Feeling Sick? Skip the Soup…

For as long as there have been mothers, there has been the timeless solution to feeling under the weather. Feel sick? Your mother, or someone else’s, will encourage you to have a bowl of soup.

Sure the warm, steamy soup can soothe a sore throat and clear the sinuses, but it is not the only food that packs a punch when you’re feeling poorly. Consider these next time you’re lounging about with a cold or bug.

Power Up with Protein
Protein is one of the most important nutrients when you’re not feeling well. The weaker you feel, the more you need protein. If you’re having trouble keeping food down or simply have no appetite, the less protein you have, the worse you will feel. To get the right amount of protein, fix yourself a shake with protein powder. Or, better yet – have someone else fix it. The cold smoothness will feel good on your throat, and the power of the protein will help you battle through.

Other good sources of protein when you’re not feeling well are nuts and eggs. Nuts are generally tolerated by upset stomachs and eggs are packed with protein. They are also very easy to eat since they require little or no chewing. And, soups can have protein, too. If you’re in the mood for a soup, try something with beans as they have more protein per spoonful than other varieties.

Have Some Calcium
Calcium is important for bone health, especially in women. Calcium is also good at staying put in your stomach and might be soothing if you have abdominal trauma. Yogurt and milk are probably the easiest calcium sources to get down. They are healthy and easy on the throat and stomach.

Take your Vitamins!
We should all try to get vitamins from our foods. However, even on our best day we might not get everything we need. When you’re sick and lying around the house feeling miserable, you’re certainly not going to get the iron and zinc you’d normally consume. So be sure to take your vitamins. A multivitamin every day can help keep you healthy, and at the very least keep your body running optimally until you can get over your bug.

Go Cruciferous
Cruciferous foods include Brussels sprouts, cabbage, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, radishes, broccoli sprouts, and others. They may not be delicious, but they are some of the most powerful foods for building up your immune system. You should shoot to have one every day, but at the very least have something cruciferous every week to keep your supply of antioxidants built up. But, you’re sick so you need some of those antioxidants and immune boosters now.

Don’t Forget Fat!
If you’re sick for more than just a day or two, you might begin to lose weight. You won’t just be losing fat; you’ll also be losing muscle so you need to keep your calories. Fat is a great way to maintain your calories and keep your muscles. Fat also helps your hair and nails, so you may be feeling poorly, but you look great.