I am super sick right now and haven’t eaten much in a few days. It’s getting to the point where I am gonna need to force myself to eat something to keep my strength up but everything just sounds terrible to me right now. I have been subsisting mostly on small glasses of milk and the occasional packet of instant oatmeal.
Any suggestions on things to eat that go down easy and has nutritional value? Flavor is pretty far down on my list of requirements right now and I’m finding myself exhausted after chewing a few bites. Any serious suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Chicken soup has a good reputation in this regard.
I saw recently that chicken soup actually causes an immune response of some kind that helps make you better.
They used to call it “Jewish penicillin”
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In my area most people suggest Gatorade or pedialyte (my go to). Going without a meal or a few is okay, but make sure to drink, get electrolytes, and make sure it has sugar in it.
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Meal replacement shake (or bar) with calories, vitamins, and minerals. It’s what doctor’s recommended after I hit the pavement.
My doctor suggested Soylent and I found some near me. I was thinking this might be an option.
I’ve had illness that broke my swallowing. Soylent is relatively good tasting, has the nutrients you need, and goes down fast and easy. It isn’t pleasant to live on, but I did it for almost two months and it was way better than only eating soggy bread. I definitely recommend Soylent.
Edit: there’s also (I’m sorry I don’t remember the brand) a really good cinnabon breakfast shake that tastes good and helps break up the monotony of a meal replacement shake only diet.
The cinnamon one is Huel, which also has a better nutritional profile than Soylent
Awesom! Thank you. I didn’t realize it had a better nutritional profile. I wonder what the calories are like. I will have to look into it again for my breakfasts.
Seconding Soylent. I had some issues keeping food down a couple years ago because of some medication I was taking. Soylent was one of the few things I could “eat”. I still like it and drink the banana pie one for my lunch when I have to go into the office.
Yeah Soylent is still my go to for breakfast since I have a hard time eating in the mornings in general. I definitely am glad I can eat solid foods now, but Soylent is definitely convenient, easy, and nutritional.
I will admit I’ve only ever had the chocolate and vanilla. I’m not a big vanilla guy, so I pretty much “ate” only chocolate Soylent for a couple months lol. I had to “eat” more often since it’s only 320 I think calories per drink, though. I personally had a goal of 5 a day, so it was definitely hard to keep up the pace, and it got expensive for a time there.
A few drops of real vanilla extract can make Soylent a bit more palatable if you have a problem with the taste. I haven’t had it for a few years though. I spent a year and a bit mostly just having Soylent and Pho but now I’m back to cooking meals and eating keto.
I think Soylent tastes pretty good honestly. It’s just not great to be the only thing you love off off. It gets a bit monotonous after a couple weeks.
I did like it but found I would add chocolate powder or maple syrup once a day to break the monotony. I was having it for 3 of 4 meals a day.
I wonder if something like this would be good for me when I’ve no appetite when my IBD flares up.
It probably would be honestly. It kinda to me was like drinking a glass of chocolate milk that was mixed with chalk. It doesn’t sound appetizing but it really isn’t that bad.
I think the US hospital sent me home with boxes of brand names : boost and ensure. 100% nutrients type drink.
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MSG sensitivity isn’t a real thing, according to the studies done on it. It was a bad bit of science that got thrown into the news cycle and caused a panic (kinda like the vaccine==autism thing).
If you’re feeling bad from food with MSG in it, it’s probably because your body is pissed at you for consuming so much sodium in general.
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Did you not read my comment at all?
There were studies done that weren’t based on anecdotal evidence that disproved the concept of MSG sensitivity.
They took a bunch of people with self reported MSG sensitivity and gave them either MSG or a placebo, and there was not a statistically significant difference between the two groups.
This is no different than people thinking that WiFi is causing them headaches.
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I shouldn’t need to since the FDA does it for you.
You can type 7 characters into Google as easily as I can. I believe in you.
Hot buttered toast!
To add to this: cinnamon toast. Butter some bread, smear cinnamon sugar on it and microwave for thirty seconds. With bread goes down easy, and cinnamon toast is definitely the best way I came up with to get some carbs.
Microwave?!
Bruh get a toaster lol
My issue was with my swallowing. So actual toast was too crunchy to reliably get down. When the butter melted in the microwave, it sort of “set” into the bread. So it was super soggy and easily “dissolved” in my throat. So I personally couldn’t really eat “solid” foods. Microwaved cinnamon toast was the best way I found to get carbs.
Edit: could to couldnt
Just toast it less? Even a minute will ehat it enough to melt butter but not very crisp.
