Why do you need to drink a lot of fluids when you are sick? Expert opinion: Why drink water when you are sick? What is best to take for fever and illness?
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!
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.
In order for a sick person to recover quickly, he needs not only to start taking medications, but also to change his diet. You should give up some familiar foods.
This is indeed a very effective way to fight infection and colds. If you do not adhere to proper nutrition, the condition may worsen, and recovery will not come so quickly.
Let's talk about what you can drink and eat when you have a cold, ARVI, or flu.
What's best to drink when you have a cold?
It is better not to consume hot food and drinks if you have a virus or a cold. High temperature irritates the mucous membranes of the mouth and pharynx, sensitivity increases during illness, and the risk of getting burned will be maximum.
If when you are healthy you drink hot tea without consequences, then when you are sick you can definitely burn your throat. Therefore, if you are sick, try to drink only warm drinks.
We are all sure that warm milk with honey is the best healing drink. But when we add honey, it loses its healing properties, because at high temperatures all the beneficial substances evaporate. It is not recommended to put honey in hot milk, herbs, or decoctions. It is correct to first eat a couple of spoons of honey, and then drink milk or tea.
What should you drink when you have a cold?
If you get sick, start drinking a lot right away to:
- rinse the mucous membrane of the pharynx from various bacteria and viruses;
- flush out toxins formed in the blood during infection;
- sputum separated and recovery accelerated.
You need to drink 3 liters of liquid per day. The best option is plain water, to which you can add a little lemon or orange juice. The water should be warm.
Dried fruit drink.
100 grams of any dried fruits, these can be apples, pears, raisins, dried apricots, prunes. Wash, cut, boil. But keep in mind that apples and pears are boiled for half an hour, and raisins, prunes, dried apricots - 5 minutes. This drink has a softening and restorative effect.
A medicinal drink with ginger, which has a warming and antiseptic effect.
Grate the peeled root on a fine grater, we need a teaspoon, grind with a slice of lemon, put a few mint leaves in a cup and brew. To increase the effect, add more ginger and add spices - cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, cardamom and cloves.
The following tea has anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic and antipyretic properties. Brew weak black tea. Let it sit to cool. Grind a tablespoon of linden blossom a little, add boiling water and leave for 5 minutes. Mash the raspberries and squeeze out the juice. Mix: raspberry juice, linden infusion, tea, bring to a boil. Pour into cups and add a slice of lemon.
What to drink and eat for colds, ARVI, flu?
Follow simple rules for eating during illness.
- You need to increase the amount of vegetables and fruits in your diet, as they contain many antioxidants and phytoncides that fight bacteria and viruses.
- You should eat eggs every day; they contain zinc, which helps speed up recovery.
- The menu should include low-fat protein foods that will help restore strength.
- It is better to prepare dishes with purees that are shaped, soft, they are easier and faster to digest.
- When you have a cold, you don’t need to load yourself up with heavy, fatty meats and fast food. For ARVI, colds and flu, you need to eat recommended foods, reducing your usual portions.
Most of us, when we get sick, immediately start eating lemons, but they contain a lot of acid; with constant consumption, a favorable environment is created for bacteria and viruses.
It is better to replace lemons with tangerines, but no more than 5 per day. If you decide to eat lemon, it is better to squeeze its juice and add it to tea. When eating citrus fruits, drink alkaline mineral water to reduce acidity.
Chicken soup is the most popular dish recommended for colds. It reduces the blood concentrations of cells responsible for inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx. But the broth should be eaten warm, without hot seasonings, in small portions 5 times a day.
How to properly cook chicken broth?
The chicken needs to be washed, skin and fat removed, filled with water and allowed to boil. Then drain the water, rinse the chicken and the pan again. Add water again and let it boil, skimming off the foam. Throw in the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, dill. Cook over low heat for about two hours. Then remove everything from the soup and strain the broth.
Conclusion: what to drink and eat when you have a cold should still be decided by your body, you don’t need to force yourself, try to avoid fatty foods during illness, eat easily digestible foods, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, help your body cope with the disease.
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.
