What Diet Should Be Followed When Suffering From Typhoid?

Posted on Mon, 20 Jan 2014

Question: Hi doctor Greetings Wish you a very happy new year My sister age 13 years approx is suffering from typhoid. Kindly suggest the diet she should take in order to recover quickly from the disease. She is non-vegetarian

Answered by Dr. Vaishalee Punj (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: Hi Detailed Answer: Hi Thanks for your query, I am sorry to know about your sister's condition. I usually advise the following changes in diet in typhoid fever. During and at least one month after typhoid, the patient needs to take liquid diet. The diet has to be easily digestible and devoid of complex non-digestible proteins. Thus the diet can include items like XXXXXXX khichdi, soft roti mashed in curry of sabzi, nicely mashed rice, mashed fruit, milk, etc I also advise against non-vegetarian food during this period. The reason is that non-vegetarian food may have been handled by a vendor that may be a carrier of typhoid. It may also have been washed in water contaminated with the typhoid germs. Especially fish needs to be avoided. Raw food like salad and other raw vegetables should be avoided as the intestines are sore. Nutritious food and fruit should be taken. She should thoroughly wash her hands before and after taking food. She should not prepare her own food during this period to avoid contamination from her own germs. Hope it helps. Let me know if I can assist you further. Dr Vaishalee

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Vaishalee Punj (2 hours later)

You mentioned nutritious Food.plz explain them

Answered by Dr. Vaishalee Punj (13 hours later)

Brief Answer: Hi again Detailed Answer: Hi again The foods to be included are refined cereals, bread, boiled potato, poridges, XXXXXXX khichdi, coconut water, barley water, milk, milk shakes (if no diarrhoea), custards, thin dal, curries, eggs, baked fish, curd, cottage cheese, cereals, gruels, steamed vegetable mashed, milk puddings (thin), fresh fruit juice. The foods to be avoided are chillies, spices, rich pastries, fried foods, raw foods, irritating fibers, butter, ghee, vegetable oil, cream puddings, etc. Since lots of water gets lost during the infection, proper hydration is needed. Hydrate with the purest water available preferably from reverse osmosis technique of filtration. Can also add electral pouch to 1 liter water to replace the lost electrolytes. The electrolyte levels can be checked from blood tests. Hope it helps. Take care. Dr Vaishalee

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj