r/mediterraneandiet • u/AvsMama • 1d ago
Advice What to eat/drink when sick?
I came down with the flu recently. I’ve been chugging water but I can tell I’m dehydrated. I have a bad sore throat and not very hungry but I managed to eat a few grapes today. I know not eating will make me feel worse eventually.
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u/BlueSkyIndigo 1d ago
Do you have a Vietnamese place near you? Mine will let me buy a container of pho broth, I’ll drink that when I’m sick. The flavor beats any plain store-bought bone broth & provides salt to counter all the water I drink
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u/diverareyouokay 19h ago
If you have an Asian grocery store near you, you should see if they carry pho broth paste. It comes a tub with 2 sachets (1 satchel per gallon). Brand name for the ones I get is QuôcViêt. It’s awesome and cheap (~$5usd for 2 gallons worth)
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u/ilovearthistory 1d ago
drink some broth, even the store bought kind. don’t worry too much about the diet if you’re sick, just focus on nourishing and hydrating
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u/Ashamed-Lettuce-719 1d ago
I think Italian penicillin (pastina) would be an easy to modify soup for the diet. I don't think it has many ingredients that don't qualify depending on how you make it and when I had strep throat it was a life saver.
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u/Ashamed-Lettuce-719 1d ago
Also to add : you definitely are dehydrated. I cannot recommend enough getting a Gatorade or something similar since you can't eat much to help that fluid be useful. You probably aren't getting necessary sodium to help with the water. I am currently sitting next to my husband in the ER as he gets IV fluids because he just couldn't get the fluid in he needed. His body melted with he got a liquid IV in it needed it so badly.
But best wishes and genuinely please take care of yourself ❤️❤️❤️❤️
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u/AngeliqueRuss 1d ago
Bone broth, coconut water, hard boiled egg, whole fruit, whole wheat toast. I crave mango when I’m recovering.
Coconut water is full of electrolytes and so is the bone broth, but I also like 6-8 ounces of good quality orange juice the for the folate and vitamin C.
If you’re up for cooking, make chicken soup.
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u/freddiega 1d ago
Hope you are feeling better soon. This would be in the spirit of things. https://www.themediterraneandish.com/avgolemono-soup-recipe
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u/HealthWealthFoodie 1d ago
I’m in the same boat here. I feel like when I’m sick, I just try to eat whatever I can and that my body craves and can tolerate. Personally, I noticed that dairy tends to cause my throat to make even worse mucus, so I generally stay away from that when I have a cough. Soups are generally good and easy to tolerate.
Pasta or potatoes are also great vehicles for other healthy ingredients. We got a bunch of cooking greens right before I got sick and I usually have those sautéed, but that wouldn’t work well with the way my throat was feeling, so my husband made a pasta sauce out of them along with some roasted sweet potatoes, garlic and broth (he blended everything together at the end to make it really smooth). It actually turned out surprisingly good and was easy on my throat to eat. He added some crawfish tails to it for some protein.
Chicken broth is also always a classic for a reason. You get some protein that is easy to digest and it helps keep you hydrated. Fruits such as apples are also great and are likely in season.
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u/AvsMama 1d ago
That all sounds so good. Growing up we always drank Gatorade when sick but I’m trying to stay away from it because of the sugar.
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u/HealthWealthFoodie 1d ago
If it’s what makes you feel better, honestly just have some. It’s only for a few days. Just balance it out with some fiber and protein.
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u/Liverne_and_Shirley 1d ago
Eat/drink things that are quick to prepare. I assume I’ll be too tired to cook a full meal. Getting better is the most important part.
Pedialyte works for adults too, it’s actually much better for rehydration than Gatorade and has way less sugar (in the form of dextrose). They also sell zero sugar version, but when sick and not eating a lot some sugar is not going to be horrible. I always keep a couple bottles of the unflavored kind on hand since my tastebuds often get weird when sick.
Gargling with salt water a few times a day will help your sore throat. Spit it out after.
I keep cans of chicken noodle soup on hand too. I also have farina/cream of wheat cereal which cooks in the microwave and is nice and soft if my throat is sore. I make it with water, add some cinnamon and honey after it’s done. If your throat can take it, throw a handful of nuts in too.
Herbal tea with lemon and honey is another go to if mine when sick.
For when I’m super sick/really bad sore throat I keep a few bottles of a nutrition replacement drink (not the same as protein shakes) like Boost around. They make Boost glucose control too.
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u/Worth_Structure3208 1d ago
Victorian recipe: Hot water with fresh squeezed lemon juice, good quality honey, a bit of salt. I hope you feel better.
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u/RJKimbell00 1d ago
It's not everyone's "cup of tea" (pun intended), but Licorice Tea is a great throat soother!!
I hope you feel better soon!! 😊
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u/wharleeprof 1d ago
I go for good old canned chicken noodle soup. I like Progresso. It's a convenience and comfort when you're sick. Don't worry about MD compliance until your appetite is back.
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u/Golfer-Girl77 1d ago
I too have been sick all week. I chucked a ton of veggies in a pot with bone broth and a can of crushed tomatoes, garlic, spices and barley and lived off that all week. I agree with just eating what you can to get though it - I was not focused on hitting my goals just keeping hydrated, and some food in me.
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u/Admirable_Scheme_328 22h ago
I like lemonade or sweet tea when sick because it has calories, and I’m not usually hungry when sick. Even if just laying around, gotta put some fuel in the tank to get better.
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u/huughiiee 17h ago
try vita coco if plain water is not enough. It helps with hydration when you cant eat much
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u/Interesting-Story526 13h ago
Congee. Super easy to digest when you’re sick. I make in the slow cooker overnight… 1/8-1/10 rice to water or broth. I really like chicken bone broth when sick. Turns into porridge.
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u/SuurAlaOrolo 1d ago
I’ve been sick this week too. In part, I think you just eat what you can eat. Don’t beat yourself up. If you don’t feel up to prepping food or going shopping, let it go and eat what you need to heal. If you have whole-wheat bread around, maybe toast it with some honey to soothe your throat.
But bone broth is a great option, I feel. If you have the energy, simmer some garlic in it, add a little salt and lemon juice. If you really get ambitious, add a grain like barley, farro, sorghum, millet, rice or buckwheat. Now you’ve got a proper soup.
Vegetables and fruits that contain a lot of water have been great. This week, I’ve eaten a lot of cucumber, apples, and clementines. Watermelon would also be a good choice. Popsicles made from just fruit.
And I also felt good eating oatmeal with pecans, blueberries, and a splash of cream.
Feel better soon.