Therapeutic Dietary Guidelines to Curb Tuberculosis

In today’s world, everyone is living on their toes. We are always on the go and have no time to spare. We push ourselves through everything because how else do we fit in the ever-growing world? But amongst this rush and zeal, we tend to ignore our physical, mental and social well-being. Overburdening makes us prone to disease and illness. Tuberculosis is one such disease that has made its way through and has been growing rapidly. In 2018, around 10 million people fell ill with tuberculosis (TB) worldwide. While tuberculosis can be cured, the treatment duration is around 6-9 months.

What is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium Tuberculosis which majorly attacks the lungs. The bacteria can also spread to other parts of the body leading to serious health issues. Symptoms include coughing that lasts three or more weeks, chest pain, fatigue, fever, weight loss, coughing up blood and loss of appetite. TB is an airborne disease and it spreads when a person with TB sneezes or spits, propelling the TB germs into the air. A person inhaling this air gets infected and the bacteria invades their body. Those at risk of developing TB are people infected with HIV, babies and young children, people with a weak immune system and people who were infected by the TB bacteria in the last two years. Although TB is cured by various antibiotics taken over a course of 6 months, a therapeutic diet can go a long way. A nutritious diet will build a more active and energetic body that can result in a speedy recovery.

A therapeutic diet would include the following items:

Food rich with protein: Eggs, paneer, tofu, soya chunks are rich with protein and can easily be absorbed by the body. Nuts and dry fruits can also be taken
Food rich with zinc: Chia seeds, sunflower seeds, flax, and sesame contain a high amount of zinc which provides our body the strength to fight off TB. Mushroom, fish, and chicken are sources of zinc.

Unsaturated Fats: During TB, it is difficult for the body to digest saturated fats. Make healthy unsaturated fats a part of your diet with foods like walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, avocado, olive oil, and fatty fish.

Calorie dense Foods: Banana, whole wheat, ragi, brown rice, and other whole-grain items food should be consumed as they help in compensating for the weight loss due to the disease.
Avoid caffeine: Caffeine can act as a stimulant and encourage bacterial action.Switch to herbal concoctions instead like concoctions made with turmeric, clove, bay leaf, or pepper.

Antioxidants and leafy green vegetables: Kale and spinach are sources of iron. Carrots, tomatoes, cherries, and blueberries act as antioxidants helping in curing the disease.
Food rich with Vitamin A, C, and E: Vitamin C is obtained from amla, guava, orange, lemon while Vitamin A is found in mango, papaya, and sweet pumpkin. Nuts, seeds, vegetable oil are rich in Vitamin E. All these three vitamins are powerful antioxidants helping your body fight off bacterial infections.

Over to You

Even though medicine is changing the face of the earth and curing even the most critical diseases, a balanced and healthy diet cannot be replaced by any medicine. Maintaining a nutritious diet is nothing but a reward for your body. By eating right, you can protect your body from several bacteria and viruses thus allowing yourself to lead a happy and healthy life.