What to Eat When You're Sick

When you are diagnosed with a chronic illness, or a temporary illness, you should eat properly and maintain a healthy diet. Difficulty in swallowing, nausea, bloating, lack of appetite, and many more symptoms add to the difficulties when you are sick. Eating the right type of food is very important, especially when you have illnesses, to get the complete nutrition for the body.

Here a are few tips that may be of help:

• Having small meals at frequent intervals is helpful when you have a poor appetite. Stock up on foods that you feel comfortable eating when you are ready to have it. Include healthy snack items like dry fruits and yogurt in the stock.
• If you have mouth ulcers or have trouble swallowing the food, try to depend on soft food items. It is better to puree the food like vegetables to make it easier to swallow without chewing. Needless to say, juices and soups are good options at this time. Liquid replacement is recommended to those who have serious problems with swallowing of food. If the problem is dry mouth, activating the saliva by chewing on candies or chewing gums would be helpful.
• If nausea is the issue affecting food habits, avoid having spicy foods and have more of bland foods on plate. Eat smaller amounts and eat them slowly. Try the home remedies for reducing nausea.
• Weakness may prevent you from making food, so it is better to store plenty of prepared food for ready use. Breakfast cereal, yogurt, hardboiled eggs and healthy snacks are all handy at this time.
• Avoid fatty foods if you are having diarrhea. Keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water and other liquids. If you have constipation, include lot of fiber-rich foods in the diet. It may be prunes or whole grain foods, the fiber content will help in reducing constipation.
• Try not have too much of weight loss which may affect you further. Increase the intake of calories by including milkshakes and desserts. Also depend on high-calorie snacks like cheese, nuts and eggs to prevent further weight loss.
• Try having a vitamin and mineral supplement to avoid nutritional gaps. Do talk to your doctor before taking any of the supplements as certain medications may have serious interactions with supplement.