Enjoy quiet time for recovery after illness

A proper period of convalescence - a quiet time to recover after illness - was once considered an essential part of medical treatment. The pressure of modern life often conflicts with the body's natural need to recuperate, but resuming a normal routine too soon after surgery or a bout of flu can delay full recovery for several weeks.

Use your common sense when deciding on the amount of rest you need.

Be kind to yourself but do not be overly cautious; a positive attitude can do wonders for speeding up the recovery process. Modern research suggests that patients should get up and walk about as soon as possible.

Prolonged bed rest has its side effects too; it causes loss of calcium from the skeleton and can also increase the risk of thrombosis.

In general, a convalescing diet should always be nutrient–rich, appetising, easy to eat and readily digestible.

Essential nutritional elements are plenty of vitamin C and zinc to help any wounds heal, and iron to ensure a healthy level of oxygen-carrying haemoglobin in the bloodstream. Thus, choose a diet that includes plenty of fruit, vegetables and starchy carbohydrate with fish, poultry and dairy produce to provide easily digestible protein.

Try to eat foods that will give your immune system the best chance of making a quick recovery and fighting off any secondary infections. The precise diet required depends upon the type of illness from which you are recovering.

Some people lose appetite when unwell and the sight of food makes them feel worse. To help them eat something, it is good to set the food before them in an appetising way and also in small encouraging portions.

There are also foods to avoid. For example, if you have undergone major abdominal surgery it is best to avoid high-fibre foods as these can cause bloating and can also irritate scar tissue.

Besides diet and rest during your recovery, drink plenty of water. Water is the engine that runs the body and plenty of it will do you good and help you recover faster than expected.