10 Foods With Healing Powers That Can Help You Recover Quickly From Sicknesses

Food has such a profound effect on several aspects of human health. From helping to give you energy for work, to helping to keep your organs functioning the way they are meant to, food is one of the biggest deciding factors of how well you live.

Foods can also come to the fore when you are down with one illness or the other. In fact, it is believed that food plays an important role when you are recovering from an illness or surgery.

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Studies have shown certain foods, including fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and protein sources, possess certain healing properties, which can help reduce inflammation, improve immune function, and promote healing when you are recovering.

In this article on EKO HOT BLOG, we would be looking at some foods that can help patience recover quickly from sicknesses.

1. Leafy green vegetables

Leafy green vegetables, including kale, spinach, fluted pumpkin, and mustard greens are all brimming with nutrients that decrease inflammation, boost immune function, and improve wound healing, making them the perfect choice to promote recovery. They are also rich in vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, folate, and provitamin A, all of which are considered essential nutrients for immune function and overall health.

In addition to those, their polyphenol antioxidants are also on the high side. These antioxidants have powerful anti-inflammatory and immune-supportive properties, and they are linked to the suppression of the production of inflammatory proteins like TNF-alpha. With their vitamin C content also very high, increasing your intake of leafy green vegetables can help you be back on your feet sooner than later.

2. Eggs

When recovering from an illness or surgery, your body needs more protein and fortunately, eggs are protein-dense. According to Jillian Kubala of Healthline, eggs are not only rich in absorbable protein but are also rich in nutrients that boost the immune wound healing and the immune system. Such nutrients include vitamins A and B12, zinc, iron, and selenium, all of which play vital immune roles.

3. Salmon

Salmon is one of the most popular fatty fish and its nutrient profile is considered an impressive one. It is an excellent source of protein, B vitamins, selenium, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fats, with its omega-3 fats content known to promote wound healing, enhance immune response, and reduce inflammation when taken in supplement form.

4. Berries

Berries such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, are all rich in many nutrients and plant compounds that can help support your body’s recovery. According to Healthline, they are rich in vitamin C, which helps to promote healing by stimulating the production of collagen. They are also rich in antioxidants like anthocyanins, which possess powerful anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and immune-supporting properties.

5. Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds, including almonds, walnuts, hemp seeds, and sunflower seeds also possess healing properties. They can help fuel your body during the recovery process and provide your body with plant-based protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals that support healing. They are a good source of recovery and immune system-boosting nutrients such as zinc, vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium.

6. Poultry

Studies have shown that chicken and turkey are rich in specific amino acids, which serve as the building blocks of protein and which play important roles in wound healing and immune function. They are both rich in glutamine and arginine, two amino acids that studies have shown to help recovery and healing. Glutamine helps provides cellular protection during an illness and injury, while arginine assists in collagen production and wound healing.

7. Organ meats

Aside from the few potential downsides of organ meats, they are incredibly nutritious and their health benefits are quite profound. They also possess healing properties thanks to the many immune-supportive nutrients, they contain such as vitamin A, iron, zinc, B vitamins, and copper, which is needed for the production of connective tissue and collagen. They are also an excellent source of protein, which is necessary for recovery after surgery and illness.

8. Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables like kale, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, should also feature more prominently on your diet plans, not just because of their healing properties, but also because of their impressive health benefits. They contain compounds known as glucosinolates, which your body converts into isothiocyanates, which help promote immune health by suppressing inflammation and activating immune defences.

9. Shellfish

Shellfish are well known for their incredibly high levels of zinc, an important mineral for healthy immune function. According to Jillian Kubala of Healthline, the high zinc content of shellfish such as oysters, mussels, and clams, can also help speed recovery and promote wound healing, making shellfish great for those on the mend or recuperating from surgery

10. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are healthy high carbohydrate foods, and studies have shown how important it is to eat such high-carb foods during recovery. They not only provide the energy your cells require for healing but also help stimulate the production of certain enzymes, including hexokinase and citrate synthase, which are 2 enzymes linked to wound repair.