Tuberculosis, or TB, is a disease that takes forever to treat. The bacterial infection, caused by 'Mycobacterium tuberculosis,' affects the lungs and spreads to the kidneys, spine and brain over time. A disease called white plague in the past, due to its frequency, spreads easily through the air from an infected person. In December last year, the Kerala government started a campaign to identify high-risk TB patients who have symptoms after screening and testing. The campaign identified around 5,000 patients after screening 53 lakh people, per reports. It also found that 68,180 people are susceptible to the disease. The campaign ended on March 17, and now, the government has started giving food kits to the patients. Here's why:

Malnutrition and its effects on immunity and lungs are major factors in the spread of disease. Apparently, undernutrition can make you susceptible to severe TB and even lead to Nutritionally Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome called N-AIDS, according to health experts. TB can even affect our brain's hunger signals, and night sweats and fever result in major energy spending of the body. The kits have items that will help patients handle nutritional deficiency, which is a major deciding factor for the outcome of TB treatment as well. It contains rice, green gram and two oils, and they are distributed to those who have below Rs 1,00,00 as income. Under Niksay Poshan Yojana, patients also get a monthly incentive of Rs 1,000 to handle nutritional needs during their treatment. Apparently, 35% of TB patients are diabetic as well. 

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What should TB patients eat
The Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital of Mumbai says a TB diet should be high-calorie, protein and fibre-rich, as it's needed to recover from lung infection. They should also eat micronutrients like green leafy veggies, citrus fruits, nuts and seeds, and superfoods like ginger, turmeric, green tea and garlic. High-energy foods like smoothies, soups, stews and smoothies will also help recover and prevent complications. Zinc is also required to build immunity, and add dairy products, chicken, beans and whole grains to the diet. 
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