Eating Healthy When Sick

I caught my first cold/flu bug of the season. I can't really complain. Other than my "normal" health flare ups, I haven't even had a cold over the winter season. It started Sunday night with a sore throat and woozy feeling and nothing tasted normal. Getting sick usually sends me sailing off track, and I neglect to track anything. I'm trying hard to change old habits and develop new ways of coping with the surprises of life.

I've managed to track my food and stay on track so far. I've actually been craving salads and fruits. The coolness is naturally soothing on my sore throat, and it's helped me to meet my Weight Watcher's daily healthy guidelines too. I made a pot of organic chicken vegetable soup Monday, and I've been enjoying it for dinner with a few saltines. Lunch has consisted of a crunchy salad topped with grilled chicken breast and fruit. I've been eating oatmeal with an apple and rasins for breakfast. Water tastes absolutely horrible for some reason since I got sick, so I've been sipping lots of herbal teas to get my water in for the day. I'm having jello for snacks and fruit cups that are packaged in their own juice. I've been amazed at how many points I have left over at the end of the day, but I'm eating as much as my appetite will allow. This opened my eyes to how much I can eat and still have points left over when I choose most of my foods from the fruit and veggie groups.

Sickness happnes to everyone. Don't let it be a challenge when you're on a weight loss program. Listen to your body. Eat if you're hungry and don't worry about it if you aren't. I find I often crave healthier foods when I don't feel well, almost like an inborn natural defense mechanism to fight off illness. That's a good thing and it has certainly helped me stay on track this week. 

Thankfully, most sickness passes quickly, and we can return to our normal diets. In the meantime, if you are sick, don't let it derail you. Do your best to eat well, get plenty of rest, and nuture your body back to health. Rest is the best healer of all. One thing I see in our culture today are people trying to be superhuman and going to work if they are deathly sick. I've heard people bragging about how they never take a day off. I realize in extreme cases some people might not have a choice, but the ones I'm talking about are those who think it makes them somewhat of a hero if they push themselves to keep going. That's just silly. There's nothing wrong with resting and taking the time to heal properly when ill if you can. Not only is it better for you, it's better for your co-workers who won't be exposed to your germs. 

Get rid of the hero mentality. Be smart and care for your body if you are sick. Learning to rest and heal well will keep you on the road to better physical health.