Recovery Food: Best Food To Eat After Getting Vaccinated

by Rosseadelle Ganayo

The pandemic is still here, but luckily, more and more people are getting vaccinated each day. However, as with any vaccination or shot, come the side effects. Arm soreness, headache, fever, body ache, weakness, and fatigue generally lasts for 2-3 days. Everyone experiences these side effects differently and with different degrees of severity, and it’s just a question of how bad it’ll be for you.

But don’t worry, we’ve done the work and found the easiest and most enjoyable way to manage these side effects – with food of course! In order to get back to your routine immediately after the vaccination, we’ve compiled a list of food to help prevent any side effects on a larger scale and help with the recovery time!

First Post Vaccination Meal

According to multiple doctors and nutritionists, the ideal first post-vaccination meal should include lots of protein to help with muscle recovery and soreness;  iron, and vitamins to help your immune system; and carbohydrates to give your body the energy it needs during this time. Now, what’s something that has lots of meat, vegetables, and carbs? Hot pot! And our pares sotanghon is the Filipino version of a sukiyaki hotpot! Check out our recipe here.

Turmeric

With a surplus of anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-fungal properties, turmeric significantly promotes the immune system. It’s also an anti-stress food as it shields one’s brain from stress – essential before and after the vaccination. Easily incorporate it into your meals by adding it to adobo as we did in our Adobo sa Dilaw. Check out our recipe here.

Garlic

Garlic works wonders for boosting immunity. Garlic is also rich in probiotics, which feed the microscopic organisms in the gut. And a healthy gut is a big factor in your body’s capabilities to distribute energy to the areas it needs it. We believe the best recipe for garlic where the more garlic, the better is in lechon paksiw! But you can also make this even without lechon to get all the garlic benefits. Try our Langka Paksiw where you get your protein from langka! Check out our recipe here.

Ginger

Fully packed with amino acids and vital enzymes, ginger has so many medicinal properties that reduce inflammation while soothing your mind and relieving your stress. Ginger works great for controlling ongoing sicknesses like hypertension, coronary illness, and lung infection. And of course, our best ginger recipe will be none other than tinola! And in our Sinaing na Tinola, we infuse ginger into every part of this dish. Check out our recipe here.

Green Leafy Vegetables

Leaf vegetables give you an abundance of dietary fiber, vitamin C, provitamin A carotenoids, folate, manganese, and most importantly, vitamin K. These nutrients also aid in keeping up your metabolism and let you feel less fatigued. This is the best supplement to accelerate post-vaccination health. And if you’re the kind who doesn’t enjoy leafy vegetables that much, why not try our Lumpiang Hubad salad? With the flavors of lumpia, you won’t even notice all the vegetables! Check out our recipe here.

Chicken/Vegetable Broth

A good old-fashioned bowl of chicken soup is another ideal post-vaccination meal because the soup keeps you hydrated and you get all the nutrients from the chicken and vegetables that are stewed in it! Chicken gives protein. Carrots are high in beta carotene and onions have antioxidants which are all important for recovery. Plus, if you experience a loss of appetite after vaccination, soup is the best way to keep you hydrated and nourished. We have no doubt that our Chicken Sotanghon Soup will hit the spot after getting jabbed. Check out our recipe here.

Fish

Fish has anti-inflammatory omega-3s. Fish oil (omega-3 fats) actually turn into compounds called ‘resolvins’ which mean they’re resolving inflammation. Reducing inflammation can help with fatigue and help your immune system run more efficiently to help the vaccine do its work in your body. We believe that our Miso-Crusted Dory will give you a great-tasting fish dish plus the additional benefits you can get from miso! Miso is a great source of iron, calcium, potassium, B vitamins, and protein. In fact, miso, which is made from fermented soybeans, is high in complete proteins that contain all essential amino acids to really fill you up with as many nutrients as your body needs to make a faster recovery. Check out our recipe here.

 
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