Being sick sucks! You feel miserable and you don’t want to spend your energy cooking. There is an old wives tale saying to “feed a cold and starve a flu”. This is not necessarily true. When you’re sick, you body is expending energy to make you healthy again. To help your body heal, doctors suggest fueling it with healthy, nutritious food. Hydrating yourself is especially important when suffering from nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. This can leave you seriously dehydrated. It can be hard to keep down food, but make sure you keep drinking and try eating easily digestible foods.

When you have a sore throat, you might not want to eat. Swallowing can be very painful, making you hesitant to eat anything. The same can happen when you’re congested. You can lose your sense of smell, which is obviously linked closely to your sense of taste. If you can’t taste your food, you certainly won’t feel like eating. We brought together 10 amazing foods that will help you heal when sick. Whether you are suffering from a cold or the stomach flu, we have some suggestions from experts on what to eat to get you healthy, faster…

1. Ginger

A common drink to enjoy when you’re sick is ginger ale, but have you ever wondered why? Ginger is a natural anti-nauseant. When you are feeling sick to your stomach, drinking ginger beverages can be the best option. Instead of pop, opt for a popular ginger soda that contains real ginger, not just ginger-sugar flavoring. You can also make your own ginger tea by pouring boiling water over slices of ginger and honey. Enjoy this hot beverage and feel the stomach relief.

According to a study from University of Rochester’s Dermatology and Radiation Oncology department, which monitored the effects of ginger prescribed to patients undergoing chemotherapy, a small, one-quarter teaspoon of ginger was effective in reducing symptoms of nausea by up to 40-percent.