What should people with colds and flu eat?

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1. Causes of colds and flu

Influenza is a respiratory infection, this disease is very common, anyone can get it. On average, an adult can get the flu 2-3 times a year, children can get 6-7 times a year.
The subjects susceptible to colds are usually children under 5 years old; people over 65 years old; pregnant women; people with weak immune systems; people with chronic conditions such as asthma , heart disease , kidney disease or diabetes .
The cause of flu is the influenza virus (Influenza virus), which constantly mutates with new strains appearing frequently. Dangerous flu viruses, capable of spreading widely, are appearing more and more like H5N1, H1N1, H7N9...
Common symptoms when sick people have a cold such as:
Headache : First symptom The first time you have the flu can be the appearance of a headache. Fever: Fever can range from 37.8 - 40 degrees Celsius. Most fevers last less than a week, usually about 3-4 days. Children always have a higher fever than adults, so if you suspect your child has the flu, you should take your child to a specialist.

Chills, sweating or feeling cold despite high body temperature. A dry cough is a common symptom of people with the flu. Coughing makes the person more uncomfortable and painful, having difficulty breathing or having chest pain. The cough can last for about two weeks. Muscle pain, fatigue: These pains can make it more difficult to move even with basic activities.

2. What should people with flu eat?

Avoiding mistakes in diet when having a cold is very important because otherwise it will affect the patient's health, making the duration of the cold and flu prolonged and persistent. So what should you not eat with the flu? Accordingly, patients need to avoid certain foods such as:
Alcohol: Because it contains many bad ingredients, such as sugar, which makes bacteria thrive. In addition, alcohol will put a lot of pressure on the liver, interfering with the body's ability to recover from colds and flu. Caffeine: During a cold, people who have a habit of drinking coffee and soda need to be eliminated. Because soda contains a lot of sugar, it can cause glucose shock. Protein-rich foods: It is important to strengthen the resistance, provide the body with necessary energy when having a cold. However, it is necessary to ensure a moderate level, the balance should not be redundant. Protein-rich foods (eggs, shrimp, crabs, fish...) cause the body to load too much energy, negatively impacting fever reduction. Fatty foods: Fats are harder to digest than other food groups, so consuming them can cause stomach upset and serious inflammation.

Soft drinks, and fruit juices: All of these drinks contain a high amount of sugar, which interferes with the immune system. Foods high in salt: When you have a cold, you should eat less foods containing a lot of salt, so it will increase the amount of Lysozyme in your saliva to help protect your throat and fight the flu. Milk, Cheese: Milk will increase the production of mucus in the lungs. Therefore, you should avoid drinking milk when you have a cold. Red meat, spicy foods: Red meat is not easily digested. It can make the body work harder to digest, making the body more tired. Fried foods: These greasy foods will cause the body to consume energy to digest. In addition to not eating the above foods, people with flu should drink a lot of water, supplement vitamin C, eat more green vegetables, eat liquid foods, cereals, vegetables containing Glutathione and food groups with Anti-inflammatory effect to make your body healthy, enhance immune function, help prevent the invasion of bacteria and viruses, from which your cold and flu will also be quickly cured. .

3. Preventing the flu

Methods to prevent and limit the spread of colds and flu include:
Proper and frequent hand washing is an effective method to prevent illness. Wash hands before preparing food, eating and after using the toilet. You can use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough, or sneeze into a tissue, the inside of your elbow, to avoid contaminating your hands. Avoid large gatherings such as kindergartens, schools, offices, public areas when flu season is peak or you are showing signs of flu.

Get a flu shot : The flu vaccine will protect you against three or four of the most common flu viruses. Most flu vaccines contain a small amount of egg protein. If you have a mild allergy to eggs, such as hives after eating eggs, you can still get a flu shot. Vinmec International General Hospital provides vaccination services suitable for all ages, from infants, children from 0-1 years old, children from 1-2 years old, children from 4-6 years old. age, adolescents and adults. The flu shot will be included in the vaccination schedule.
Vaccination service at Vinmec Hospital gives customers the following benefits:
Children will be examined and screened by specialists in Pediatrics - Vaccines and fully screened for physical and health problems. health, advice on preventive vaccines and injection regimens, how to monitor and care for children after vaccination before ordering vaccination according to the latest recommendations of the Ministry of Health & World Health Organization to ensure the best effect and safest for children. A team of experienced and professional pediatric doctors and nurses, understand children's psychology and apply effective pain relief methods for children during the vaccination process. 100% of vaccinated children were monitored for 30 minutes after vaccination and reassessed before leaving. Underwent general supervision before, during and after vaccination at Vinmec Health System and always have an emergency team ready to coordinate with the vaccination department to handle cases of anaphylaxis, respiratory failure - circulatory arrest, ensuring Ensure timely and correct handling when incidents occur. Vaccination room is airy, has a play area, helps children feel comfortable and good psychologically before and after vaccination. Vaccines are imported and stored in a modern cold storage system, with a cold chain that meets GSP standards, keeping vaccines in the best conditions to ensure quality. Parents will receive a reminder message before the vaccination date and their child's vaccination information will be synchronized with the national immunization information system. Vinmec International General Hospital is currently providing a Package Immunization Program with a variety of vaccines for different audiences, from infants, young children, adults, and women before and during pregnancy pregnant.
To register for child vaccination, please contact directly to Vinmec Health System nationwide or book an appointment HERE.

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