Low Carbing through the ICKY-SICKIES!



photo credit: womansday.com

I should have seen it coming. Last week my friend at work was sick. Then daughter came down with it -- I did a good job of skirting contact with both of them THEN my grandboy came down with it. He needed Gigi kisses and cuddles and come Friday afternoon I was feeling a little puny. Saturday was the big Christmas party at work and I didn't plan to miss that for nothing. All day on Saturday I talked myself into feeling better - and I pretty much didn't eat anything. Had a lovely limo ride to Lincoln and dinner at a swanky restaurant and the icky-sickies sucker-punched me BIG TIME. While everyone else enjoyed a show, I took a nap in the back of the limo and then the misrable ride back home (2 hours).

Sunday was pretty much spent in bed and besides water nothing passed my lips. By Monday I knew I needed to eat something if I was going to regain my strength. Then the BIG question - what to eat when you have a low-carb WOE and you are sick? In my pre-low-carb days, I would have reached for saltine crackers, toast, or maybe even chicken noodle soup. I feel programed to want those foods when I am not feeling well. Those were not going to do. One thing I have always liked to settle an upset tummy is gingerale. Sadly, sugar-free gingerale isn't so easy to find in my neck of the woods. In place of  that, I drank Fresca w/a little knob of fresh ginger in it. Next came some sf Jello. As I tolerated those well, I moved on to chicken broth (all I had was the canned variety and it was perfect) -- first I had it plain, then I added a raw egg that I had scrambled up to the hot broth (eggdrop soup style). Lastly, late in the day I ate soft scrambled eggs that I added a handful of baby spinach to. By then I had regain my strength and was able to put together a pot of simple beef and veggie soup for the rest of the week. I ate the last of that today for lunch.

I have decided that although I rarely get sick, I am going to keep sf Jello, canned broth, ginger, Fresca and eggs on hand ALWAYS. What do you want when you're sick? Do you find it harder to stick to a low-carb WOE while ill?