Dengue is a painful disease, which not only makes you weak, and tired, but also low in essential minerals and nutrients leading to low immunity levels. According to doctors, this vector-borne disease, which spreads through the bite of an infected mosquito in the rainy season, can drastically lower your red blood cell count.

Human blood contains many different cells that serve various purposes – and these include red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Platelets are cells responsible for helping the blood clot if we cut ourselves or have bleeding anywhere else. When the platelet count reduces dramatically due to conditions like dengue, it can result in not just minor bleeding from tiny cuts and bruises but also catastrophic bleeding inside the gut or around the brain.

And so, doctors suggest improving platelet count either through medication or naturally after you have recovered from dengue. A few ways to do it are:

Milk contains calcium and protein and helps maintain strong bones and muscles. It is also rich in vitamin K, which helps strengthen the blood clotting mechanism in your body. According to experts, regular milk consumption improves total blood platelet counts.

And so, to revive yourself and boost immunity levels after dengue, you must drink a glass full daily.

Eat spinach

Green leafy vegetables like spinach are a powerhouse of iron and vitamin K, which help build red blood cells and help the blood-clotting pathway. They also increase your platelet counts to some extent. Apart from spinach, you can also regularly consume parsley, basil, celery, asparagus, cabbage, and watercress to increase the platelet count.

Drink juice of papaya leaves

According to doctors, papaya leaves are probably the most well-known remedy for low platelet counts. If you are looking for how to increase platelet count during dengue fever, then consume a glass or two of papaya leaf extract regularly.

Even though it is not clear how this works, many clinical trials have demonstrated a significant benefit of papaya leaf extract in increasing platelet counts in viral fever. However, the juice of papaya leaf can be rather bitter, and some people experience nausea and possibly even vomiting at times. In such a situation, oral medication in the form of capsules is now available in India that contains the same quantity of extract needed to boost platelet counts.

Eat pumpkin

Pumpkin is a versatile summer vegetable with amazing properties of increasing platelet count. Rich in vitamin A – which helps enhance the number of platelets being produced by the bone marrow, pumpkin can be consumed in several ways like salads, soups, and even as baked dishes.

Pomegranate kernels are loaded with iron and so, the fruit is instrumental in improving blood counts tremendously. Doctors recommend consuming a bowl of pomegranate a couple of times a day to give you the boost you need. Not just that, pomegranate also contains numerous antioxidants and vitamin C which can help boost immunity levels and help fight infections effectively.