Why should you drink a lot of water when you are sick? What can you drink and eat if you have a cold? Why not water?
It’s a wonderful time - golden autumn, as always, unfortunately, is the beginning of the cold season.
At this time, our body has not yet adapted to the cold season and perceives any temperature changes as stress. And if, after cozy warmth (or even heat), our body suddenly becomes hypothermic, then pathogenic microbes and viruses are right there.
There is no need to treat a cold as something ordinary and frivolous. Don’t believe the common phrase that “if you treat a cold, it will go away in a week, and if you don’t treat it, it will go away in seven days.”
In fact, it's not like that. If you start fighting viruses from the very beginning, they will not have time to multiply with terrifying speed and activity, which will then cause various complications.
Start treating a cold immediately, from the first signs of malaise, weakness, drowsiness, aches throughout the body, when the body itself tells you that not everything is in order. That is, he has already begun to fight the cold, and our task is not to interfere, but to help him, to suppress pathogens.
If you are not late to start treatment on time, a cold can sometimes be overcome in one to three days.
NEED TO DRINK MORE
When you have a cold, be sure to drink LOTS of fluids.
It is necessary to drink a lot of water to “flush” from the body all the toxins and waste generated as the body fights viruses.
Drink more than 2 liters of warm liquid per day.
You can drink a glass every hour or two, or you can regularly drink a few sips, every 10-15 minutes. The drinking regimen depends on the general condition, but it is important that the fluid enters the body regularly.
When you have a cold, you need to drink not only water (although pure living water is the best helper), it is also useful to drink various herbal teas.
Medicinal tea made from chamomile flowers, elderberry, linden blossom, echinacea herbs, thyme, and oregano helps well.
Now in pharmacies there is a large assortment of herbal teas that effectively help to quickly get rid of colds.
This is very convenient - brew yourself a bag like tea and treat yourself. Just note that you need to take herbal infusions not a couple of times until the condition improves, but patiently carry out the course of treatment indicated on the label.
Don't assume that the hotter the tea, the more effective it will be. In fact, too hot tea only irritates and burns. Choose an acceptable and comfortable drink temperature for yourself.
Avoid drinking cold or tepid drinks. Even if you drink plain water, it is advisable to slightly heat it in a water bath.
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is the main antioxidant in the fight against colds, which stimulates and strengthens the immune system, that is, it promotes the growth and reproduction of immune cells that kill viral infection.
Sources of vitamin C (per 100 g of product):
Rosehip – 400-800 mg
Spinach, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers and onions – 500 mg
Red hot pepper, cranberry – 150 mg
Kiwi – 90 mg
Citrus 80 mg
Black currant – 3 mg
If you have a sore throat and pain when swallowing, avoid acidified drinks. Acid, in this case, will irritate the throat and aggravate the inflammation. A sore throat should be gargled with a solution of soda, but not acid.
And you can take vitamin C while your throat is sore, not in a drink, but in coated tablets or capsules.
If you have a runny nose and your throat does not hurt, you can drink drinks acidified with citrus juice: lemon, orange, etc. It is recommended to dilute pure citrus juice in half with boiled (not hot!) water so as not to cause heartburn.
Any berries and fruits: fresh, frozen or candied – are afraid of boiling water. More precisely, vitamin C contained in berries and citrus fruits dies in hot water.
Mash fresh fruits in a cup, pre-defrost frozen ones at room temperature, and simply put candied fruits in a cup and fill with warm water or tea. If necessary, warm the drink slightly until warm.
YOU NEED TO EAT LESS
When a patient has a cold, they often lose their appetite. And this is good.
Now the body does not need to be distracted by digesting food - it devotes all its strength and protective reserves to fighting the virus.
But, I repeat: the body spends a large amount of energy to fight infection, which can only be given by drinking plenty of fluids. Therefore, the main thing in treating a cold should be drinking fluids.
And your appetite will return on its own. The body will tell you, or rather, it will get hungry.
On the first day or two, in addition to drinks, you can drink chicken broth with finely chopped garlic and chopped parsley. This broth acts like medicine.
Onions, garlic, radish, horseradish, mustard, red pepper and other spicy foods kill viruses due to the content of powerful antiviral substances (phytoncides). But they irritate both the inflamed and healthy mucous membranes of the mouth and throat. Therefore, be careful with them and add them only to light vegetable dishes.
To eliminate the irritating effects of these pungent foods, mix them with honey. In this case, the therapeutic effect will only increase.
