Dengue and chikungunya got epidemic in Bangladesh. Both of the fevers are the results from aedies virus. Now days, the main symptoms are fever with excessive joint pain, loss of appetite, skin rashes, along with other associated symptoms, at times leading to various health related complicacies. Loss of appetite is very common with fever, which leads to generalized weakness.Balanced diet can help reduce weakness, preserve immunity, and thus help in early recovery from these diseases.
Dengue and chikungunya lead to severe form of joint pain, body ache. For early recovery patients are advised to take vitamin and mineral enriched food and increase fluid intake.
Following dietary issues are important in case of dengue or chikungunya. Coconut water helps in early recovery of chikungunya. It helps in liver detoxification and correction of electrolyte imbalance. So it is advisable to take minimum 2 glasses of coconut water every day. Patient should take lot of fluid to avoid dehydration. Liquids are easily digestible. Vegetable soup, fruit juice, coconut water, soft rice provides necessary calorie, moreover, are good sources of minerals and antioxidants.
Tamanna Chowdhury Head of Dietetics Department Apollo Hospitals
Tamanna Chowdhury Head of Dietetics Department Apollo Hospitals
Vitamin c also plays important role in early recovery from fever; it helps to fight with viruses. It also helps increase appetite. Hard food items, fibre containing food like-cabbage, beet, and cauliflower should be avoided. Fast food, fried food should also be avoided to get rid of indigestion and acidity-dyspepsia.
Pomegranate helps in preserving platelet count in normal range in case of dengue fever. It is also a good source for iron and several needful vitamins.
Spinach has sufficient amount of omega, fatty acid and iron. Boiled spinach in blended form or spinach soup is helpful in both dengue and chikungunya.
Protein containing food is also required in case of dengue and chikungunya, egg, chicken broth, soup will also help recover soon, but less spice application is preferable.
Allergy prone food like beef, shrimp, brinjal should be avoided if rashes is present. Soft, easily digestible food should be taken in small amount in short intervals incase of fever. Chikungunya is associated with joint pain, so thick lentil, red meat and meat gravy should be avoided.
Hot or cold food intake should be avoided too. Soft rice, lentil soup or water, vegetable soup, fruit juice should be taken to maintain nutrition balance. Lemon slice with ginger juice, honey mixed with luke warm water should be taken daily.
It is important to maintain nutrition instead of starving during dengue or chikungunya and provide needful nutrients to body for early recovery, reports internet.
