World Malaria Day is celebrated every year on April 25. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared World Malaria Day in 2007 as part of its initiative to raise awareness about the disease. This disease is spread in humans through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
Despite being a curable disease, malaria has been a deadly disease among communities around the world. According to the WHO, there were an estimated 241 million malaria cases and 627,000 malaria-related deaths in 85 countries in 2020 alone. Malaria is particularly devastating in African countries and the Indian subcontinent.
It is very important to know what diet to follow if you suffer from malaria. A healthy diet and limiting a few foods can help with a speedy recovery. According to senior dietitian Himanshi Sharma of Kailash Hospital, Delhi, a balanced diet is essential to recover from malaria. She says if your diet is rich in nutrients and made up of healthy food choices, you’re more likely to make a full recovery from the disease.
The diet should include the following foods.
Fruits such as papaya, grapes, berries, orange, kiwi, melon and pineapple should be taken while recovering from malaria. These fruits are rich in vitamin C and they detoxify your body, which helps the body fight the disease.
The person recovering from malaria should stay hydrated. Coconut water, sugar cane juice, and pomegranate juice can be taken to stay hydrated. Staying hydrated is a must to treat malaria.
Soups and vegetables should be included in your diet. Tomato and carrot soup, broccoli broth, and basil soup can be taken.
Legumes such as masoor dal, moong dal, urad dal and chickpeas are great sources of protein and should be taken while recovering from malaria.
What not to eat with Malaria
Himanshi Sharma says fried foods should be avoided as it can cause nausea, vomiting and stomach upset. Canned and processed foods should also be avoided at all costs. Only simple home cooked food should be given to the patient. Special care should be taken that the patient’s food is not too greasy or spicy.
Caffeine-based drinks, such as coffee, should also be avoided while recovering from malaria.
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