Who would have thought that something as small and seemingly harmless as a mosquito could cause so many inconveniences? From malaria to recently disputed zika virus, these little pesky animals bring so much more trouble than red, itching bumps.
Dengue fever is one of the diseases that are borne by mosquitoes as well. It is also called breakbone fever and it varies from mild to severe. Most serious form of the disease includes dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome.
People from tropical and subtropical areas are at greater risk of being infected by the virus through the bite of Aedes aegypti mosquitos. The virus tends to weaken our pulse and cause a headache and nausea as well as damage our immune system through lowering the platelet count in our blood. In the paragraphs down below we will introduce the type of diet that will help you increase the thrombocytes in your blood and eventually cure the disease.
Papaya
Papaya is a tropical fruit that will offer you multiple health benefits. The elements of papaya that will be especially helpful in curing dengue fever are vitamins C and A that will give a boosting injection to your immune system which, with enough strength, will fight off the virus on its own.
This pear-shaped fruit whose insides are orange and pink in color originally comes from the Central America. Papaya leaves are also edible and contain elements such as alkaline, phenolic compounds, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron and manganese which are all inherent part of a strong immune system.
If eating papaya on its own is too mundane for you try making a smoothie. The ingredients you’ll need are one small papaya which you’ll peel, dice and free from seeds, a sliced banana, ½ cup of strawberries and pineapple wedges for garnishing. Put all of these in a blender along with 15 ice cubes.
Papaya juice can also be combined with lemon juice which you should drink 2-3 times a day in order to see the effects. As for the leaves, extract the juice and have 2 tablespoons of it daily in order to say goodbye to the dengue fever.
Papaya is not only an immense help to our immunity system but also to the digestive system and sugar regulation. It also helps with rheumatoid arthritis, muscle degeneration, and, paired with green tea, is able to protect men from prostate cancer.
Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass is considered by many scientists to be a super food because of its healing properties that are a consequence of the high concentration of chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. According to a research conducted in 2006 on rats, wheatgrass has antioxidants that are able to absorb free radicals.
As an end results, the conclusion was that the most effective wheat grass extracts where the alcohol-based ones, the one made of plants that had been grown for 15 days before harvesting and the one that had been grown in soil with nutrients. This will keep you safe from free radicals that are injurious to your health as they are able to destroy cellular walls and therefore make them more vulnerable to virus penetration.
Preparing wheatgrass juice is very simple. Take a batch and rinse it well so it doesn’t have any soil residue. Also, check it for the mold. If you notice any, throw the batch away and take another one. After you’ve cut it in small pieces you can either put it in a blender, juicer or just use the mortar and pestle. When you’re using a blender make sure it is specifically made for wheatgrass because the abundant fibrous content of the grass could break the regular one.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin is full of vitamin A that will regulate your proteins which play a major role in platelet increase. This fruit which belongs to cucurbit family comes in different shapes, sizes, and colors. It is consumed in liquid form as a juice or baked.
Worldwide famous pumpkin juice is made in as many different ways as one can imagine. The array in which you can consume the juice spreads from the raw, natural pumpkin juice to the ones flavored with a bit of apple juice, ginger or lemon juice.
You can use pumpkins to make different pies which will be both healthy and delicious. Besides being an immunity booster, it is aids kidney function, the digestive system prevents arteriosclerosis and is also widely used in hair and skin care.
Pumpkin seeds are also very potent health-injections. They contain antioxidants, zinc, magnesium that decrease inflammation and therefore protect our cells from the destructive effects of free radicals. You can prepare the seeds by firstly rinsing them off and boiling them in water with some salt for 5-10 minutes. Then drain the seeds in a towel and spread them over a baking sheet and bake them at 180C for 8-10 minutes. If you want to use them again in near future, put them in a jar in which air can’t penetrate and this way your seeds will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Spinach
Spinach has always been associated with health and strong immune system. It has chlorophylls, nitrite, vitamin K, folate and vitamin C which together make this veggie an insurmountable source of health and vitality. Vitamin K is specifically crucial when it comes to reducing excessive bleeding and regulating blood clotting.
It can be eaten in many different forms but studies show that it retains its nutritional value if it is steamed or sautéed. You can use it in salads or drink it along with tomato juice. Just take a few leaves of spinach and boil them in 2 cups of water and then drink this mixed with tomato juice 3 times a day.
If you’re not the biggest fan of spinach you can put it in a smoothie and cover it up with some fruits such as bananas and cherries which are full of vitamin C and antioxidants as well and therefore will enhance the positive effect on your immune system. Besides helping with the dengue fever, spinach can also manage diabetes, prevent cancer and asthma, lower blood pressure, promote bone health and contribute to healthy skin and hair.
Vitamin C rich foods
We’ve all been scolded by our parents and grandparents for not taking enough vitamin C. Probably all of us have those memories of our moms chasing us with apples, oranges, lemons, kiwi and other fruits and veggies that are packed with the vitamin. It is also called L-ascorbic acid.
We take it through diet and supplements as our body can’t make it on its own. It is involved in the biosynthesis of collagen and L-carnitine. Regeneration of vitamin E is one of its benefits as well as producing antioxidants. It is believed that vitamin C prevents the destructive impact of free radicals on our cells. There is even an ongoing research about how vitamin C can be involved in cancer healing. By helping the absorption of iron it is also beneficial for our immune system.
Foods rich in vitamin C are fruits such as oranges and lemons but there are also kiwi, spinach, broccoli and bell peppers. Smoothies are always an entertaining and delicious method of vitamin C consumption. For example, take a medium yellow zucchini, ½ of a lemon, a tablespoon of flaxseed, a cup of ice, an orange, ½ tablespoon of turmeric and 11 ounces of coconut water. Mix these ingredients together and enjoy your low platelet count go up while making you feel brand new. Indian Gooseberries are also a nice way to spoil your body with some vitamin C. Three to four of these on an empty stomach in the morning will be enough daily intake of vitamin C.
People who’ve invented the saying ‘’as red as a beetroot’’ probably knew how useful it was for health and your blood. It is rich in vitamin C, potassium, fiber, iron, folate and other helpful elements that will regulate the platelet count and build a very strong immune system.
Sesame oil
The benefits of sesame oil have been known to Asians for thousands of years. They used it to relieve pain, in cuisine, to cure different diseases and even for writing. There is light sesame oil which is made of raw sesame and has a nutty flavor and dark sesame oil which is made from toasted sesame seeds and has a stronger flavor and aroma.
It is loaded with natural antioxidants (sesamol, sesamolin, and sesamin oils), saturated fat, omega-6 linoleic acids, B-complex, iron, copper, calcium, manganese, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, and zinc. For raising the platelet count, you can use sesame oil in cooking or drink ½ tablespoons 2 times a day.
Surprisingly, you can increase the platelet count topically by massaging your lymph node areas with it. Besides boosting the platelet count and overall improving your immune system, it is said that sesame oil successfully battles diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and atherosclerosis.