The slight nip in the weather comes as a welcome respite from the scorching heat. Monsoons are in full swing and your immunity takes a dip during the weather change. So it is essential to monitor your diet according to the season’s demands. Therefore, now is the time for you to load up on healthy food to shield your body from infections and diseases. Considering the dodgy weather, you might as well be more careful about what you eat and how you eat.
Mindful eating, Physical activity and hydration is your key to good health during monsoon
Here’s your guide to good health during monsoon:
Consume seasonal and citrus fruits: Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that may help in preventing, treating respiratory and systemic infections. Ensuring adequate intake of vitamin C through diet or supplementation is required for proper immune function and resistance to infections Apple, guava, banana, pomegranate, plums, papaya, kiwi, amla, orange, mosambi or sweet lime and berries are the best additions to your diet. Vitamin C also helps in iron absorption.
Avoiding salt: It is always better to have a low salt diet during the monsoons as it prevents high BP and water retention. Eating watery foods like lassi, watermelon, rice, muskmelon creates swelling in the body (water retention ). So, better opt for foods which are drying in nature like corn, gram flour, chick pea etc.
Include Protein-rich foods in your diet: Protein is the major macro-nutrient to increase immunity, wound healing and muscle building.
Dals, pulses, milk, curd, eggs, chicken, paneer, soya, tofu are the rich sources of protein, suggests Mehak Sethi, Clinical Nutritionist and macrobiotic health coach, Founder, Good Trim by Mehak Sethi.
It’s preferred to include curd or yoghurt in your diet as it is probiotic and the good bacteria present in curd can help increase the immunity and fight infections.
Switch to boiled water: It is important to drink 8–10 glasses of water a day to stay hydrated as due to a colder climate, the water intake is considerably reduced. Drinking plenty of safe, potable water is as important as consuming warm, freshly prepared kadha, broths, soups, warm water with honey, ginger and black pepper can be a miracle cure to avoid cold, cough and flu.These are rehydrating and good for your immune system. This will prevents diseases such as jaundice, diarrhoea and cholera, which is a water-borne disease.
Add immunity boosting herbs to your diet: The secret to good immunity is right in your kitchen. Addition of cloves. Pepper , cinnamon, Asafoetida ( hing), ginger, garlic can do wonders.
Avoid intake of spicy foods: In some cases, spicy food can cause skin allergies such as rashes, itching and dullness. Avoid street food, junk foods, deep-fried foods. Any pre-cut fruits on street stalls can contain bacteria and weaken the stomach.
Most importantly avoid tamarind/sour foods to prevent water retention. Spicy foods can cause indigestion too.
Include these dietary tips for a Healthy Monsoon :
- Drink lots of water, herbal teas, liquids: you might not feel hungry but your body needs it .
- Eat” light” more vegetables like ghia, tori, karela, zucchini, petha,tinda , fins innovative ways to incorporate these in your diet.
- Go easy on meats and dairy.
- Forego and reduce spicy and sour foods like pickles ,kimchi, etc.
- Drink Cumin, coriander, fennel seed tea daily to support digestion.
- Drink celery juice empty stomach to get rid of bloating.
- Include pseudo cereals in your diet like amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat.
- Have hot soups as they de clog your nasal passage and have an anti- inflammatory effect against cold and even pain and fever.
- Add a dash of garlic to soups to boost immunity.
- Do root chakra meditation or rooting yogic postures.
- Include nuts and dry fruits like walnuts, almonds,dates have essential vitamins and minerals that help build immunity. They contain vitamin E which helps keeps cells healthy along with riboflavin and Niacin.
Interesting fact about nuts: They help you to adapt to stress better
- Include green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, cabbage, as the are a good source of vitamin A,C,E as well as folate , antioxidants and fibre.
Tip : Add these to soups , salads , dough, dressings and dips.
- Channel the water element in the body with more gentle flowing exercises.
- Spend time with nature, smell the earth, hear the rain, gaze the clouds.
- Wear loose and natural fabric clothing.
BY: Mehak Seth Clinical Nutritionist | Macrobiotic Health Coach