6 Chicken Pox Food Restrictions for Better Recovery

Chicken pox is an extremely contagious disease caused by a virus. It is characterize by a rash all over the body and it usually affects children. The symptoms also include fever, headache and dry cough along with very itchy rash. It is a serious illness and the symptoms can get worse when you consume wrong foods.

Baby with chicken pox

Chicken Pox Food Restrictions

There are certain food restrictions during chicken pox and following them can prevent the aggravation of symptoms. The foods that should be avoided are:

1.      Saturated Fat-Rich Foods

Chicken pox food restrictions

Foods rich in saturated fats like full fat dairy products and meat are not recommended during chicken pox. The saturated fats can aggravate the inflammation and this can slow down the healing and can make the rash worse. Try to opt for low fat yogurt or ice cream and stay away from saturated fats if you want your rash to disappear soon.

2.      Citrus Fruits

Chicken pox food restrictions

The chicken pox rash is not confined to the external skin, when the disease is severe there can be mouth ulcers or blisters. Citrus fruits contain a lot of acid and this acid content of the citrus fruit or citrus fruit juice can irritate these sores. This can become uncomfortable and painful so it is best to avoid these tangy treats.

3.      Trans Fats

Chicken pox food restrictions

Trans fats can also increase inflammation and are best to be avoided. These fats are not naturally occurring and are present in many processed foods. The best practice is to avoid consuming processed foods during chicken pox. Stick to a healthy diet for faster recovery and follow chicken pox food restrictions to avoid prolonged illness.

4.      Arginine-Rich Foods

Chicken pox food restrictions

Arginine is an important amino acid. The body is capable of producing its own arginine as required. It is found in many proteins and is beneficial in some conditions like atherosclerosis and heart diseases. The major negative effect of arginine in chicken pox is its ability to help the virus in reproducing. Extra arginine consumption can increase the viral load and this can result in severe disease. It is important to avoid arginine rich foods like walnuts, peanuts, chocolate, raisins and seeds.

5.      Spicy Foods

Chicken pox food restrictions

Mouth ulcers and blisters are commonly seen during chicken pox and the consumption of spicy foods can irritate these. It can be painful to swallow spicy food and it is best to avoid taking it for better recovery of oral lesions.

6.      Salty Foods

Chicken pox food restrictions

Salt can also irritate mouth ulcers and eating salty food can be as uncomfortable as taking spicy food. Try to take less salt if it is difficult for you to swallow due to mouth ulcers. Put less salt in soup or broth so it is easy to swallow and does not hurt much.

Foods to Eat with Chicken Pox

Though it is crucial to follow chicken pox food restrictions to avoid complications, there are certain foods which help to recover from this illness.

  • Fruits and vegetables are very important and help the healing process. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables if you have chicken pox.
  • Chicken is a very good source of proteins and chicken soup or broth made with plenty of vegetables can help and speed up the recovery.
  • Have low fat yogurt and kefir. These are rich in lysine and probiotics and speed up the healing process.
  • Mushrooms are beneficial and can be added to soups for extra flavor and health benefits.
  • It is very important to eat proteins especially lysine for a faster recovery. Eggs, poultry, turkey and fish are good sources of lysine.
  • Garlic has great healing properties and can be added to enhance the flavor of the foods and to speed up healing process.
  • You can have manuka honey to reduce the severity of symptoms. It is a strong anti viral and can fight against the disease.
  • Swap vegetable oil with coconut oil for extra health benefits and a faster recovery from chicken pox.
  • Add some apple cider vinegar to salads or other foods for better digestion and absorption of nutrients.
  • To have adequate amounts of vitamin C, you can take rosehip syrup or blue berries.

Dos and Don'ts with Chicken Pox

Besides chicken pox food restrictions, there're some other tips that should be followed for a fast recovery.

Dos during Chicken pox

  • Keep yourself well hydrated and drink plenty of water.
  • Take some neem leaves and put them under the bed sheets. Sleeping on these will ease the itching of chicken pox.
  • Wear loose cotton clothes.
  • Mix a table spoon of baking soda in a glass of water and apply this mixture on the body with a sponge if the itching is severe or unbearable.
  • Calamine lotion is very soothing and comforting for the rash.

Don'ts during Chicken pox

  • Never scratch the rash. If you scratch the lesions these can get infected and leave scars.
  • Do not interact with other people unnecessarily as the disease can spread from one person to another very rapidly.
  • The first few days of the illness can be very hard and the patient can have very high grade fever and feel very weak. Keep a close eye on them and do not leave suffering children alone for longer duration.
  • Avoid irritating soaps or lotions.
 
 
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