“Feed a cold, starve a fever” is an adage that has been traced all the way back to a 1574 dictionary. But just because it’s been a common adage for centuries, doesn’t mean it’s correct. In fact, there are volumes of research that prove you should be feeding a cold and feeding a fever. Below I’ll explain why it’s so important to eat when you are sick and provide you with dietary guidelines that will help you fight the coronavirus as well as all other types of infectious diseases.
Why You Need to Feed a Flu
The reasoning behind the adage: “Feed a cold, starve a fever” was that eating food helps the body generate warmth, which is needed during a cold. With the flu, however, there is a fever and heat already happening in the body, so avoiding food was thought to be helpful as a way to avoid ‘overheating’. This is faulty logic though because the fever is an important immune system defense mechanism that helps the body fight off bugs; it’s not a function you want to suppress unless it reaches dangerously high levels of 104 or higher, in which case massive hydration provided by a nutritional IV can be life-saving.
You also need nutrients and energy to fight off infections, and starving yourself deprives your body of both. In fact, the greater the fever, the more important it is that you eat because your energy demands increase with every degree your temperature rises. Another reason eating is essential when you have a fever is that if you don’t, triglycerides from your body fat may be released. This is problematic because higher fat levels in the blood will make your insulin inefficient, and hinder its ability to push energy into the cells for a stronger immune system.
The Best Diet for the Coronavirus, Cold and Flu
While recovering from an illness the two most important things you can do are to get enough rest and to eat properly. Although fasting while sick is not advised, I do recommend you cut-out certain foods. For starters, you should eliminate all animal products because they increase inflammation and dehydrate you. Meat and dairy are also loaded with disease-causing microbes (salmonella, e. Coli, viral load etc.), as well as antibiotics that diminish your healthy bacteria, and toxins that suppress your immune system. You should also cut out sugar, processed foods, and all oils and foods that contain oil – these foods are void of nutrients, they increase inflammation and they suppress your immune system.
We must have sufficient glucose from whole plant-based foods to fuel the red blood cells, white blood cells and maintain higher oxygen levels. Eat more easy to digest plant foods that are rich in antioxidants, nitrates (beets) and water content. Make sure to include a lot of fruit – the more you consume the more hydrated you will be and hydration supports the fever in doing its job of killing off harmful microbes.
I recommend you consume vegetable-based soups as opposed to chicken soup. There is nothing particularly healthy about chicken soup, it’s only beneficial because it provides energy and hydration and the warm vapor moistens dried mucus. Vegetable soup will provide the same benefits plus additional nutrients.
Citrus and fresh chilis are particularly beneficial, as they are concentrated sources of vitamin C, and chilis have the added benefit of improving blood flow, stimulating mucus membranes, and fighting infections. Make sure you get plenty of fiber as well, as this will help stimulate the colon and the release of toxins.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
It is critical that you drink lots of fluids, even beyond what you think you should consume. This is important because fever dehydrates you, and dehydration makes the mucus in your nose, throat, and lungs dry up, which in-turn clogs sinuses and respiratory tubes. Plus your body needs fluids to fight the infection and flush-out toxins; and staying hydrated helps keep the mucus running, which is one of our natural defenses. The best liquids to consume while sick are fresh, filtered water, herbal teas, soups, and cold-pressed juices. Avoid alcohol, and caffeinated and sugar-containing beverages because they hamper immunity, hinder sleep and dehydrate you.
Considerations
Most people lose their appetites when their bodies are fighting an infection. If you are finding it difficult to eat, consume fresh juices without any additives; they help supply essential nutrients and energy in condensed form. Also, take a scoop of Slim Blend Pro combined with Beet Vitality in the morning and evening. Slim Blend Pro is a delicious and sugar-free 5-in-1 organic superfood powder, that will support your immune system and help you meet your energy, fiber, protein, and micronutrient requirements. Beet Vitality contains nitric oxide, vitamin C and several bioavailable ingredients that get rapidly absorbed and utilized by your body and support your immune system in doing its job.
For more information on the best diet for fighting the coronavirus, the cold and the flu, as well as for losing weight, watch below
