What to Eat If You Have A Mild COVID-19 Infection at Home
The worst thing about unprecedented times is the fact that you don’t know how to deal with the challenges that come with them. Smriti faced a similar helpless situation. She got infected with mild symptoms of Covid-19.
She lived alone at the time so she had to take care of herself. One of the challenges she faced was the unawareness about the dietary requirements for getting faster if one has mild symptoms of Covid-19. In this article, we’ll discuss the foods that you should consume if you find yourself in Smriti’s situation.
Until the outbreak of Covid-19, many people were unaware of the subject of coronaviruses. The family of viruses that cause respiratory disorders as well as intestinal illness in humans is called coronaviruses. The symptoms of these viruses are found in humans as well as animals. To date, only 7 coronaviruses have been found out about, although all of them are not severe some of them only incur mild symptoms on humans as well as animals. Let us understand one of the most harmful coronaviruses that are yet prevailing over the globe – Covid-19
Everything about Covid-19
Covid-19 is the latest infectious disease being caused by a coronavirus. According to the resources available, it is declared that the first case of covid-19 has been found out in Wuhan, China in December 2019. After that, the disease has been spread over the world. The occurrence of spreading the disease takes place from one person to another. The water droplets released from an infected person while coughing or sneezing if landed on a surface and the human comes in contact with the infected area thereby leading to touching it and then their eyes, nose, or mouth can lead to them being contaminated.
A person affected with covid-19 may or may not have any symptoms; it depends on the immunity of the said person. Thus, Covid-19 patients can be of 2 types- asymptomatic and symptomatic. Some of the symptoms an infected person may undergo are cold, cough, shortness of breath, weakness, and more. You must consult a doctor if any symptoms are being undergone; it helps you take necessary remedies. The harmful effects caused to the human body are liver problems, heart problems, kidney damage, and in some cases, dangerous blood clots are formed that can also cause a stroke. These effects may be faced by humans if necessary precautions are not taken and things go too far.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of Covid-19 cases confirmed all over the world as of 15th July 2021 in 187,827,660 cases. On the other hand, the deaths caused due to covid-19 are 4,055,497. India is the second country having the most number of cases after the United States. Even though the vaccine is available for the locals, only 3,400,884,367 people have been vaccinated. The threat of getting infected has decreased but is not nil. The necessary precautions are yet to be taken.
- What to eat if one is facing mild symptoms of Covid-19 infection at home?
All the health measures and precautions eventually come down to your food intake. If you eat healthily, you are winning. Covid-19 has many harmful effects, and if one has had an in-take of their regular greens, it is going to help them. If you have a complete meal plan, you can keep yourself healthy. To understand the food intake while experiencing mild covid-19 symptoms like Smriti, we shall break it down into 4 segments and understand in detail the type of food we shall or shall not have.
- Water
Water is the most important fluid required in one’s life. Water is also considered a “universal solvent” as it helps in dissolving a variety of molecules. If one drinks lesser water, your heart begins to be pressurized for providing oxygen thereby leading to serious health conditions. If one is suffering from mild covid-19 symptoms, having lots of water helps to not cause any harmful effects on a person’s health. Water is the crucial as well as the cheapest optimal solution.
- Protein
Just like water, a protein having different functions is important for all the cells present in your body. The availability of protein is important as it helps in repairing one’s body cells and in making new cells. Children, teens, and pregnant women require protein as it helps in their growth and development. In case of having covid-19 symptoms, the intake of protein is mainly required for healing tissues and muscles if any are damaged. Protein also helps in treating post-covid-19 weakness.
- Micronutrients
Micronutrients are essential in your life but in minimal quantities. Micronutrients usually include vitamins and minerals. The availability of vitamins helps in energy production, immune function, blood clotting, and more. On the other hand, minerals help in increasing your bone health, having a balanced fluid system, and more. The most important function of micronutrients is to strengthen the immune system. Thus, micronutrients are crucial for people who have mild Covid symptoms like Smriti.
- Calories
Calories are energy. A human body requires energy to survive, and thus optimal intake is necessary. If you do not intake calories, your body will have no energy to carry out basic functions like making your bed or taking a walk. Without energy, your body’s internal functions of the heart and lungs also come to a halt. It can result in death. While treating covid-19, calories are as important as any other nutrient and mineral. Carbs and fats are also crucial. Having the right amount of calories in your body will help you to fight the disease.
As we have understood the requirement of quality food intake, there are other things one shall look out for when they find themselves in Smriti’s situation.
Tips
- While going out, it is important to maintain a MINIMUM of 1-meter distance with the people around. On the other hand, while staying at home also one shall maintain a safe distance. Further, the better.
- Use a mask to cover your nose, mouth as well as chin. Use disposable masks or masks that can easily be cleaned.
- Kindly do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth if you are outdoors.
- Sanitize your hands regularly.
- Get your vaccination done soon.
- For example:
Your meals need to be planned, and so below a basic diet plan is provided.
- For breakfast – A few options such as poha, chilla, upma, idli, an omelet can be consumed.
- For lunch – Ragi or multigrain chapati, rice that can be pulav, khichdi, green vegetables. Salad is very important. Mostly carrot and cucumber are famous.
- For evening – One can have ginger tea along with chicken soup or sprouts/ chaat.
- For dinner – Ragi or multigrain chapati, paneer, soya beans, chicken. Again salad is very important.
As we have understood what nutrients and minerals one is looking for in the food to be consumed, along with a simple diet that has been given above.
FAQs
Can coronavirus be transmitted through food?
There is no such evidence that has yet proved that food can be a carrier of coronavirus. Any virus consisting of food material can be evaded by heating the food at a certain temperature. Non-vegetarian food such as fish or poultry food needs to be heated at a minimum of 70 degrees Celcius before making as it is necessary to make sure the consumption will be safe. While dealing with packaged food, the surface of the packet may not be necessarily consisting of infection but you shall make sure to keep your hands clean while consuming the food. Various fruits and vegetables need to be washed properly before consumption especially if it’s going to eat raw. Fresh fruits and vegetables are encouraged to be a part of one’s lifestyle to promote a healthy diet.
Is it necessary for food workers to wear gloves?
Food preparers shall wear gloves as it helps people realize that the consumption of the food prepared is safe. Wearing gloves also ensures that any bacterium on the server’s hands does not come in contact with the food. It reduces the spread of disease. Bacteria are invisible to the human eye, and thus they can cause harmful reactions if necessary precautions are not taken. Before wearing gloves, thorough handwashing is required. Gloves must be changed when carrying out non-food-related work such as clearing the bin, and more.
What are the various foods that help boost one’s immunity and fight infection?
The answer to every health problem is having a balanced diet, a good night's sleep, and exercising daily. It helps in overall taking care of your health. Some of the immunity building secrets one shall know are:
Having fruits with high Vitamin C helps in increasing white blood cell production thereby, helping fight infections. Some fruits with high Vitamin C are oranges, grapefruit, broccoli, kiwifruit, strawberry, and more.
Consumption of a fat-soluble vitamin is Vitamin E. Consumption of this nutrient helps in the proper management and regulation of the immune system. Rick vitamin E foods are nuts, avocados, seeds, and spinach.
Green tea consisting of antioxidants helps in making the immune system of one’s body enhanced. It also helps in fighting germs thereby, fighting infections. Consumption of green tea can be in any form.
Garlic is an important compound that helps in keeping the body’s immune system at high power. Garlic boosts the production of T cells that thereby help in fighting viruses. An additional benefit is that it helps in reducing the stress hormone.
The best combination for boosting your immune will be consuming carrots along with hummus or spinach on the side of avocado or olive oil as dressing.
