6 foods to avoid when you are sick

News Desk
The Jakarta Post

Jakarta | Thu, January 12, 2017 | 12:51 pm

Even if you have taken your medicine and had enough rest, you may not recover quickly from sickness if you are not mindful about what you eat. (Shutterstock/-)

When you are struggling to fight off a flu or stomachache, you want nothing else besides full recovery. Even if you have taken your medicine and had enough rest, you may not get better quickly if you are not mindful about what you eat.

Some foods and beverages can actually worsen your sickness, making it take longer to recover. Hence, here are six foods and beverages, compiled by kompas.com , that you need to avoid in order to quicken the restoration of your health.

Orange juice

Although rich in vitamin C, orange juice can hinder your recovery when suffering from a sore throat due to its level of acidity. Emory University professor of integrative medicine Taz Bhatia MD explains: “Oranges contain citric acid that can irritate layers of your throat that is already beginning to redden and become sore."

(Read also: 11 common causes of stomach pain)

Sugar

For all those with a sweet tooth, try to curb sugar cravings when encountering a bacterial infection causing a stomachache. Sugar from cake, candies and cereal can suppress the role of your white blood cells in fighting against bacteria, according to internist Kristine Arthur MD, from the Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in California, the United States.

“Besides that, sugar tends to remove the fluids from the digestive tract, which can cause diarrhea,” Arthur pointed out.

Coffee

If you are suffering from a stomachache, caffeine must be avoided at all times, especially in coffee — the substance is a diuretic that will increase the production of urine, which could dehydrate your body.

Arthur explains that dehydration can undermine your body in fighting against viruses or other infections, as proper hydration and fluids can help your body’s immune system work more effectively. Diarrhea can be more intense with caffeine consumption, as the substance stimulates muscles in the digestive tract, according to Arthur.

Crunchy snacks and fried food

Potato chips and deep-fried tempeh are out of the question if you have a cough or are suffering from a sore throat. The rough, grainy texture of such snacks will only irritate your throat.

Spicy food

The capsaicin component found in chili peppers or paprika may irritate your nasal canal and make the mucus in your nose even runnier, which can cause extra discomfort in your sick state.

Milk

Avoid milk when you have the flu or a blocked nose. Milk can make your phlegm and nasal mucus denser and more difficult to blow out of your nose. (mra/kes)