Inhaling the vapors of onions, garlic and other products containing phytoncides several times a day helps get rid of runny noses and colds.
Refrain from eating meat, fatty and fried foods, as well as smoked meats and marinades.
If you can’t live without meat or fish, then steam, stew or boil them.
It is best to “sit” on fermented milk products during a cold: kefir, live yogurt and cottage cheese.
The fact is that dairy products are saturated with easily digestible protein, which is necessary for the restoration of body cells that are damaged by viruses.
And fermented milk products contain a live culture of bifidobacteria. They restore and normalize the intestinal microflora, kill pathogenic microorganisms and activate metabolic processes, helping to remove waste and toxins.
By the way, the reason the immune system weakens is that the microflora in the intestines is disturbed (dysbacteriosis).
You can add fiber to your diet menu - a ballast substance that helps remove harmful substances. This could be, for example, oatmeal, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and cereals.
You can eat pork, which is a source of zinc, which supports the immune system.
After defeating a cold, do not stop taking vitamin drinks and fermented milk products, but drink them for another two weeks to fully restore your health and strengthen your immune system. At the same time, take a course of multivitamin medications.
Any disease is a serious test for the body. And in order to help your immune system cope with the disease as quickly as possible, you should provide it with appropriate support. To speed up recovery, you actually need very little: follow the doctor’s recommendations, organize proper nutrition and, of course, an appropriate drinking regime. It’s the last point that’s worth talking about in a little more detail. Let's talk on the www.site about the role that drinking plenty of fluids plays in case of fever and illnesses, and you will also find out the benefits of drinking plenty of fluids for a patient from following the correct drinking regime.
Why does a person need to drink plenty of fluids when sick?
Fever is one of the most common symptoms that a person has to face. This disorder is most often observed in infectious lesions, inflammatory processes, viral diseases and other similar diseases. In this case, the body is exposed to intoxication, which is explained by the effect on tissues and organs of various aggressive substances. Such toxic elements are produced by viruses and bacteria.
In any disease, the human immune system attacks viruses or bacteria, as a result of which they are destroyed, and the protective cells also suffer. The breakdown products of such substances have a toxic effect on the body. And to eliminate them as quickly as possible, you need to help the body, first of all, by taking a significant amount of fluid. Proper drinking regimen also has a positive effect on the removal of mucus, which during the period of illness has accumulated inside the organs of the respiratory system, which is typical for sore throat, pneumonia, bronchitis and other similar diseases. For colds and viruses, the liquid also helps reduce body temperature.
What is best to take for fever and illness?
To remove toxins from the body, doctors advise simply drinking more fluids. Plain water is an excellent choice; you should take small sips as often as possible. In order for the liquid to be fully processed by the body and supplied to all organs and tissues, it is best to drink it warm - close to body temperature. In this case, it is most quickly absorbed by the digestive tract.
Also, to remove toxins from the body, you can take other drinks, represented by juices, preferably freshly squeezed, home-made fruit drinks, various herbal teas, etc.
In order to provide your body with a vitamin boost when you are sick, you should not drink pure citrus juices, as they can irritate the mucous membranes, only worsening the patient’s condition during colds, flu, etc. Doctors recommend drinking plenty of water. They are also not against combining citrus juices and water with other juices; you can also add citrus fruits to other drinks, for example, tea (the same lemon). You can also squeeze the juice from half a lemon into a glass of warm water, and also add a spoonful of honey or maple syrup to this drink. Drinking this will help soften the throat, cleanse the blood and mucous membranes, and, of course, remove toxins.
To prepare fruit drinks for diseases and temperatures, you should use black currants, cranberries, rose hips and strawberries.
Ginger tea is also an excellent option for drinking when you are sick. After all, ginger is a recognized antimicrobial agent, whose beneficial qualities have been proven in more than one study. This herbal composition helps remove toxins, restore strength and eliminate inflammatory processes. To prepare a healthy and very tasty tea, you need to brew a tablespoon of crushed ginger root with half a liter of boiling water. Boil this product for a quarter of an hour, then leave for another ten minutes. The strained drink should be sweetened with honey and taken in small sips throughout the day. To enhance the effectiveness of such a drink, you need to add a few cumin seeds to it.
If you have no appetite at all during illness, then you can use broths as a drink. An excellent option would be a broth made from lean chicken meat or regular vegetable broth. Such a drink will saturate the body with the energy it needs, give strength and will not require much energy to digest.
