Try something spicy the next time you have a headache, it just might help. Spicy foods like salsa, buffalo sauce, hot sauce, creole seasoning, Caribbean jerk-style foods, and spicy curry can all top the list of foods to eat when you are sick with congestion, sore throat, or headache.
Even if you start feeling a little under the weather, curry is a great way of clearing your sinuses and fighting off the sniffles once and for all.
Yellow curry.
In addition to containing chiles, which clear the nasal passages, yellow curry also has turmeric, well-known for its amazing anti-inflammatory properties. A couple bowls does wonders for sore throats and aching legs.
Spicy foods
Any dishes containing hot sauce, chilli powder, nutmeg, pepper or curry powder can aggravate a sore throat by making the inflammation worse. This is because spices trigger the salivary glands and cause high amounts of mucus to be created in the throat.
Eat a diet that follows the acronym, BRAT – bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Most people suffering from diarrhea can tolerate a few of these simple foods. Bland foods. Although not super exciting, very plain and bland foods can help ease symptoms.
THE REMEDY WORKS BY STIMULATING MUCUS AND MAKING THE EYES AND NOSE RUN, EXTRA MUCUS TRAPS THE VIRUS AND SOOTHES INFLAMED PASSAGES. "ANYONE FEELING ROTTEN WITH A COLD OR FLU WILL FEEL A LOT BETTER AFTER A CURRY", PROFESSOR ECOLES SAID.
While spicy foods can make your sinuses feel clearer, they can't cure the common cold. In fact, spicy foods are known to increase nausea and stomach pain. Be cautious when consuming spicy foods while under the weather. They may temporarily help relieve some symptoms, but the spice cannot cure your cold.
Eat chicken soup – or some curry
A cold is a good excuse for a hot curry, says Professor Eccles. “Spicy food and drink promotes salivation and airway mucus secretions that soothe coughs and sore throats,” he explains.
Chicken dishes that contain too many spices, oil, cream or are made with rich ingredients can interfere with your recovery. Such foods are difficult to digest and can further weaken your body instead of helping it.
Turmeric is known for its antibacterial and anti-viral properties which makes it the best remedy for treating cough and cold.
Eating protein-rich foods ensures that you stay strong and produce enough antibodies necessary for dealing with the flu virus. You can drink chicken soup, or try Kashmiri mutton shorba (flavoured with whole spices, garam masala, garlic, ginger, and saunf).
Loading up on foods that contain spicy ingredients like chili peppers can help break up mucus and clear out your sinus passages. Spicy foods can also improve symptoms of a cough. Be aware, though — spicy foods can also cause bloating, nausea, or pain in some people.
Eating spicy food is a natural way to open nasal passages and get mucus flowing. Capsaicin, the compound found in chiles that gives them their heat, can help ease sinus pain, reduce inflammation and release blocked mucus.
When you have a sore throat, eat soft foods that are easy to swallow such as yogurt, oatmeal, pasta, and eggs. You should avoid hard, firm foods and acidic foods that can irritate the throat when it's inflamed.
Greasy, fatty foods, like fried chicken, often leave your stomach feeling unsettled and heavy, wreaking more havoc on your body than you need. Steer clear of fast food when you're sick or fighting off a cold.
Plain flavored yogurt is the best way to help your body recover from touches of the flu and colds. When choosing a yogurt, be sure to pick one that is rich with probiotics. This healthy bacteria helps shorten the duration of your illness by giving your body the strength to fight back.
Try foods such as bananas, rice, applesauce, dry toast, soda crackers (these foods are called BRAT diet). For 24-48 hours after the last episode of vomiting, avoid foods that can irritate or may be difficult to digest such alcohol, caffeine, fats/oils, spicy food, milk or cheese.