Tuberculosis is a potentially intense contagious disease that primarily affects the lungs caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It spreads from person to person via tiny air droplets released into the air via sneezing and coughing. Undernourished people have a greater risk of developing TB. The symptoms of Tuberculosis include weight loss, weakness, and shortness of breath.
While the treatment of active Tuberculosis is prolonged (up to a year of daily antibiotics), you may feel better sooner by consuming certain foods that can be beneficial for a tuberculosis patient. TB is nasty, poor nutrition can promote the tenacity of active tuberculosis disease, and active TB can aggravate malnutrition. It is crucial to provide your body with the necessary vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients to beat active Tuberculosis and retrieve your stamina and strength. Read on to understand the foods to eat and foods to avoid while having active Tuberculosis:
What to eat in TB?
- Antioxidant-rich, brightly-colored vegetables, like carrots, and red/green/yellow peppers, and fruits, like tomatoes, blueberries, and cherries. The more colorful, the better.
- Leafy, dark-coloured greens like kale and spinach as they contain high iron and vitamin B content
- Plenty of whole grains, like whole-wheat pasta, bread, and cereals
- Protein-rich foods such as soy or tofu, dairy, eggs, and lean meat contain essential amino acids.
- Unsaturated fats like vegetable or oliveoil, instead of butter
- Nuts and seeds like sunflower seeds,chia seeds, pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds are beneficial.
- Cereals, millets and pulses
After consulting a doctor, it would be best to consider taking a daily multivitamin with minerals in case of nutrient deficiencies. High-calorie energy supplements may also help underweight patients to gain bodyweight.
What not to eat in TB?
- Alcohol in any form as it boosts the risk of drug toxicity
- Carbonated drinks
- Excess of tea and coffee
- Tobacco and tobacco products
- A ton of spices & salt
- Refined carbs such as maida and sugar-laden foods
- Deep-fried foods and junk foods packed with saturated fats and trans-fat
How to stay healthy in TB?
Medications can trouble you inside out. While treating active Tuberculosis, you may have side effects that can make it challenging to eat well. With continuous and heavy drugs, you could:
- Lose your appetite
- Feel nauseated
- Vomit
- Experience fatigue
- Experience abdominal cramping
You can't stop taking your TB drugs, so instead, talk to your doctor about what you can do to help eliminate the side effects. Please make every effort to give your body the nutrition it needs to maintain a healthy weight and build strength to destroy the tuberculosis bacteria and reduce the risk of a relapse. Eating a varied, healthy diet, and staying away from unhealthy habits, will help you feel better faster.
Conclusion
Undernourishment can hinder remedy outcomes and increase the risks of relapse. Therefore, quality nutrition is crucial to support the immune system and guarantee the proper repair and restoration of cells and tissues. So, follow the food tips/hacks mentioned above to build a healthy diet if you or your loved ones suffer from TB.
