With a severe outbreak of dengue fever across several states in India and globally, it is important to take adequate measures to prevent the disease as well as know how to take care of those suffering from the mosquito-borne viral disease.
If you are experiencing symptoms like headaches, nausea, rashes, aches, pains (bone, eyes, joints), you should get yourself tested for dengue. If you are diagnosed with the mosquito-borne viral infection, you should especially take care of your diet and hydration by consuming variety of liquids and easily-digestible and nutritious food.
Geetanjali Bhide, Sports and Fitness Nutritionist, Pune, suggests foods to be consumed for those suffering from dengue as well as immunity-boosters that could help one to prevent the disease.
A person suffering from dengue loses appetite and struggles with a variety of other symptoms. Considering, there is no cure or medicine for dengue as such and the fever usually stays for 3-7 days, it is important to follow an appropriate diet for recovering from the disease and gaining back your strength.
Suffering from dengue? Here’s what you should eat according to Dr. Bhide:
1. Hydration is very important in dengue. The patient needs to include a lot of fruit juices in the diet.
2. It is important to increase your protein intake and one should eat easily digestible foods and divide it into two-three small meals. The easily digestible foods can be daal khichdi, daal-based preparations. Those eating non-veg can be given mutton bone soup or paya soup.
3. Papaya leave juice is very good for recovering from dengue. But the quantity has to restricted to 1-2 spoons everyday, and not more. It shouldn’t be given in excess and it should be of good quality.
4. A dengue patient should consume adequate fluids throughout the day–juices, buttermilk etc has to be incorporated in the diet of the person who’s trying to recover from dengue.
Prevention is better than cure and it’s important to take care of yourself during the dengue season by eating right. Dr Bhide emphasises on having variety of foods instead of one two kind of food; the more colourful the better. From seasonsal fruits and vegetables to dry fruits, here’s what you need to eat if you want to keep the deadly disease at bay.
Boost your immunity during dengue season:
1. Focus on micronutrients: Vitamin A and C intake is very important as it is very good for your immunity. The focus should be on micronutrients.
2. Foods to boost immunity: Papaya, dark green leafy vegetables, pomegranate, guava, aamla etc have excellent immunity-boosting properties.
3. Go for season fruits and vegetables: Eat locally available fresh fruits and vegetgables and don’t go for exotic fruits like dragonfruit and kiwi. Locally available fruits like pears, pomegranate, guava, bananas are good enough to boost immunity. Dry fruits and nuts like almonds, cashew nuts, walnuts and even groundnuts for those who cannot afford are a good option. Fish eaters can add fish to their meals.
4. Variety is the key: Make your diet more colourful to boost your immunity instead of having only one kind of vegetable. Have different colour vegatables like beetroot, carrots, dark green leafy.