Dengue Fever: Foods To Eat And Avoid
By Jyoti Pachisia
Dengue is a fever caused due to viral infection which is transmitted via mosquito bite. This may be serious if not diagnosed and treated on time. There are two major things need to keep in consideration while treating against this viral infection:
• The recurrence of dengue and the diet to be maintained
• Timely follow up
Post dengue, the body gets immune to a particular virus and the chances of recurrence become very less, and in case even it reoccurs the chances are to develop extreme symptoms. Hence, to avoid this it is very essential to have a proper diet especially when the person is in the recovery stage. It is important to understand what to eat and what to not eat during dengue.
What To Include In Your Diet To Get Away From Dengue?
1. Water/Coconut Water
It is very essential to keep yourself hydrated. Having water throughout the day is at times difficult so it is always better to incorporate coconut water. Coconut water is loaded with essential minerals and trace elements to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance.
2. Orange
High in vitamin C, this fruit is an antioxidant rich, full of fiber and are good for treating indigestion. Oranges are must fruit to be included in your food list for a better recovery and improve your taste buds.
3. Curd and Buttermilk
Curd is a natural probiotic source which in turn helps to fight viruses and bacterial infection as well as treats indigestion. It can be taken in either form of buttermilk or Lassi.
4. Papaya
This is said to be one of the best home remedies for dengue. One should have the papaya extract in the juice form as it is proven most effective in triggering the platelet count which reduces during the dengue fever. To prepare this extract you just need to crush a couple of papaya leaves and immediately have the extract in one go since it has an undesirable smell and taste.
5. Vegetable Soups
It is always better to include a wholesome vegetable and protein-rich soup in the diet. One whole meal can be prepared in the form of soup by adding differently cooked dal, or vegetable puree. Paneer, tofu or soya chunks can be added to make it protein rich. This one meal will be rich in proteins, energy, fiber and minerals. Soups will help to increase appetite and wholesome.
6. Avoid Oily and Spicy Food
Food should be cooked in minimum oil. It is always advisable to have blanched or boiled food during this recovery as oily food makes the digestion very slow. Spicy food on the other hand should be avoided since it is harsh on the digestive tract. A strict no to all the junk foods!
In addition to various treatments and preventions, a diet plan for dengue plays a very prominent part in the recovery of the patient suffering from Dengue. Patients suffering from dengue need to have a sufficient intake of nutrients and a healthy diet plan to overcome the loss caused by the dengue. One should always prefer a balanced diet but also know what to eat and what not to recover from dengue!
