Nourishing Foods for a Speedy Recovery

A sensible diet with all the nutrients the body needs helps patients recover physically and mentally after treatment. Here are some nourishing foods that help speed up recovery.

Kelp

Kelp is high in calcium, potassium and magnesium, and is especially rich in mineral salts, vitamins, iodine and natural antioxidants. Adding kelp to the daily menu is very important for someone who is just getting over an illness. Kelp helps the body regulate and produce thyroid hormones, and it also helps patients build up their resistance and regain their health.

Energy-rich foods

Nourishing meals for the sick must include energy-rich foods. People who have just been ill need plenty of foods containing protein, healthy fats, starches and carbohydrates to provide the energy needed for recovery and to boost metabolism. Foods to add to the daily menu include fish, beef, pork, shrimp, crab and eggs.

Although eggs are very nutritious, take care not to give patients raw or undercooked eggs, as their resistance is still weak. If the patient cannot eat meat, you can replace it with plant-based protein sources such as soybeans, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and dark green vegetables.

Grains and starches should also make up about 40 - 65% of the daily diet. Especially for people who are physically run down, starch from rice, corn, cassava, wheat flour and the like is an essential source of energy.

Ginger

Ginger is a familiar folk remedy; in moderate amounts it helps warm the body and makes you feel more comfortable. Ginger contains oleoresin and terpenes, which are antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, and it is widely used when you have a cold.

The gingerol in ginger also helps reduce nausea and improves the appetite of people who have just recovered from illness or had surgery. Ginger can be taken with hot tea. Together, ginger and hot tea help the body absorb nutrients better, relieve stomach pain, improve digestion and boost blood circulation.

Fruit

Oranges, lemons, mangoes, bananas, strawberries and the like are excellent for people recovering from illness, weakness or surgery. Fruits high in vitamin C in particular also help reduce the risk of surgical wound infection. Give patients fruit after main meals or as a light snack before meals.

Eating fruit supplies the body with the vitamins it needs, replaces lost electrolytes, increases antioxidant capacity, strengthens resistance and speeds up detoxification. You can also make fruit into juices or smoothies to relieve a dry, bland-tasting mouth and make it easier for the patient to drink.

Also, people with diabetes should limit very sweet fruits, don't serve fruit that was peeled and left overnight, and peel fruit carefully before eating so as not to upset the patient's digestive system.

Nutritional milk drinks

People who are ill, run down and especially those who have just had surgery often find it hard to eat because they feel tired and sluggish, have a bitter taste in the mouth, lose their appetite and are not mentally alert, so they can easily lack essential nutrients. That is why you should give patients nutritional milk drinks made for the sick and those recovering from illness.

Choose a milk drink with enough protein, vitamins (A, B, C, E) and minerals (zinc, iron, magnesium and so on), and ask a doctor if the patient has an underlying condition.

Probiotic yogurt

While making sure a sick or run-down person gets enough nutrients, you also need to be careful not to overload their digestive system. So alongside nutrient-rich foods, give the patient probiotic yogurt to help their digestion work better.

In addition, regular use of medicines and antibiotics during treatment can upset the balance of bacteria in the patient's gut. Yogurt helps replenish digestive enzymes and beneficial gut bacteria.

Green vegetables

Green vegetables are rich in vitamins, fiber and minerals that strengthen the immune system and speed up recovery. Vegetables such as broccoli, sweet bell peppers, lettuce, cabbage, sprouts, katuk (sweet leaf), mustard greens and celery provide healthy carbohydrates and help fight fatigue. Fiber also helps prevent constipation, a side effect of the painkillers used in surgery.

Other tips

Eat soft, liquid foods

Soft, runny, easy-to-swallow foods such as rice porridge, soups and pho cooked with chicken, pork or beef, with a little spring onion and perilla, help the body recover quickly. Rice porridge is easy to digest and provides nutrients that help rehydrate the body and fight inflammation. If possible, split meals into several small portions so the patient feels comfortable eating. Avoid giving patients dry, hard, fried or greasy foods.

Drink the right amount of water

For people who are ill, run down or recovering from surgery, drinking enough water every day is extremely important. Water helps the joints work better and helps absorb and transport nutrients throughout the body. Drinking enough water also helps the patient's body flush out toxins built up from medication during treatment.

Besides eating nourishing foods to aid recovery, patients should also get a reasonable amount of exercise so their body can heal quickly.