5 foods that can sabotage your recovery from illness

Feeling under the weather? Learn about the five foods that could sabotage your recovery from cold and flu season.

Indulging while you're feeling sick may seem harmless, but some studies suggest that dairy, alcohol, sweet foods and even juice can hurt you when you're ill. Learn about the five foods that could sabotage your recovery from cold and flu season.

Plan on skipping all alcoholic drinks while you're sick. Not only can they cause dehydration, but they can increase overall congestion. Alcohol can also adversely interact with many over-the-counter cold and flu medicines. Alcohol consumption has also been linked to a lowered immune system.

While avoiding dairy when sick used to be common advice, studies indicate that milk probably doesn't increase mucus production. However, people who are sensitive to dairy products often report that their mucus feels thicker when they eat dairy products. Dairy can also aggravate an upset stomach for certain people. Instead of instituting a dairy ban while sick, try evaluating how you feel after consuming certain dairy foods. Or, if you'd rather not chance feeling worse, just skip the ice cream until you're better.

Juice is packed with essential vitamins and antioxidants that can speed your recovery from a cold. However, if you had the stomach flu, you might want to skip orange juice and other juices that are high in acid until you recover. Start with clear liquids when recovery from gastrointestinal upset, then you can try apple or cranberry juice when you're feeling better.

Fried foods and other fatty fare should never be the cornerstone of your diet, but you should be sure to avoid them if you have the flu. Foods that are high in fat are difficult to digest, which may put undue stress on your already sick stomach. Fat also delays digestion and can cause bloat. Plus, you'll want to focus your body's energy on the recovery process.

Some nutritionists believe that sugar can suppress your immune system, so you might want to avoid sweet foods and drinks as much as possible when you're sick. Research suggests that sugar might prevent your body from being able to fight germs, but some doctors are skeptical that sugar might tank your immune system. However, all parties agree that eating a balanced diet that is low in sugar will help your overall health.

While some foods on this list may be tempting, eating them could prolong your sick days. Fruits, vegetables and protein are recommended at all stages of cold and flu recovery, as these foods will help you feel better.