Since dengue is spread by the bite of mosquitoes, which are omnipresent, this disease is often taken lightly. But that is precisely the most worrisome part, because if not taken care of quickly enough, dengue can prove to be fatal. Moreover, going by the frequent dengue casualties in our country in recent times, it would be foolish not to prevent it while we can.
Let us first briefly figure out exactly what dengue is.
As stated earlier, the common dengue fever is a flu spread by the bite of a mosquito. Dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever is caused by any of the dengue family viruses. This fever is also widely known as 'break bone fever' due to the severe joint pain caused during the dengue attack. To prevent catching the same, the most effective tip is to stay away from mosquitoes and stale water.
If, unfortunately, we still get tested positive with dengue, here are the nine food items which that us recover from this illness the fastest:
- Papaya: Universally, doctors and experts claim that papaya leaves are the best food for dengue patients. All we need to do is take two fresh papaya leaves, crush and squeeze them to extract the juice. The dengue patient should have two tablespoons of this juice every day either in the morning or the night. This is possibly the best home remedy for the treatment of this fever.
- Orange: One of the best citrus fruits for a dengue patient to consume is this. The orange juice is packed with energy and vitamins. The orange juice is great for digestion, which helps to increase the urinary output and consequently promotes antibodies for faster recovery.
- Porridge: When one is trying to battle this deadly virus, consuming porridge will help provide strength to the dengue patient. Porridge is also easy to swallow and contains a lot of health benefits.
- Lemon Juice: To help remove the toxins from the body due to the dengue virus, lemon juice is highly effective. It helps to get the virus excreted via urine, thus reducing its load in the body. And this especially necessary since a patient on a usual dengue diet is prohibited to intake oily & spicy foods which impacts the taste of the mouth, making the patient crave for something which improves it. Lemon juice is a great substitute for achieving that.
- Coconut Water: The best part is we get this everywhere. The patient must drink a lot of coconut water as it replenishes electrolytes, minerals and other trace minerals lost by the body to dehydration.
- Herbal Tea: For those who are suffering from dengue fever, the best way to reduce the fever is by drinking natural herbal teas. Herbal tea made from ginger or cardamom can help to a great extent.
- Vegetable Juices: We just need to stock up our refrigerators with tons of vegetables.The juices of carrots, cucumber and other green leafy vegetables are a blessing in this time. Experts state that pure organic vegetable juices can provide all the basics of human nutrition and help for a speedy recovery for the dengue patient.
- Fruit Juices: A good amount of Vitamin C foods for dengue fever is a must. Vitamin C is the single most important nutrient for the immune system and essential for the formation of adrenal hormones. Fruits like strawberries, guava, kiwi and papaya help in the production of lymphocytes. It also has a direct effect on bacteria and viruses.
- Protein Rich Foods: Foods for dengue fever should contain large amounts of proteins. Milk, eggs and other dairy products should be consumed as proper meals. Dengue patients can also have a good amount of fish and chicken to defeat this virus.
What makes the above list even more important is the fact that the world is yet to discover a specific treatment or vaccine for dengue. It is curable indeed, but the process is gradual and hence it is absolutely mandatory that the patient follows an appropriate diet which accelerates the recovery. It is not difficult to pin dengue down, we just have to eat sufficient and eat right.
Feature Image Source: cloudchowk.com
This post was first published in October 2015
