Eating a healthy diet isn’t just important when we’re in good health, it’s also very important if we are recovering from an illness or an injury. Good nutrition plays a vital role in building up your body’s defences against illness and recovering your strength after an injury.¹ When you feel unwell, you often feel less hungry and eat less, and, unfortunately, that can make you lose weight.¹ This weight loss can reduce your body’s ability to fight off infection, weaken your immune system and slow your recovery.¹ By following your Dietitian’s advice and eating a balanced diet with the right amount of energy and protein, you can aid your recovery, strengthen your immune system and help reduce further weight loss.¹

A healthy, balanced diet high in vitamins, minerals, protein and energy can help you recover more quickly, regain your strength and energy, and increase your immune system’s ability to protect you from disease.¹ Some examples of foods that can help boost your immune system include:

• Blueberries: These are rich in antioxidants – nutrients that help the immune system respond to colds²
• Citrus fruits: Oranges, mandarins and grapefruit are a good source of vitamin C, which our bodies use to make the antibodies that fight infections²
• Spinach: Spinach is also  great source of antioxidants, as well as vitamins A and C and can boost the infection-fighting ability of the immune system²

After an illness, it can take some time for your appetite to return to normal, and you may be eating less than you did before you were ill. Oral nutritional supplements like Ensure® can help you meet your nutritional requirements during your recovery.¹ 

If you want to know more about good nutrition during illness and recovery, and if nutritional supplements such as Ensure® might be helpful, talk to your Dietitian.

Ensure® is food for special medical purposes. Use under medical supervision. 

References

1. Nutritionist Resource. Rehabilitation. Available from: https://www.nutritionist-resource.org.uk/articles/rehabilitation.html.

2. SeniorsMatters.com. 16 Foods To Help Boost Senior Immune Systems During Winter. Available from: https://www.seniorsmatter.com/16-foods-to-help-boost-senior-immune-systems-during-winter/2491871.

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