What Not To Eat When You Have A Fever?

The human body tends to burn more calories when we have a fever; which means, if we don’t eat well when we have fever, our body will lack energy and make us feel weak. It is important to consume nutrient-dense food when we have fever, to strengthen our immune system and help us fight the sickness. However, it is important to avoid certain food in our diet, as it may worsen the condition and delay recovery. Some of these foods that should be avoided during fever are discussed below.

It is advised to avoid red meat, selfish, fish and other meat products in diet during fever as it these products are difficult to digest. The body requires energy to fight the underlying infection, and thus it is not advisable to load the digestive system with food that requires more energy to digest.

Fatty food such as junk food, fried food, oily food that is high in cholesterol should be avoided. This is because, these products take longer time to digest and assimilate creating an overall imbalance in the body. Cold food such as ice creams, ice lollies and cold beverages should be strictly avoided as it can worsen the infection.

It is advised to restrict alcohol intake and also avoid smoking while having fever as alcohol and nicotine can interfere with the natural healing mechanism of the body. Alcohol can also react with other medication that the patient may be on, and can create life threatening complications.

It is best to avoid dairy products (especially unpasteurized dairy products) when the body has high temperature.

Carbonated drinks, soft drinks and soda should be avoided. Caffeine products such as coffee and tea should be restricted as it may interfere with the sleep pattern, which is essential for providing rest to the body.

These foods can interfere with digestion and add extra stress on digestive system. Fibre rich food includes oatmeal, whole wheat bread, whole wheat cereals, raw vegetables etc.

Spicy food and hot food can cause inflammation of the digestive tract and should be limited while having fever. However, some believe spicy food can initiate sweating and thus help in reduction of high temperature.

As the body is already fighting against an underlying infection, chances of acquiring new infection should be minimized. It is important to wash fruits and vegetable well before cooking. Avoid intake of uncooked or under cooked food. Drinking water from questionable sources should not be consumed. Besides this, it is important to wash hands before cooking or before eating. Fruits should be washed in salt water and should be deskinned before eating to limit the intake of germs and pesticides sprayed on them.

Refined food such as noodles should be minimized as they take longer to digest and can add stress to the digestive system.

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• How High is Too High for a Fever & What are the Quickest Ways to Get Down the Fever?
• How Long Does Viral Fever Last in Children and Adults?
• Is Cold Sponging Good for Fever?
• Ways To Reduce Fever