What to Eat When You're Sick
I was sick for a week, here's what I ate and drank
I got a cold on July 3rd. It was 2 days of a sore throat, 2 days of stuffiness and head pressure, 3 days of a gross cough, followed by 5 days of very mild versions of all of them. In this post I’m going to tell you all about it. Buckle up people, let’s talk about being sick!
Where did it come from? As a trail runner and it being July, I DID think to check my miles from the past month to see if I increased them too rapidly. And then checked the last 2-3 months. Everything was progressed steadily with no red flags. A quick uptick in training can lead to a suppressed immune system, so worth it to check.
So where it came from (other than flying a few days before, which will also suppress your immune system) was a beaten down system from a challenging year. My body needed a break. So it forced me to take a break. Luckily it didn’t need a HUGE break and let me off with a moderate cold. But honestly, I didn’t do a good job at giving it the break it needed and deserved, but here’s what I DID do..
A breakdown of what I decreased and increased while sick:
LESS:
High Heart Rate Activity
Work (I suck at taking time off, but I DID get one shift covered at the gym which is better than none? Yeah I know, super weak)
Daily Supplements
I was taking OTC stuff and didn’t want to flood my system with more things to break down and process
This may have delayed my healing but it felt right to give it a rest for a few days
Instagram/Screen Time
I’ve caught myself scrolling so much recently and I NEVER feel good afterwards. I hate how quickly my finger goes to the instagram square even if I was just on it 45 seconds ago…so I vowed to put my phone in airplane mode throughout the day so I could give my brain a break from that stimulant. This was new for me because usually being sick = lots screen time, so I challenged myself to break that pattern. I felt so much better as a result
MORE:
Fruit
Vitamins! And really soothing for a sore throat
Cold Sources of Protein
Greek yogurt and whey protein shakes! Complete proteins are needed for repair and both are lovely to consume with a sore throat
Chicken
I routinely crave chicken when I’m sick and it’s because the body knows what it needs! All you have to do is listen to what it’s telling you. Chicken is a complete protein (needed for repair), high in selenium (cell protectant), and zinc (immune system) amongst other vitamins and minerals that are needed for healing
Kimchi
Fermented foods are crucial in preventing sickness and helping you get better. My go-tos are Kimchi (thanks for the homemade batch Matt K!) and Sauerkraut. Fermented foods are really good for gut health and since a significant portion of our immune system is in our gut, we want to feed it the good stuff!
Sleep and Midday Rest
Can’t heal if you don’t sleep! The #1 lever to pull when sick
Water!
Flush out the infection, stay hydrated
BeeKeepers Naturals Cough Syrup and Throat Spray (I earn a small commission on the amazon linked things!)
I like this brand when I’m sick and also recommend it for kids as well. They have a lot of different products with natural ingredients like propolis and buckwheat honey that can to really help. And a great alternative to the more aggressive forms of over the counter stuff, especially if your cold or kids cold/cough isn’t all that bad
I have a little travel humidifier with an aroma diffuser that I use at home. I found this brand via a Dietician’s rec over the Winter and it has been a really nice addition to my nights. Skin feels more hydrated after using it too!
DIDN’T DO (BUT TOTALLY WOULD HAVE HELPED):
Mugs of bone broth
Tea or warm water with honey and lemon
Green Smoothies for lots of vitamins (I only had 1!)
Sauna
Oregano Oil Supplement
I use it a lot in the winter but didn’t have any left
Eating Less Sugar
We know sugar can really slow down healing and create almost a paralysis of our immune cells. But knowing and acting are 2 different things. Would I have gotten better quicker if I cut out added sugar? Yes, I do believe so. But I didn’t and I’m fine with that
it’s the healing kind
Fun Fact: after recovering from being sick, your immune system becomes stronger. In my opinion, a cold like this is a net positive. I sit here with a stronger immune system than I had last week, and since I’m a nerd I think that’s super cool. There are things I could have done to speed up my healing, but perfection is never the goal.
What I’ll Change Next Time I Have a Cold: less work. more reading.
Thank you for reading a whole post about my cold. You are a true supporter :).
Till next week,
Julie