Yeah, I tried it toasted. I dealt with this for over two months. I tried just about everything. I know everyone is coming from a good place with these suggestions. I’m trying not to come across unpleasant, but it feels like it has the same energy as asking a depressed person if they’d tried being happy before.
I promise, I tried it. I put effort into putting food into my body that wouldn’t get caught in my throat and make me feel like I was going to choke and die. At one point I had 7 appointments with 6 different doctors in a two and a half week span. I really genuinely put effort into finding something I could eat. Soylent and mashed potatoes and soggy bread got me through it. I got sick of people telling me how much weight I’d lost like I didn’t own a mirror. I got sick of people telling me I’m just not cooking things right.
I went through something I think is similar to op, and I offered my suggestions. I’m not saying this is what op or anyone needs to do.
I’m just saying this is what helped me when I couldn’t eat, give it a shot if you want.
If it’s crispy you’re just toasting it too much, sorry. It’s not toasted, it’s warmed by a toaster,
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One of my favorites when I’m sick!
Also great to spread some jam on there too
Nuts are super nutrient-dense. Just a handful gets you a decent amount of calories & protein. You can crush some up and mix with your oatmeal if they’re too much to chew.
Nuts and seeds.
With women who have already had breast cancer, taking 12mg of lignin (found in flak and some other seeds) every day correlated with an 80% reduction in death after 5 years.
Beans are good also. As well as Greens, Onions, Mushrooms, & Berries.
(found in flak and some other seeds)
How much anti-aircraft fire do you have to take to get that 12mg though?
I like this idea!
Peanut butter is kinda my go-to snack in general, especially with some of the no sugar added flavored ones (I have one with coffee mixed in that’s amazing).
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BRAT diet. Bananas rice applesauce toast.
Chicken soup, plain white rice, buttered toast, peanut butter, and crackers are all things I can usually tolerate when I feel that way. Sometimes banana or vanilla yogurt. I hope you feel better soon!
Congee / rice porridge. Cook rice way down until it’s breaking apart. You can go simple/traditional by cooking it in water with a little ginger, or kick it up a notch by cooking it in chicken broth to add more flavor.
Oh yeah, rice with a little broth was a lifesaver the last time I was super sick. Drinking broth alone wasn’t cutting it, but the rice was still gentle enough that it didn’t make me want to die when I ate it.
And also adding pieces of chicken (cooked leftovers or raw, can even be bbq chicken) and eggs (any type, really). I use an Instant Pot on the porridge setting and use frozen chicken, bones or meat. Works a treat. Otherwise, I used to put everything on low overnight in a slow cooker to be ready when I wake up.
I’ve also used frozen fish, which is pretty good. It just falls apart in to flakes.
Top off with some spring onions, soy sauce, sesame oil before eating. All very delicious and easy to eat when you’re sick af and have a bad sore throat.
This sounds simple and right up my alley!
Nuts have a lot of calories in a small package, and as a migraneuse I can also verify that nuts and dried cherries are one of the least offensive things to deal with if you end up puking. If you have miso, miso soup is easy and gentle and tasty.
But mostly make sure you are drinking water with electrolytes. Your body can survive well without food calories for quite some time, and lack of appetite when sick may be a signal to fast and rest. Dehydration is much more likely and much more damaging.
Any soup is good imo. Like Cauliflower soup with bacon and garlic bread. Meat/vegetable soup.
As a last resort drinking broth can work.
It’s about getting energy into your body so you can heal
Disclaimer: English is not my first language and I’m too tired and sick to look them all up
Chicken broth and saltine crackers.
Chicken broth, yes! I tend to cure my hungover with it. Works wonders.
Honestly a good smoothie from somewhere is all I can get down when I’m feeling like that. Filling for about an hour or two though but pack with vitamins and goodness.
I find greasy umami stuff in small quantities gets me from “hunger nausea” to “hunger”
E.g buttered toast.
So the taste of buttered toast is umami? In that case, I LOVE umami!
Instant ramen and crack an egg into the boiling water right at the end and stir. Gives it some protein and makes it a more substantial meal.
Add some good (low sugar and low added fats) peanut butter or any other nut butter and/or ground nuts to your oats. Makes for a healthy and calorie rich meal that keeps you sated for a while. It’s easy on the stomach, does not cause the blood sugar to rise quickly and you can eat it spoon by spoon over the whole day, if necessary.
Also don’t forget to drink plenty. I find tea and highly diluted apple juice (like 10%) are ideal when I am sick.
