Measles
Measles is a respiratory ailment caused by Morbillivirus. It is also known as morbilli or more commonly as rubeola but is a different ailment from rubella which is called German measles. The two have a lot of similarities, including rashes and fever, but are actually distinct from each other. Sometimes, to really make a differentiation, common measles is called as English measles as opposed to German measles.
The disease is very contagious. In fact, in a given household, there is a 90% chance that the other people will be affected as long as they have not been vaccinated or have not obtained immunity from measles.
The patient is infectious for about 9 days of the disease, up to 2 to 5 days after the onset of rash.
Sometimes, the patient may also experience Koplik’s spots in the mouth. Still, it is rare for these to be observed as these often go away after a day of appearing. Measles has an incubation period of about 14 days. At the onset of the disease, the patient will experience fever that could last for 4 days. This is accompanied by conjunctivitis, runny nose, and cough. After a few days, the rash begins to spread from the head towards the rest of the body.
Measles Diet
When a person is suffering from measles, they need to take a particular diet to help them recuperate from this ailment faster and to get them back to a healthy state. Here are some dietary suggestions for measles:
- People with measles will benefit from an all fruit diet the first three days of the ailment. Fresh fruits should be used for this step along with fresh fruit juices like orange juice and lemon juice. Hydration is also important so the constant intake of fluids like juices and water is needed.
- After the all fruit stage of this diet, the patient should be given a soft diet that consists of fruits, whole grain cereals, and bland soups. Fruits like cantaloupes, grapes, and grapefruits are seen as ideal for this treatment as well. A balanced diet should then follow after a few days of this soft and low sodium, low spice diet.
- The balanced diet that follows this soft diet should consist of foods that are good for the patient and are those high in vitamins A, B complex, and C. Try to avoid greasy foods, fatty foods, and processed items. Try to avoid caffeinated and sweet drinks like coffee and soft drinks to help the individual heal better.
