Protein Power while ill?

[Belfrybat]

I've been ill for several days with cold/cough/intestinal distress/fever/chills -- the whole nine yards. The only thing I've been able to keep down is the old standby of dry toast and weak tea, and not much of that. What would be your suggestions for adding in foods that are PP friendly as well as stomach friendly? I tried a weak whey shake this morning (just whey and water), and it went right through me. I am out of yogurt but wondered if any dairy might be a mine field at this point. Anyway, any and all suggestions are welcome. I'm feeling about as strong as a newborn kitten at this point and need to get my strength back by Friday when I am leading a three day retreat.

[Mitra]

Sorry you're not well.

If you manage to get hold of some, I'd give yogurt a try (just tiny amounts at first, and not too chilled). How about a bit of scrambled or poached egg with the toast? Or a hot milky drink? A little bit of soup (even if it's more a meat stock/broth than soup)?

I hope you feel better soon.

[Billie]

Brigit-Carol, this is some advice that my mom used to do for me, that I did for my kids and myself during those awful moments of sickness when nothing either tastes good or stays where it is supposed to.

Protein and dairy are some of the hardest things to digest in our system so I would stay clear of them for awhile I suppose with the teas and toast for awhile. When Gabe and I had the horrible cold bug in January/Febraury I made an egg drop soup that really helped. Just a broth of chicken and some egg yolks droppings or stirrings whirled in. It was hot and steamy and helped the sinus problems as well as seemed to sit alright in the tummy. Kind of like the old chicken noodle soup fix but not carby. Then next we added just some shredded chicken to it and made it a little bit thicker with chicken. We had low carb bread we toasted with some cheese on top.

I also like cold things for some reason when I am not feeling well, so I froze some blueberries, strawberries in a couple tablespoons of OJ.

Everyone tolerates foods so differently when we are ill, I think nourish yourself the best way you can, don't worry about the carbs today, just hydrating your body, the rest will come.

Gosh I hope you feel better soon!

[Gaelen]

Belfrybat, I can relate to the 'weak as a kitten' part. The most important thing is to eat/drink (especially drink) anything that can keep you hydrated and that you can keep down. It shouldn't be sugar-free unless it has independent nutritive value, like a protein or a fat. That means if you can't tolerate fats or protein, you may need to incorporate some carbs just to get yourself up and functioning again.

Some things that work for me are plain chicken broth (use Pacific Organics low sodium if you can't make your own, but if you've got chicken in the house, boil the chicken, skim the fat and drink that broth.) Then, as your strength comes back, you can try adding bits of the shredded chicken into the broth. And if you don't have chicken, turkey will also work.

Some people swear by stuff like GatorAde, but I really hate the taste. I'd also rather get my carbs from fruits and their juices than from high fructose corn syrup. Regular gelatin (not sugar free!) can sometimes help, along with juice-based popsicles. If you can get organic unsweetened juice, you can even make your own no-sugar-added gelatin with an envelope of unflavored Knox gelatin (recipe is on the box...just rely on the natural sweetness in the juice.) If you can't tolerate the cold of the popsicles, try drinking dilute juices...I put ice into pineapple or V8 juice and when it's a little thinned down, I drink it.

It's important to actually drink/eat stuff that has some sugar in it; you've essentially been on a fast and your body needs something to help rebuild its strength. If you can't tolerate protein or fats, you've got to go back to carbs. Let them get you up and running so that you're strong enough to get back to proteins/fats. That should happen within a couple days; otherwise, get thee to a doctor!

And not to be a downer, but if you're scheduled to lead a retreat in two days, you might want to arrange a backup. Your health is more important, and if this had hung on for several days, it may not yet have run its course.

[Karen J]

I wholeheartedly agree with the chicken soup. There is nothing like chicken soup.
I do that too- start with just stock, and then slowly add in what I can tolerate.

The last time I had the stomach flu, the only thing I could eat was a frozen Pedialyte pop. It was truly awful, but it was something. It also soothed that over-used, sore esophagus... if ya know what I mean.

I hope you feel better soon.

[Belfrybat]

Thanks, guys. For some strange reason, chicken soup didn't occur to me. DUH! Thankfully I still have a couple of stewing hens in the freezer from the last butchering so am thawing one overnight. I'll try broth tomorrow perhaps with Janet's idea of swirling an egg in it. If that stays put, then I'll go from there.

Actually I'm feeling a bit better today, and ate some dry cereal earlier that stayed put. I DO NOT like being ill -- I do not, I do not! :mad:

[Karen J]

Belfrybat, I'm glad you're starting to feel better.

I'm a bit jealous that you have real stewing hens. They have so much more flavor than the flavorless chickens I find around here.


I don't know where I read this, but someone suggested skipping food entirely when intestinally ill. Fluids, yes, but food, no. As long as one is getting enough fluids, foods aren't very necessary. Since it's been a few years since I read that, and also don't know where I read it, I certainly couldn't recommend it. However, it does make a bit of sense.

