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Since most people have little to no appetite when they have flu – you must thoughtfully choose foods with immune benefits
Influenza, also known as the flu, is a respiratory infection that causes symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat, cough, and even fever and body aches. Even though most people recover within a week or ten days, a recurrent infection can weaken your immunity – worsening the situation and causing complications.
However, according to doctors, regardless of how strong your immune system is, following a balanced diet while you have the flu helps support your immunity. Providing your immune system with the nutrients it needs, your recovery from the flu might be better.
Since most people have little to no appetite when they have flu – you must thoughtfully choose foods with immune benefits. A few of these include:
Foods high in vitamin A
Vitamin A helps in the development and growth of immune cells, which get killed by microbes like viruses that cause the flu. And so, it is important to eat foods that are high in this nutrient – with a daily recommendation of 900 micrograms for adults.
According to experts, foods that are rich in vitamin A include milk, peppers, mangos, and cantaloupe. Other important foods that are good sources of vitamin A include:
- Sweet potato
- Spinach
- Carrots
- Herring fish
Foods high in vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps eliminate harmful molecules known as reactive oxygen species or ROS from your body. Some immune cells, like phagocytes, produce ROS to kill microbes and if there is an imbalance - too much ROS – it can severely harm your health.
Vitamin C helps protect your immune cells and keep them healthy. According to doctors, you must take at least 75 milligrams of vitamin C daily. Foods that are rich in this nutrient include:
- Red pepper
- Orange
- Kiwi
- Strawberries
- Broccoli
Foods high in vitamin D
Doctors say vitamin D is among the best nutrients that help strengthen your immune system to fight viruses. It is also helpful in quick recovery from flu. While sitting in the sun can help increase your vitamin D levels, you must take an additional 15 micrograms of the nutrient through your diet daily. Foods rich in vitamin D include:
- Cod liver oil
- Trout
- Salmon
- Milk
- Mushroom
- Eggs
- Fermented foods
- Tempeh
- Kimchi
- Kefir
- Yogurt
- Kombucha
- Miso
Foods with zinc
Experts recommend including foods that are high in zinc in your daily diet as it helps maintain the tissue barrier, which gets attacked by viruses that cause flu. Tissues within the tract have barriers made of cells and mucus to prevent infection.
Adequate zinc in your body also helps maintain the growth, development, and function of immunity cells. Foods rich in zinc include:
- Seafood
- Meats
- Dairy products
- Lentils
Foods loaded with selenium
Selenium is also an antioxidant that strengthens your immune system and fights viral infections like influenza. The daily recommendation for selenium intake is 55 micrograms for adults. Foods that are good in selenium include:
- Brazil nuts
- Seafood
- Meats
What should you avoid when you have the flu?
Doctors say since you need nutrition and nourishment when your body is fighting infections, it is important to leave out and avoid the ones that would do more harm than good. A few of these include:
Fast and highly processed foods
They are poor in nutrients.
High-fat foods
These can upset your digestion.
Caffeine
It can disturb sleep and cause too much dehydration.
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