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Food probably isnt the first thing on your psyche when youre duelling the influenza or a stomach bug.
But you have to fuel the tank eventually, and what you choose to do so topics: Some foods and sips out there can make you feel as bad.( The Mens Health Better Man Project can provide even more tips-off on how to live your healthiest life .)
Here, 9 foods and beverages you should avoid when youre sick so you can feel better faster.
# 1. FOOD TO AVOID WHEN YOURE SICK: COFFEE
When you are able to hop-skip it: You have any type of illness, but specially a stomach bug.
Why it induces you feel worse : The caffeine in coffee is a diuretic, in order to be allowed to make you pee a lot and leave you dehydrated.
Related: 11 Reasons to Have a Cup Of Coffee Right Now
Thats bad news when youre duelling a virus or other infection, since getting enough hydration helps your immune system fight more effectively, says Kristine Arthur, M.D ., an internist at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
Caffeine is even worse when youre dealing with vomiting or diarrhea, since both can cause you to lose liquid. Taking in extra caffeine on top of that will simply make that dehydration worse.
Plus, caffeine can actually induce the muscles in your digestive tract and make your diarrhea more intense, Dr. Arthur says.
# 2. FOOD TO AVOID WHEN YOURE SICK: ORANGE JUICE
When you are able to hop-skip it : You have a cough or sore throat.
Why it induces you feel worse : Orange juices tart acidity is usually refreshing. But when you have a coughing or cold, it can hurt your throat.
It contains citric acid, which bothers the lining of your already-inflamed throat, says Taz Bhatia, M.D ., professor of integrative medication at Emory University and writer of What Doctors Eat .
That means your throat will hurt more and take longer to heal.
# 3. FOOD TO AVOID WHEN YOURE SICK: SWEETS
When you are able to hop-skip it : You have any type of illness, but specially a stomach bug.
Why it induces you feel worse : Eating refined sugar can temporarily repress your white blood cell ability to fight off bacteria, says Dr. Arthur.
For a few hours after snacking on cookies, candy, or sugary cereal, your immune system is weaker.
As a make, its less efficient at opposing off the germs that are inducing you sick.
Refined sugar poses even more of a number of problems when youre dealing with a stomach bug.
Sugar tends to pull fluid out of the GI tract, which can lead to loose, watery stools and diarrhea, Dr. Arthur says.
# 4. FOOD TO AVOID WHEN YOURE SICK: SODA
When to hop-skip it : You have any type of illness, but specially a stomach bug.
Why it induces you feel worse : Like coffee, caffeinated sodas are dehydrating.
And theyre loaded with sugar that suppresses your immune system and messes with your GI tract, says Dr. Arthur.
If water simply isnt appealing, try a lower-sugar drinking with rehydrating electrolyteslike a sports booze or coconut water, says Dr. Arthur.
Diet soda is off-limits, too.
Many artificial sweeteners are large molecules, which cant broken up and digested well, Dr. Arthur says. That can cause bloating, cramping, and even diarrhea.
Related : Can You Truly Lose Weightand Keep It OffUsing Sugar Substitutes ?
In other words, it simply makes whatever stomach symptoms youre already experiencing even worse.
# 5. FOOD TO AVOID WHEN YOURE SICK: CRUNCHY SNACKS
When to hop-skip them : You have a cough or sore throat.
Why they make you feel worse : The abrasive texture of snacks like potato chips, granola, or even crispy toast will feel like sandpaper on your raw throat, Dr. Bhatia says.
Related : Why You Cant Say No To Salty Snacks When Youre Stressed
And it doesnt simply feel lousy: The more you vex your throat, the longer itll take to mend, too. So you might end up actually prolonging your misery.
# 6. FOOD TO AVOID WHEN YOURE SICK: ALCOHOL
When to hop-skip it : You have any type of illness, but specially a stomach bug.
Why it induces you feel worse : Alcohol, like coffee, is a diuretic that they are able worsen illness-related dehydration, Dr. Arthur says.
And since youre probably already dehydrated to begin with, your blood alcohol content will rise faster. So the liquor will reach you harder than usual.
Related : 6 Surprising Things That Get You Drunker, Quicker
Alcohol can also speed up digestion, making watery stool or diarrhea, Dr. Arthur says.
# 7. FOOD TO AVOID WHEN YOURE SICK: MILK
When to hop-skip it : You have stuffiness and congestion.
Why it induces you feel worse : You might have heard that you should avoid dairy when youre sick because it induces you create more mucus or phlegm.
But thats not completely true. Theres no clear evidence that reducing milk will reduce mucusits largely anecdotal, Dr. Arthur says.
However, some people find that dairy induces their phlegm thicker and more disagreeable, she says.
If it bothers you, go ahead and cut it out until youre feeling better.
# 8. FOOD TO AVOID WHEN YOURE SICK: FRIED OR FATTY FOODS
When to hop-skip it : You have a stomach bug.
Why it induces you feel worse : Fatty foods take longer to move through the digestive system, who are capable of make nausea worse and trigger acid reflux, Dr. Bhatia says.
And because they likewise trigger muscle spasms in your intestinal tract, they can make diarrhea worse.
Save the burger and fries for when youre feeling better.
# 9. FOOD TO AVOID WHEN YOURE SICK: SPICY FOODS
When to hop-skip it: You have a runny nose.
Why it induces you feel worse : Chili peppers and hot sauce get their hot from capsaicin, a compound that they are able vex your nasal passages and make your nose run.
So if youre already drippy and runny, all that heat will simply make the water operates worse, Dr. Bhatia says.
On the other hand, if youre stuffed up, it might break up your mucus so youre temporarily less congested.
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