Got Mumps? Check Out These Diet Tips

Mumps are rare these days because of the mumps vaccine that was invented several years ago. However, this does not mean that they no longer exist.

If truth be told, it is very much possible for you to still catch mumps. In fact, you may have it but not be aware of it due to the mild symptoms – sometimes mumps in adults are not accompanied by excessive or noticeable swelling of the salivary glands that can cause the cheeks to puff out, which is quite common in kids with mumps.

When you have mumps, it’s very much likely for you to experience pain towards the back of each of your cheeks. Needless to say, this is something that can make chewing and swallowing difficult.

Aside from pain right where the salivary glands are, having mumps can make you feel as though you have a bad case of the common cold or flu.

The good news is that mumps tend to go away on their own – health authorities say that it is out of your life in about 10 days. While waiting for it to leave you be, sadly, eating, drinking and talking can be very problematic!

Having mumps entails changing your diet for several days until they get resolved. Such is important in order to considerably reduce pain that may be experienced when chewing and swallowing. Below you will come across some simple dietary tips that can help to make living with mumps on a daily basis so much easier to bear.

Avoid Foods That Require Lots of Chewing

Both chewing and swallowing can cause pain when you have mumps. That is why keeping one of them to a minimum can help to make every mealtime so much more enjoyable.

It’s due to this exactly why opting for foods that do not require a lot of masticating is highly recommended – by minimizing chewing, eating should not leave you complaining about lots of pain and discomfort.

The good news is that you can choose from a lot of foods that require minimal chewing. Some very good examples are mashed potatoes, pureed vegetables, chicken soup, oatmeal and yogurt.

Steer Clear of Sour Foods

Mumps are viral in nature, and that’s why it is important for you to have a strong immune system – antibiotics that a doctor can prescribe are pretty much useless against mumps.

It can be very tempting to eat a lot of citrus fruits as they are packed with vitamin C that helps to strengthen the immune system. Sadly, this is something that every person with mumps should refrain from doing. That’s because citrus fruits can stimulate saliva production, and this can definitely cause pain.

Aside from citrus fruits, you should also avoid other sour or acidic foods such as tomatoes, tomato sauce, and dressings and sauces containing vinegar.

Dodge Spicy Foods, Too

Spicy foods are just like sour or acidic foods in that they can cause your salivary glands to work harder that unusual in order to produce more saliva.

It goes without saying that anything that’s spicy should be eliminated from your diet until your mumps go away and none of the symptoms remain, including most especially pain experienced with chewing and swallowing.

Just about any food that’s bland is ideal for anyone with the mumps.

Refrain From Drinking Acidic Beverages

Swallowing is certainly easier than chewing when you have mumps, but this doesn’t mean that you can drink just about anything that you want.

Avoiding acidic beverages is a good idea. Definitely, a lot of fruit juices should not be consumed – acidic ones can cause increased salivary gland activity which is something that can intensify pain associated with mumps.

Believe it or not, coffee, alcohol and soft drinks are all regarded as acidic beverages. Needless to say, it’s highly recommended for you to stay away from them at all costs while you have mumps.

Drink Plenty of Water on a Daily Basis

Earlier, it was mentioned that the consumption of citrus fruits that are packed with immune system-boosting vitamin C is a terrible idea as it can leave you in a great deal of pain.

It’s a good thing that you can have your immune system strengthened, which is vital for dealing with the mumps virus, simply by staying hydrated – drinking plenty of water can help to flush out waste materials and toxins that can keep your immune system from doing its job optimally.

Consuming about two liters of water a day can also help to lower fever, which is a very common symptom of mumps.

The Takeaway

Refrain from assuming that mumps no longer exist because of the existence of the mumps virus. Also, do not believe that kids are the only ones who can end up with mumps – due to the fact that it’s a communicable viral infection, it is very much possible for an adult like you to have it as well!

Fret not if you wind up with mumps because it tends to go away on its own in about 10 days, health authorities confirm. To make living with mumps easier to bear, remember to follow the simple dietary tips shared above.

WARNING: Make sure that you seek medical help if your mumps are accompanied by fever of 39°C (103°F) or above, pain in the abdomen or testes, confusion, and extreme difficulty with eating or drinking.

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