Why you can trust Nutri Advanced  Every article on our site is researched thoroughly by our team of highly qualified nutritionists. Find out more about our editorial process.

Supporting your body’s ability to recover from infection is always an important consideration. And as much as you might feel like ‘powering on’ and rushing to get back to normal as quickly as possible, it can take time to recuperate fully following illness. The good news is there are proactive steps you can take to help support this recovery process and protect against unwanted post-viral symptoms such as aches, pains and lingering fatigue. Our aim with this article is to share these with you so you feel more empowered for post-viral recovery. Read on to find out more:

1. Prioritise sleep

There’s a good reason why fatigue often accompanies illness and infection, and why it can persist for many weeks beyond what may seem like a reasonable time. Fatigue is your body’s way of making you rest so that it can divert energy and resources towards recovery and repair instead. It’s important to listen to your body; now is not the time to carry on as normal, instead you need to take it easy and nurture yourself. Keep your schedule quieter during the day and don’t rush back to full time work until you feel ready for it. Prioritising regular good quality sleep is absolutely vital too, and arguably the most important way you can support this recovery process. In a 2019 review article published in Nature Reviews Immunology, Michael Irwin writes, “the discovery of reciprocal connections between the central nervous system, sleep and the immune system has shown that sleep enhances immune defences and that afferent signals from immune cells promote sleep.”1 If you ever needed a strong reason to make a priority of getting regular good quality sleep, then this is it. 

2. Avoid alcohol

Many people drink alcohol to relax and overcome feelings of stress, and whilst this may seem to bring an immediate calming and stress-relieving benefit, the overall impact of regularly drinking too much is commonly a negative one. Regular consumption of alcohol may impact mood, energy levels, disrupt sleep and may even promote neuro-inflammation. Whilst the mechanism of alcohol-related neuro-inflammation is still not well characterised, the possibility of this is certainly something you want to avoid during and following illness. The general debate over whether a bit of alcohol is better than none at all continues to run, however, we’d suggest avoiding alcohol completely if you’re recovering from illness and infection, and until you feel optimally better, due to its sleep-disrupting, energy-depleting and potential neuro-inflammatory effects.

3. Balance stress

Arguably one of the biggest ‘anti-nutrients’ known to man, chronic stress uses up key nutrients that are needed for recovery and repair. In addition, chronic stress may suppress the immune system and promote peripheral and neuro-inflammation;2 both of which are likely to be unhelpful for recovery processes. Now is the time you need optimal nutrition to fuel recovery, and this is also the time you want immune function at its best and inflammation under control. Needless to say, it’s crucial to take action to reduce stress if this is a concern for you. Start by identifying and then reducing any significant ongoing stressors that you can. The next step is to build in more time for self-care. And finally, optimise your intake of key stress-support nutrients such as magnesium, B vitamins, zinc and vitamin C. Adaptogenic herbs such as Asian ginseng, Rhodiola rosea and Cordyceps mycelium may also be helpful to support a balanced stress response.

4. Increase diversity of plant foods in the diet to support beneficial gut bacteria

The incredible internal ecosystem of gut microorganisms has become a hot topic in recent years and research is gathering pace to demonstrate just how crucial this is for health overall. We now know that the impact of diet on health is often mediated by gut bacteria – in fact, the potential for a particular food to have a positive health impact is often dependent on having healthy, thriving and diverse gut bacteria. There is therefore little point in loading up on superfoods if your gut needs some attention first. A great way to improve gut bacteria diversity is to increase the amount and types of colourful plant foods you consume in your diet. A wide variety of plant foods will feed a wide variety of different types of beneficial bacteria and support a thriving, health-supportive ecosystem that in turn will help you get the most of your diet.

5. Balance inflammation through diet and key nutrients

Acute inflammation is an essential process needed in the initial stages of illness, yet if it persists and becomes chronic this may be problematic for optimal recovery. Chronic neuro-inflammation in particular has been linked to post viral fatigue and is an important target in post viral support.3 Including in the diet, inflammation-balancing nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) & DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) is a great starting point. These important omega-3 fats can be found in rich supply in oily fish such as sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon, herring and trout. Refined sugar and dairy products may promote inflammation and may be best reduced or avoided during this recovery time. Key botanical considerations include curcumin, rutin, quercetin, rosemary and ginger. Vitamin D also has an important role to play in balancing inflammatory processes. It is widely considered that vitamin D supports balanced inflammation by regulating the production of inflammatory cytokines and immune cells4-8 and it is vital to ensure that levels are optimal.

Bringing together the foundations of wellness for optimal recovery

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to optimal recovery, and no quick-fix or magic pill. Instead, nourishing and nurturing your body back to optimal health following illness involves bringing together many different aspects that together provide the foundations for wellness. The good news is that together these 5 different areas provide a great starting point to significantly influence your body’s ability to recover, rebuild and recuperate.

References:
1. Irwin MR, Sleep and inflammation: partners in sickness and in health. Nature Reviews Immunology 19, 702-715(2019)
2. Liu YZ, Wang YX et al. Inflammation: The common pathway of stress-related diseases. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017; 11: 316
3. Yamato M, Kataoka Y. Fatigue sensation following peripheral viral infection is triggered by neuro-inflammation: who will answer these questions? Neural Regen Res. 2015 Feb; 10(2): 203-204
4. Pfeffer PE, Mann EH, et al. Vitamin D influences asthmatic pathology through its action on diverse immunological pathways. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2014; 11: S314–S321.
5. Chambers ES, Hawrylowicz CM. The impact of vitamin D on regulatory T cells. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2011;11: 29–36. 10.1007/s11882-010-0161-8
6. Siffledeen JS, Siminoski K, Steinhart H, Greenberg G, Fedorak RN. The frequency of vitamin D deficiency in adults with Crohn’s disease. Can J Gastroenterol 2003; 17:473–478.
7. Ulitsky A, Ananthakrishnan AN, Naik A, et al. Vitamin D deficiency in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: association with disease activity and quality of life. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr 2011; 35:308–316.
8. Sadeghian M, Saneei P, et al. Vitamin D status in relation to Crohn’s disease: meta-analysis of observational studies. Nutrition 2016; 32: 505–514.

This website and its content is copyright of Nutri Advanced ©. All rights reserved. See our terms & conditions for more detail.

Nutri Advanced has a thorough research process and for any references included, each source is scrutinised beforehand. We aim to use the highest value source where possible, referencing peer-reviewed journals and official guidelines in the first instance before alternatives. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate at time of publication on our editorial policy.