Glandular fever

[APassionateWoman]

Is there really NOTHING I can do other than rest? Have had tonsilitis on and off for 6 weeks and finally today the doc diagnosed glandular fever. Told me to get plenty of rest. I have two children under five, I work and I study. Not possible to just lie in bed for weeks on end! Any suggestions?

it's viral, there's nothing you can do except eat properly, maybe take a multivitamin if you can't eat properly and REST. It's a bugger of a virus if you don't rest up properly and is one of the precursor viruses for Post-Viral Syndrome, sometimes known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Take it easy as much as you can and get as much sleep as you can.

I had Glandular Fever a couple of years ago. Undiagnosed for a three months. It's a horrible illness, totally wipes you out. I overhauled my diet once I was diagnosed, and that really helped, more than anything else.

I cut out all processed sugar, and ate mainly raw vegetables and salad, with small amounts of meat, fish and dairy. It seems extreme, but honestly, after months of feeling so ill, it was worth it.

Even now, I have to be very careful. GF can stay in your system for years, and if I get a cold or a virus it totally knocks me down again. I go through phases of eating normally, and if I feel the need, I go back to eating a fresh, unprocessed, sugar free diet, and it always helps. One day I might realise that it would be worth eating like that all the time!

If you're unsure of what exactly you should be eating (if you choose to go down the diet route, and I urge you to, because I'm convinced it saved me), or are stuck for inspiration, the Food Doctor books, or the Carol Vorderman detox books, or Gillian McKeith are the type of food and recipes that I was eating. They're not specifically aimed at people with GF or post-viral fatigue, but when I had no energy to think for myself, following those diets made meal choices easier for me.

Sorry, one more thing. You're immune system has been weakened by the GF, and the diet is all about optimally boosting your immune system. Cramming in as many nutrients as you can. Cutting out processed sugar is the biggest thing for me. If I eat sugary food now, even when I'm feeling well, I feel hungover the next day.