In order to boost the immune system, quickly get rid of high fever and health problems, you can add leaves of medicinal plants - mint, linden blossom or oregano - to regular black or green tea. You should also add honey to this drink.
An infusion based on rose hips would also be an excellent option for drinking during fever and other illnesses. To prepare such a remedy, you need to brew three tablespoons of crushed berries of this plant with half a liter of just boiled water. Leave overnight and then strain. Take half a glass of the prepared drink four times a day, about half an hour before meals. You can add honey or Cahors to this infusion.
Also, to quickly eliminate fever and illness, you can also take compote based on dried fruits, home-made mulled wine, infusions based on echinacea, etc.
As practice shows, taking enough liquid for various types of illnesses helps to quickly cope with unpleasant symptoms and improve your well-being by an order of magnitude.
Ekaterina, www.site
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When they see a status on social networks indicating an acute respiratory viral infection or acute respiratory infection, those around the patient immediately display knowledge in the field of medicine. The algorithm is the same as when watching a football match or political news. The advice can be very different, often absurd, but a record majority recommends drinking more water.
We learned from our expert, category I pharmacist , member of the Hydration For Health association, Olesya Kozmik, whether this advice is harmful or useful.
Definitely, during acute respiratory viral infections or acute respiratory infections you need to drink more water. How long? No more than the prescribed two liters per day, but more than how much you usually drink. A sharp increase in water consumption will only overload the urinary system.
Your goal is to prevent dehydration, since during illness the body loses a lot of water!
What do you need extra water for when you are sick?
Increased sweating
Sweating is the body's function to normalize body temperature and eliminate toxins. During illness, both the temperature and the amount of toxins in the body increase - consequently, sweating also increases.
Increased breathing
A healthy person loses 300 ml of water per day only during breathing. Due to the increase in temperature, breathing becomes more frequent and water loss increases.
Formation of discharge
Getting rid of the infection accumulated on the mucous membranes, the body uses up water reserves, squeezing it out of the muscles, skin and liver if it is not supplied in sufficient quantities.
Increased urination
The body must lose a lot of water through urination. This is the fastest way to remove viruses, bacteria, and toxins.
Humidification of inhaled air
Even healthy people who are forced to spend a lot of time in a heated room with dry air should drink more water.
What can we say about patients whose bodies are working to the limit, trying to get rid of the infection.
You don’t notice it, but the body spends a lot of fluid to humidify the inhaled air!
Ventilate the room in which the patient is lying every two hours!
Insufficient water consumption slows down recovery and increases symptoms!
Reasons for slow recovery due to dehydration
Blood thickening
Due to lack of water in the body, the blood thickens. Thick blood does not tolerate microelements and oxygen well and reproduces antibodies worse, the very immune cells that must overcome a virus or bacteria.
Drying of phlegm
With a lack of fluid, the mucous membranes and secreted mucus (snot and phlegm) located on them dry out. The body cannot remove dried bacteria. Moreover, such an environment is more favorable for the development of bacteria and viruses.
Difficult liver function
The liver is responsible for eliminating toxins. If there is not enough water, its capabilities are limited.
Headache, sudden loss of strength, loss of concentration are symptoms not only of a viral infection, but also of dehydration. So, by limiting your water intake when you are sick, you are doubling your symptoms.
How to drink water when sick?
— Drink slightly warm water. Hot water irritates the already inflamed surface of the throat.
Drink water often, in small sips. Do not drink water in one gulp - this overloads the body's systems.
Brew natural teas, for example, green, chamomile, sage, rosehip. Tea with raspberries increases sweating, which speeds up recovery. But be sure to replenish fluid loss!
Replace food with drink. Do not overload the liver, which is busy cleansing the body. If you don't feel like eating, don't eat. Drink some water.
And remember that medications can only be taken with clean drinking water!
Be healthy!
We have all heard about the mandatory 1.5 - 2 liters of water per day for each of us, but few people know about the 5-6 liters that a person needs to drink when he has a cold. Doctors recommend drinking at least 4 liters of balanced drink per day during cold seasons - this can be berry fruit drinks, juices diluted with water, or simply purified water with lemon. This will increase immunity and protect the body from various types of infections.
Why do you need to drink a lot?
Any cold is an intoxication of the body, so the body needs to be “washed”. Drinking plenty of fluids flushes out toxins and waste from the body that are created as the body fights viruses and infections.
Why fruit drinks and drinks with lemon?
