|
All types of vegetables, including broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, sprouted green moong, etc. should be part of your diet.
All non-vegetarian food must be well-cooked. Avoid eating raw non-vegetarian food.
Avoid ultra-processed and packaged foods that contain excess sugar, fat and salt.
With the lockdown in place for COVID, a vast number of professionals are adapting to the new system of work-from-home (WFH) and hence, have several areas of concern. Given the crunch in supplies of essentials, it is now imperative to figure out ways to prepare healthy meals with limited ingredients and know what to eat and when to eat. The World Health Organisation says that: “A healthy and a well-balanced diet is vital to boost the immune system and helps to lower the risk of chronic illnesses and infectious diseases”. Keeping this in mind, your diet should be well-balance and comprise: - Complex carbohydrates, as they also contain fibre. Example, whole-grain cereals like whole wheat, oats, millets, etc.
- Protein-rich foods like pulses, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, eggs, chicken breast, fish, lean and white meat, and dairy products.
- All types of vegetables, including broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, sprouted green moong, etc.
- All types of fruits.
- Healthy fats like nuts and seeds.
Adding these items to your diet, will provide enough vitamins and minerals and keep the immunity intact.
PRECAUTIONS: - Wash vegetables with warm salt-and-vinegar water. This will easily remove dirt, pesticides and germs. Wash fruits in warm salt water and then dry with a clean cloth.
- Blanche vegetables and suitable fruits to remove pesticide residues, decrease microbial load, retain nutritional value and preserve colour and flavour. To blanche, scald a vegetable in boiling water, remove after a brief interval and plunge it into iced water or cold running water.
- All non-vegetarian food must be well-cooked. Avoid eating raw non-vegetarian food.
- Instead of frying, choose healthy cooking methods such as steaming, boiling, poaching, etc. To retain the nutrients, cover the pan while cooking.
WHEN TO EAT:
- Eat three well-balanced meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. People with digestive issues can take healthy meals in small portions every 2 hours. Do not forget to keep yourself hydrated. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day.
WHAT TO AVOID? - Avoid ultra-processed and packaged foods that contain excess sugar, fat and salt. This will significantly lower risk of obesity, heart diseases, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer.
- Reduce the consumption of tea and coffee. Avoid sweeteners, fruit juice concentrates, fizzy and soft drinks, as most of them contain high sugar.
Immunity cannot be built in a single day. One must have the patience to be consistent in incorporating a well-balanced diet into the lifestyle so as to be able to fight infections like COVID and many more.
|
