Nutrition and Hydration: Key Weapons in the Fight Against COVID-19

FOR PATIENTS RECOVERING AT HOME Nutrition and Hydration: Key Weapons in the Fight Against COVID-19

Importance of Hydration STAY HYDRATED The optimal liquids to take are clear and Nutrition During Your Drinking water and clear liquid liquid beverages with calories and protein, oral rehydration solutions or Illness beverages are important even if you do not feel thirsty. You need to replace sports drinks. Drinking these types The body is composed of about 70% your body’s fluid losses and thin your of beverages is particularly helpful as 1 water. Water is normally lost in urine respiratory secretions. they provide your body with calories, and stool and from our skin and essential electrolytes and minerals respiratory tract. When ill with a fever, When you are dehydrated, your that your body needs to function. the body loses water rapidly. respiratory secretions thicken and are hard to clear from your lungs. Being The following are examples of For an adult with a fever of 102◦ unable to clear your secretions from appropriate solutions that can be (39◦ C), sweating results in the loss your lungs may lead to pneumonia. purchased online: of about 30 ounces of fluid every 24 abbottstore.com/infant-and-child/ Signs of dehydration are increased hours with an additional 3 ounces pedialyte.html lost during coughing and breathing.2 thirst, fever, dark colored urine, nestlenutritionstore.com/boost-breeze. Fluid deficits are further magnified by reduced urine output, dry mouth, html losses due to nausea, vomiting and/or increased heart rate, tiredness and diarrhea, and inadequate fluid intake confusion. For more information on dripdrop.com/collections/dehydration- related to poor appetite. dehydration: anhi.org/resources/ relief printable/dehydration-infographic-for- ceraproductsinc.com/collections/ Unintentional weight loss during patients ceraproducts illness is an indication that the body is losing fluids and utilizing the body’s Drink water or clear liquid fluids gatorade.com/products/sports-drinks fat and muscle for energy and protein every hour. At a minimum, you should powerade.com to maintain normal bodily functions. drink 2–4 ounces of fluid every 15 Body fluid, fat and muscle losses minutes. Rehydration Drink Recipe impact your ability to fight the illness Monitor yourself for signs of and recover. dehydration. Increase your fluid intake Mix the following in a pitcher: Hydration and nutrition play an as needed to ensure that you are ½ ‒ ¾ tsp salt important role in your body’s response passing light yellow urine every 3‒4 1 cup of juice (orange, grape, apple, to and recovery from the COVID-19 hours. cranberry) virus and are an essential part of your Consider the following: medical treatment. 3 ½ cups water • Take frequent small sips of liquids every few minutes if you are not able What You Need to Do to drink large volumes of fluids at one time. Even though you may not be thirsty EAT A HIGH CALORIE, HIGH or hungry, it is important that you • Use a variety of liquids to avoid taste PROTEIN DIET fatigue. continue to eat and drink fluids to Although you may not have an appetite support your body’s ability to fight the • Keep liquids at your bedside to sip and food does not taste good to you virus and support your body’s immune during the night. now — it is critical that you eat. Your function. • If you are vomiting or have diarrhea, body needs calories and protein to Follow these simple steps to keep your make sure that you are taking an maintain its metabolic functions and body hydrated and nourished. oral hydration solution in addition to body weight during this critical time. water. Continued

Energy needs, expressed in terms • If food tastes metallic — eat with WEIGH YOURSELF DAILY of calories, vary by body size, age, plastic utensils Body weight is an indication of your sex, and health status. Intake of • Choose less sweet foods hydration and nutrition status. Weight energy, especially as carbohydrates, loss is indicative of the continued loss is important to protect against • Consider adding sugar if foods or of body fluids, body fat, and muscle. breakdown of muscle for energy. beverages are too salty or too bitter The loss of muscle will make you feel For normal weight maintenance • Add spices to flavor plain foods weaker and may affect your ability to caloric intake should be 1500–2000 get out of bed, walk, and perform your calories. This should be increased CONSIDER THE USE OF ORAL activities of daily living. Rebuilding by about 400–500 calories during NUTRITION SUPPLEMENTS lost muscle mass takes a long time so preventing muscle loss during the increased stress and infection. When you do not feel hungry or are acute phase of illness will optimize too tired to eat enough regular food, High protein intake is important to your recovery. maintain your muscle mass. About oral nutrition supplements are an easy 75‒100 grams of protein (10‒14 way to get the calories and protein ounces of a protein source) are you need. Oral nutrition supplements Nutrition during needed per day. are commercially available drinks your Recovery and that are nutrient dense and ready Eat high protein, high calorie meals Rehabilitation to drink. These drinks provide the and snacks throughout the day. Here extra calories, protein, and essential As you recover from COVID-19, are tips to increase protein intake: nutrients needed by the body in a continue to eat a high calorie, high med.umich.edu/1libr/Nutrition/ concentrated form. protein diet. This diet along with HighCalorieHighProteinIdeas.pdf regular exercise, will help you regain To optimize intake, consider oral any muscle mass that you lost during nutrition supplements that provide a your illness and help you get back to High Protein Shake Recipe minimum of 150 calories and 15–30 your normal activities. ¾ cup of full fat yogurt (Greek yogurt grams of protein per 8 ounces. may have more protein) Include oral nutrition supplements in For more information, visit 1 cup whole milk your daily diet by: nutritioncare.org/COVID19. 2 tbsp peanut butter • Sipping chilled oral nutrition Fresh fruit to taste (½ banana, mango supplements throughout the day. References and/or berries) 1.Demling RH. Nutrition, anabolism, and the • Using variety of flavors to avoid taste wound healing process: an overview. Eplasty. fatigue. 2009;9:e9. Add more milk if needed to desired • Adding additional servings of oral 2.Reithner L. Insensible water loss from the thickness. nutrition supplements when you are respiratory tract in patients with fever. Acta Chir Scand. 1981;147(3):163-167. Provides about 12 grams of protein; unable to eat regular food. 200 calories per cup. Makes 2 ½ cups. Oral nutrition supplements can be purchased at the grocery store, pharmacy or ordered online directly from the manufacturers below: If the taste or smell of food is abbottstore.com/adult-nutrition/ interfering with your intake, consider ensure.html the following tips: • Cold or room-temperature food may nestlenutritionstore.com/shop-by- taste better (sandwiches, cottage categories/supplemental-nutrition/ cheese) than hot, which tend to give protein.html off stronger flavor and odor