Who doesn’t know the properties of this miracle antioxidant? Ascorbic acid stimulates the immune system, so warm teas with lemon, fruit drinks, compotes, lemon water are an ideal liquid for the autumn-winter period. If you are sick, then pay attention to drinking cranberries and raspberries. The first relieves inflammation, and the second lowers the temperature.
But keep in mind that vitamin C is destroyed at high temperatures, so it is better to fill all drinks with warm water. Frozen berries should also be thawed only at room temperature.
Sour and hot: the whole truth
In fact, a very sour drink is not good, especially if you have a sore throat or a sore throat. Ascorbic acid will only irritate the walls of the throat. Therefore, it is best to drink decoctions, herbal teas, Borjomi and milk. Chicken broth also works well. Very hot drinks are also not an option. They will act the same way as acid - irritating. In addition, the body will spend additional resources to cool the fluid.
The first rule for colds– drink plenty of fluids. But no matter how delicious the tea is, and no matter how healthy the water is, you can’t drink a lot of these drinks.
At the first signs of illness need to take a hot shower. Try to warm up your face, neck, and chest. If your heart allows and there is no high temperature, take a hot bath for 10-15 minutes instead of a shower. It is better to get out of the bath with someone else's help - you may feel dizzy. Then dry yourself and go to bed, wrapped in a blanket, sweat under it for 30-40 minutes. To do this, drink a glass of hot herbal infusion or tea (for example, with raspberries, honey, propolis). By the way, it’s worth adding a herbal infusion to the bath (for example, birch leaf, St. John’s wort, chamomile).
During the day We also advise you to take homeopathic medicines sold in homeopathic pharmacies: lachesis 6 (for sore throat), aconite 6 (at elevated temperatures without pronounced inflammatory phenomena), baptisia 6 (for frequent acute respiratory viral infections with a predominance of watery nasal discharge), mercury solubilis 6 (for ARVI in a child suffering from exudative-catarrhal diathesis), belladonna 6 (with obvious inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose, throat, conjunctiva of the eyes, etc.). If you are not allergic, then eat, slowly dissolving, 1-2 teaspoons of honey. One of the best natural antibiotics is garlic (you can simply eat a slice or spread garlic on a cracker). And at night, place a piece of propolis on your cheek (if the propolis is real, you will feel some burning and slight numbness of the tongue).
Thus, we massively act in three directions at once: we activate protective forces (bath, homeopathy, honey), remove microbes and their toxic waste products (bath, drink plenty of fluids), destroy microbes (garlic, propolis).
If your body temperature rises after a bath, do not lower it under any circumstances. After all, this is why you took a bath: with hyperthermia (high temperature), it is easier for immune bodies to cope with microorganisms. In general, you need to understand once and for all: temperature is a protective reaction of the body, and it should be brought down only in extreme cases, namely:
– if the temperature is above 38.5-39° C;
– if you cannot tolerate even low temperatures;
– if for some reason the body receives little fluid;
– if there is a tendency to convulsions that develop against the background of fever.
For fever (temperature) Lachesis 6 is especially effective (take 3 peas every 2 hours). Do not overuse antipyretic medications. They can be taken for no more than 5 days and should be washed down with plenty of water.
Do not take instant effervescent tablets at night - this contributes to the formation of kidney stones. You can bring down the temperature by rubbing the body with vodka or 3% vinegar, half diluted with water. You can also rub with ordinary water. Undress during the procedure, and do not dress immediately afterwards.
To reduce the temperature, drink tea with raspberries, linden blossom and honey, cranberry and lingonberry juice. Brew an antipyretic drink according to the tea recipe: – 2 tbsp. spoons of dry raspberries or raspberry jam, 4 - coltsfoot, 3 - plantain, 2 - oregano.
If a rash appears on the skin, there is no hope that the disease will go away by morning - you need to call a doctor. The same should be done if individual symptoms of the disease clearly do not correspond to the classic version of ARVI: severe abdominal pain, stool more than 3 times a day, severe headaches, deep cough and chest pain, difficulty swallowing or breathing, nausea or vomiting.
When planning your diet, pay attention to vitamins A, E and C. Drinking a glass of orange juice on an empty stomach - with pulp, without added sugar - will bring great benefits. Chilled tomato juice with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil is good for protecting body cells. Eat slowly, chewing your food thoroughly. Reduce alcohol and coffee consumption to a minimum, try to smoke less. Make sure you get enough sleep. It is known that it is during the deep sleep phase that the hormones responsible for the regeneration of the immune system are provided with new nourishing energy.
