.
Some other great sources of magnesium worth adding to your diet include avocado, brown rice, and pumpkin seeds. It’s another great ingredient to help ward off harmful bacteria. Certainly the perfect addition to your diet after a nasty infection.
8. Chilli Peppers
Another perhaps surprising addition to this list is chilli. This is because it contains capsaicin, which is an anti-inflammatory. This means it’s the perfect choice for reducing any inflamed areas of the body post-infection.
9. Ginger
Another ingredient to add to the anti-inflammatory family is ginger. It sounds to me like we have the makings of a curry on our hands…
10. Water
The scary thing about many illnesses and infections is that they can make consuming water, and staying hydrated, a little tricky. This is especially the case if the infection causes stomach issues, making it hard to keep down food and water. This is why, on the road to recovery, staying hydrated is paramount.
It’s not just water that can help with this, but also herbal teas, which provide even more benefits. For example, dandelion tea is supposedly a great way to flush toxins out of the system. Additionally, chamomile is a great once due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Treat Your Body Kindly and It’ll Do the Same for You
The truth is that a healthy and balanced diet can work wonders for your overall health. By incorporating these healthy products in your everyday lives, you may find that your immune system becomes stronger by the day!
The list doesn’t end there, and there are plenty of other brilliant ingredients to consume daily to help ward off infection. We hope your post-infection recovery goes smoothly, and wish you luck for your future health.
Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for advice from a trained medical professional. Be sure to consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you’re seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.
Images:
- Hayley Ryczek, https://unsplash.com/photos/HQ22vVXhWcc
- Ronan Furuta, https://unsplash.com/photos/UeIgm1JZJ_8
- Bluewater Sweden, https://unsplash.com/photos/4Kd3svPFuEI