[Omlette]

another thing. If you are getting fluid down, let me highly recommend getting some probiotics. They will help fight all of that nasty intestinal trouble you are having. Especially since you are having trouble with yogurt. I get mine at walgreens - curette - is what I think it is called. I give it to my son the minute his diaper starts looking funny (especially if kids have been sick at daycare), and it takes care of the whole problem. You can also get the acidiphillus sprinkles from the pharmacist to put in your beverage. The beverage needs to be cool. Even if you are feeling better, I would still recommend the probiotic to rebuild your natural good bacteria.

Hope you feel better.

[miralin]

Hey, I start with broth too. I make broth, and drink that til I get hungry for actual food. Then when that happens I put some brown rice and make it very soupy in the broth, and then when that stays down I'll put some shredded grilled chicken breast in there. By that point, I'm usually good to start getting back to real food again.

And I can't tolerate any kind of pasta, so the chicken soup idea doesn't fly -- hence the broth and rice thing above.

That's my version, anyway.

[hawk]

If I can't eat protien, I eat nothing. I will not put sugar in me . It is an anti nutrient. When my son was born (8#9oz)with collapsed lungs and fluid in them ,I would not allow the hospital to give him sugar water. They argued with me. I made them let me nurse him or pumped for them. He lost a little weight but gained really fast when the lungs cleared in two days. My kids got no sugar till I could not controll what they ate. They still rarely eat it.(28 and 32 yrs old) They say it makes them groggy inthe morning.
I would do the chicken broth and the probiotics.Scrambled eggs. Or just water and herbal teas for a couple days.. lots of it. It does not hurt for a couple days when you have the flu.
My doctor thinks that sugar should be a controlled substance like cocaine.
He says it causes most of his patients problems.

[Gaelen]

Fluids ARE the most important thing, but not knowing any of the underlying medical conditions present, it's important to remember that some bodies respond to fasts (or the inability to digest anything) that last longer than a couple days very differently. There's a reason that the conventional treatment for an unconscious person who is failing for unknown reasons is a dose of Narcan (a narcotic reversal agent) followed by D-50 (50% Dextrose). If the person isn't unconscious due to narcotic response, the chances that his body needs and will respond to a measured dose of sugar long enough for him to be medically stabilized are pretty good. ;)

No one was suggesting that anyone should just ingest sugar...but I have seen far too many people deteriorate to a life-critical situation drinking artificially sweetened or sugar-free things to 'rehydrate' in a flu situation. No, they may not have been in the best shape before the flu hit, and yes, they may have let things deteriorate for too long, but the reality is that none of us can know someone's actual physical condition on the other end of a computer message. Anyone who's been fighting a flu/intestinal virus for more than two or three days is at some level of dehydration, and if they truly can't keep anything down, chances are they also aren't forcing enough fluids to keep they out of harm's way. One half cup of jello with sugar in it, or fruit juice, can help kick-start their digestive process, enabling them to be strong enough to force more fluids, take in some broth, etc. That's a whole lot better than the alternative--a call to 911 and a session on IV fluid replacement in the hospital. YMMV. ;)

Miralin, what you describe is called 'congee' in Chinese culture, and it's a standard recommendation for cancer patients who are experiencing side effects like vomiting and diarrhea, which can sap their bodies of strength they can't afford to lose. I've made congee now and then myself; sometimes it's the only thing that will do. A simple egg custard can also help.

[miralin]

Miralin, what you describe is called 'congee' in Chinese culture, and it's a standard recommendation for cancer patients who are experiencing side effects like vomiting and diarrhea, which can sap their bodies of strength they can't afford to lose. I've made congee now and then myself; sometimes it's the only thing that will do.

Thanks Gaelen, that's pretty cool to know. Yay for following our instincts!

[Nean]

I might have the proportions wrong, but years ago in nutrition school, we made fluid replacement with 1 quart of 1/2 orange juice & 1/2 water with 1tsp of table salt. Also, for diarrhea, rice water/ rice gruel.

Keep in mind we were being taught the holy grail - low fat, high fiber, high carb, but this was what WHO was teaching for field interventions in poor areas.

Hope you continue to feel better.

[hawk]

Don't mean to come on so strong. I'm just paranoid about sugar and have been since I was a teenager. I would drink vegetable juice or juice based gelatin, but all natural first.. I had my appendix out when I was 25 ,and it was beginning to heal ( they didn't want to take chances) they gave me jello and salty broth and all kinds of horrible stuff. I begged for the nutritionist to come in and asked for something that would not plummit my blood sugar.
Real food . The hospital did what ever I asked. After my appendix was out , the doctor apologized and said it was barely pink and if they would have waited it may have been fine. I was drinking herbal teas at home. My mother made me go in and took me.
I was a real naturalist health freak then. My allergies made me that way.