Do you know about an infectious fever that is considered as endemic in Pakistan and other countries of South Asia? That fever which did not let the conqueror like Alexander the great, survive in this mortal world? Which deadly fever spread due to poor sanitation and drinking dirty water? Yes, you guessed it right! Its Typhoid!
Salmonella typhi is a causative agent that is responsible for this infectious fever. And most of the bacterial strains show resistance to major antibiotics. Moreover, poor sanitation and lack of clean drinking water increase the annual cases of this infectious ailment.
Therefore, it is important to get information about the treatment and how to deal with this enteric or typhoid fever. The Government of Pakistan has introduced the new vaccine for typhoid. And became the first country in the world that has this typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) in its routine immunization schedule. You can consult the best general physicians in Pakistan for more information about this vaccine and get your child immunized in his/her early years.
Now, the question arises, how to deal with this infection?
Unfortunately, many antibiotics are no longer effective in this infection due to microbial resistance. But luckily, we still have some drugs on the list that can combat this malady.
Typhoid is a severe type of infection. A high-grade fever makes the body lethargic and weak. The effect of infection on the digestive system also reduces food intake. In this situation, it is important to take a diet that gives you maximum nutrition and strengthen your immune system.
On the other hand, food that is not easily digested should be avoided. The gastrointestinal disturbances are common in typhoid. Hence, a soft diet is beneficial for the patient.
What foods should I take during typhoid fever?
The experts suggest a proper diet plan for typhoid patients. Here are some of the major foods that should be included in the patient’s daily diet.
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High-calorie food:
Poached eggs, white bread, portions of pasta, porridge, and rice are the best high-calorie foods that can be added to the patient’ s diet. It is advised to take small portions of meals after regular intervals of time.
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Foods rich in carbs:
Patients can take porridge, soft rice, fruit custards, baked potatoes to fulfill their carbohydrates’ requirements.
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More fluid intake:
Fluid intake compensates for the dehydration caused by typhoid fever. Doctors suggest taking ORS, glucose-water, and water in maximum quantity.
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Fruits and Fresh juices:
Take fresh fruits like watermelon, apricots, bananas. And juices, coconut water, vegetable broths, soups are also beneficial for the patients.
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Dairy products:
Take milk, yogurt, and cheese as they provide proteins to your diet.
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Meat:
You can take boiled chicken and fish.
What foods should I avoid during typhoid?
Foods that are not easily digestible, should be avoided in typhoid. Some of them are listed below:
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Oily foods:
Fried items and butter should be avoided in this fever
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Spicy foods:
Spices can worsen the inflammation of your intestine (caused by bacterial infection). So, spices like pepper, chilies, vinegar, sauces, etc. should be avoided
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High fiber foods:
Your digestive system cannot digest them easily. So, doctors advise avoiding foods like whole-grain bread and whole-grain cereals in your diet.
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Raw vegetables:
They can cause bloating and not easily digestible. For instance, turnips, cabbage, capsicum, etc.
Apart from this, you can take multivitamins after recovering from the infection to regain your immunity level.
Prevention is always better than cure. Health care professionals advise getting the vaccine to prevent this infection. Similarly, maintaining personal hygiene is also very important. Avoiding street foods and drinking clean water is also very important to control the spread of this disease.
People usually ignore their fever and misunderstand typhoid with other ailments. It is advisable to consult your doctor as soon as possible. You can consult the best general physician in Karachi through Marham. And if you have any symptoms, go for a typhoid test!
During the corona pandemic, it is very common to misunderstand the symptoms of COVID-19 infection with typhoid fever. But you need not worry because now you can consult your doctors while staying in your homes. Just click on the link and consult the general physicians online!