POPSUGAR

What to Eat After a Bout of the Flu

Jan 16 2014 - 3:08am

When you're in the grips of a bad bug, it's hard to have any appetite whatsoever. But once you're feeling better, you shouldn't revert right back into your regular eating habits. What you eat in the days following sickness can help you heal and bring your whole body back up to speed faster.

Love those liquids: When you're sick, filling up on fluids is one of the best ways to heal quickly, and it's just as important to stay hydrated once you're feeling better. Continue to sip on water all day, drink soothing cups of caffeine-free tea like peppermint or chamomile, and load up healing clear broths from miso or chicken noodle soup.

Keep it bland: You might feel ready to reintroduce spicy foods into your diet after you've had no appetite, but do your best to steer clear. Wait until you're truly feeling 100 percent to reintroduce anything overly spicy into your meals. Your stomach will thank you.

Pump up with probiotics: If you're been on antibiotics, all the flora in your digestive system (both bad and good) has been wiped out. Enjoy some plain Greek yogurt if dairy isn't too hard on your belly, or start taking a supplement.

Be a BRAT: If you dealt with a straight-up stomach bug or food-poisoning scare, the old acronym BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) still holds true for adults and children. These foods are some of your best bets to refuel without any uncomfortable digestion woes, since they're low in fiber and fat [1].

Once you're feeling back up to speed, be sure to introduce these healthy immune-system-boosting habits [2] into your life so you don't have to battle another bug anytime soon.


Source URL
https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/What-Eat-After-Youre-Sick-33519618