Can you eat Chicken and Eggs during Chicken pox?

Chicken pox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Chicken pox is highly contagious disease and generally affects children. When a person is infected with chicken pox you will see a breakout of rashes all over the body which appears in the form of pus filled boils.

The person infected with chicken pox will have low appetite. The first 2 days the child will feel weak and fatigued. He’ll not feel like eating much quantity of food and will rely on liquid diet. After the fourth day the child will improve on food intake.

The number of blisters will keep increasing as days progress. You will see fresh ones near the genitals, palms, feet and sole, mouth and scalp area too.

The most important question that will come to your mind is with regard to the kind of food your child can and cannot consume. Make sure that his/her diet includes foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Importance is placed on eating fruits and vegetables.

Foods to avoid during Chicken pox

• In India people avoid eating non-vegetarian foods like chicken, meat, fish and eggs etc. Considered to be hot and aggravate the boils.
• Quantity of salt is reduced to avoid itching. Ghee addition, oily foods are avoided to ensure proper digestion. Spicy foods are totally avoided to minimize itching and easy digestion.
• Avoid citric fruits and juices as it may cause itching.
• Avoid wheat flour, by-products of wheat-All purpose flour (maida), bread as it will increase heat in the body.
• Do not use dhals -tur dhal, moong dhal, chick pea (chana) etc as it can cause pus in the boils. Usually potato is also avoided along with masalas while cooking vegetable curries.

Foods to eat during Chicken pox

• Consume fruits and vegetables in plenty. Banana, Water melon, berries, guava are ideal. Avoid citric fruits as it may cause itching.
• Eat curds, drink butter milk to cool the body.
• Serve porridge with coconut chutney ( Thenga chammandhi Recipe; Grind ½ cup grated raw coconut, shallots:5 (or) ½ an onion, small piece of tamarind,1/2 tsp of grated ginger, ½ tsp chilli powder, 2-3 curry leaves, salt: to taste, Grind all ingredients with 3 tsp of water).
• Use non stick pan to make dosa, appam. Puttu is a steam cooked rice recipe, ideal during chicken pox. Mix with yellow color small banana.
• In South India people consume rice in the form of puffed rice or flattened rice mixed with chopped banana or fruits.

Do’s during Chicken pox

• Drink lots and lots of water and keep body hydrated.
• Spread neem leaves on the bed cover such that the patient’s skin will be in contact with the leaves.
• Use neem leaves to avoid itching sensation. Gently fan the spots with neem fronds (tender leaves) if you feel itchy. The essential oils from neem leaves will provide soothing feeling.
• If itching is severe, mix 1 tspn of baking soda in 2 glasses of water and then sponge the body with this solution.
• After the rashes have dried, a lengthy bath can be planned for your child. Heat water in which neem leaves and fresh turmeric has been added I day in advance. The next day heat the same water and then bath. This water has medicinal properties with antibacterial properties as well.
• Wear loose, light colored cotton clothes. Also recommended to use light colored bed spreads.
• Doctors advise to apply Calamine lotion over the boils to get relief from itching. Gives cooling affect.

Dont’s during Chicken pox

• Do not scratch vigorously and break the boils. Water will ooze and infection will spread further. It will also lead to ugly scars.
• Do not leave the person unattended during the initial 3 days. The weakness will be severe and the patient will faint with exhaustion due to fever and body pains.
• Do not send the infected person out of the house-school, play school or work as it is contagious.
• Do not bathe till all the boils and rashes have dried. Skin should not come in contact with water. Avoid medicated soaps.

The Ayurvedic name for chicken pox is Laghu Masurika. Generally speaking, the disease would take between 10 and 15 days to run its course. Ayurveda recommends fanning with neem leaves, application of neem paste, honey on the blisters. Oatmeal soak is another option for sponging the body.

