A virus, or viral infection, is a type of communicable disease. Some examples of viral diseases include the common cold, influenza and HIV. Eating certain foods may help reduce virus symptoms and prevent complications of viruses, although specific nutrition recommendations vary depending on the type of virus you have. Food will not cure a virus, but maintaining good nutrition while you're sick may help you recover faster.
Upper Respiratory Tract Virus Nutrition
More than 100 different viruses may cause infections of the upper respiratory tract. A cold virus may cause a sore throat, sinus or chest congestion, fever, runny nose, cough, or all of the above. Most colds resolve on their own in a week or two, but consuming certain foods and liquids during a cold may help reduce symptoms and promote recovery, according to MayoClinic.com. For upper respiratory tract infections, it is essential to drink plenty of non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic fluids such as water, juice and broth in order to avoid dehydration that can result from fever and increased mucus production. Chicken soup is also recommended for a cold virus, as it acts as an anti-inflammatory and speeds up the movement of mucus, thereby helping relieve congestion and shortening the amount of time the virus spends in your nasal lining, notes MayoClinic.com.
Foods for Flus
An influenza, or flu, virus may also cause upper respiratory tract symptoms such as cough and fever, although the symptoms of a flu virus are typically more sudden and severe than those of a cold. As with colds, the best "foods" for a flu virus are generous amounts of liquids like water, juice and soup, says MayoClinic.com. Viral gastroenteritis, while commonly referred to as a "stomach flu," is slightly different, as this kind of virus frequently causes vomiting and diarrhea that may be exacerbated by drinking or eating. While liquids are still recommended for a stomach flu, with this kind of virus, it's best to stick to clear liquids and to take them in small but frequent amounts, notes MayoClinic.com. Once nausea from a stomach flu virus subsides, you can ease gently back into eating with easy-to-digest foods such as rice, bananas, soda crackers, gelatin and toast.
Nutrition and Other Types of Viruses
Appropriate nutrition is also important in other kinds of short-lived viruses, such as mononucleosis, and it can be critical for the management of chronic diseases caused by viruses, such as HIV/AIDS or herpes. According to TeensHealth, with mononucleosis, a virus characterized by body aches, fever and a sore throat, it is good to stay hydrated and to eat a well-balanced diet including foods like fruit smoothies that provide nutrition while also soothing the throat. If you have herpes, a viral disease that causes re-occuring outbreaks of lesions on the face or genitals, eating foods that are high in the amino acid lysine may help suppress outbreaks, according to Michele Picozzi, author of the book, "Controlling Herpes Naturally." Says Picozzi, good foods for herpes virus include chicken, fish, vegetables, beans and eggs. For the HIV virus that causes AIDS, a high-quality diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein is crucial to bolster the immune system and avoid wasting.
Considerations
Although eating certain foods may help reduce virus symptoms and duration in some cases, if your illness is so severe that you're unable to eat or drink, or you have other serious symptoms such as seizures, disorientation or bloody diarrhea, you may require hospitalization during which fluids or nutrition may be administered intravenously. A virus requiring hospitalization is more likely with very serious viral diseases such as West Nile virus, and with certain high-risk populations including the elderly, young children and people with chronic health problems. With most common viruses such as a cold or flu, the illness will eventually run its course without medical treatment. Besides good nutrition, getting plenty of sleep is also important when you have a cold or flu virus as this will help your immune system fight the infection, according to MayoClinic.com.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Common Cold; February 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Influenza (Flu); August 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Viral Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu); June 2011
- TeensHealth; Mononucleosis; February 2011
- Herpes.org; 10 Things You Need to Know about Preventing Outbreaks Without Drugs; Michele Picozzi
- Tufts University; Building A High Quality Diet; Margo Woods, Emily Potts, Joan Connors
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