Chicken pox is a contagious disease and can spread quite easily from person to person. Doctors too inform that the chicken pox virus spreads when the rashes starts falling. The most contagious time is during the initial 2 to 5 days of the illness. The chicken pox virus may spread through contact with infected droplets that are released into the air while coughing and sneezing.

As chicken pox is caused by a virus, antibiotics are not helpful. Usually treatment for chicken pox involves topical applications in order to reduce discomfort caused by the rash. Medication may also be given to reduce fever and pains.

Neem leaves play a key role in Ayurvedic treatment for chicken pox. Neem has antiviral properties and hence combats the varicella zoster virus. It quickens the drying of the fluid in the blisters, and reduces the itchy and scratchy sensation that the chicken pox blisters cause.

Massive cleaning is to be done in the home after the infected person has had bath and no further symptoms are seen in the other family members.

There is another condition called shingles which is another form of chicken pox affected by the nerves. Read more in upcoming article.

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Ice Apple-a Natural Coolant to Beat Summer Heat

Mother Nature has gifted mankind with various ways to keep our body cool during hot summer days. That is the main reason we see plenty of cucumber, water melon, tender coconut and ice apple i.e the tender fruit of palmyra tree.

The elders take maximum care to prepare smoothies, lassi and fruit juices to make the family members feel comfortable. When out of home most of the people depend on tender coconut– nariyal pani, lime juices, pudinah pani to balance the heat and get going with the scheduled work.

The humidity is high in the air, and with getting exposed to hot waves the body sweats constantly and you can observe small red rashes, commonly known as prickly heat all over the body especially the back, neck, along the folds of hands and legs.

Ice apple / Munjalu / Thaadi Nungu is a seasonal fruit and can be found in plenty in summer. The watery fluid found inside the jelly has excellent cooling properties. The tender, pale white, translucent jelly like fruit is seasonal and is a very good alternative for body cooling. Children love ice apple for its taste and softness.  Ice apple flesh is similar to the fruit litchi in texture and taste similar to coconut.

Also read: How to Overcome Common Summer Health Problems

Health Benefits of Ice Apple:

• Ice apple is rich in vitamins, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, thiamin, riboflavin etc.
• Seasonal problems like prickly heat affect children and grownups alike in summer.  Ice apple is an excellent remedy for prickly heat.  You can actually apply the mashed jelly on the affected areas and find quick relief to that nasty itch. The soothing effect of the ice apple fights fatigue and provides immediate relief.  This application needs to be continued for two to three days and the prickly heat boils will quickly vanish away.
• Pregnant women can overcome constipation and related difficulties with the help of ice apple. Improves digestion and tackles acidity problems too.
• Dieters who are on a weight loss regimen can take ice apple as it does not contain fat or carbohydrates.
• Those affected with chicken pox and measles can take ice apple regularly to bring down the intensity of the disease condition as well as aid rapid healing.
• Taking the fruit with the skin may taste a bit sour and it can heal stomach ulcers.  So take a few fruits along with the skin for attaining maximum benefit.
• Ice apples helps to cool the body and helps to reduce exceeding white discharge in women.
• Ice apple is a good appetizer and it is recommended for aneamic patients too.

Various preparations of Ice apple:

The jelly part is cut to pieces and added to cool milk and honey.  This preparation also called Ice apple kheer cools the body and helps tackle the hot summer.

Consumption of ice apples:

Ice apples must be consumed at once when cut as it become rubbery when stored and the sugar inside ferments changing its taste. The period is very short and the fruits usually appear in early summer.

Ice apple has a buff color covering that has to be removed to eat the ice apple inside.  Each fruit contains a small quantity of sweet water and the peeler must cut the fruit carefully to avoid the sweet water to drip away.

Ayurvedic Home Remedy-Ice apple:

Ice apple is also recommended by Ayurveda as a natural remedy to overcome summer heat and associated health problems. Take the benefits of Ice apple , beat the summer heat by consuming them fresh, this will ensure you stay away from summer problems i.e fatigue, heat strokes, indigestion and the common prickly heat.

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