During these trying times of the pandemic, your diet often goes haywire. Most of the time you may not find the food you might be looking for in the grocery stores or the vegetable market. This may cause you to miss out on important nutrients and hence, weaken your immunity. As you stay at home maintaining social distancing, work on enhancing your immunity. Stock up on foods recommended by dieticians and doctors to boost your immune system and fight your own war against coronavirus.
Doctors and dieticians generally recommend a healthy balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables. They suggest that proper nutrition which may not always include “superfoods” that may be price-inflated or hard to find. Finding fresh fruits and vegetables may also be challenging during these times of a lockdown, but it should be consumed whenever you get hold of it. It is extremely important to maintain a healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, and dairy.
The nutrition and dietetics students at Saint Louis University suggest that people should focus on buying foods that are more shelf-stable when it is not possible to frequent the grocery store every now and then. While fresh produce is always the best option, canned alternatives can be used as a substitute. Among them, canned beans and chickpeas provide an abundance of nutrients and can be stored for long periods of time. People should concentrate their diet more on whole grains like brown rice, barley, etc., lean protein sources like canned salmon or tuna, frozen fish, shellfish, poultry and beef, and fermented or cultured dairy products that last long.
The students also suggest alternating cooking at home and using the take-out options that might be available. It can also help out the restaurants during these challenging times. They also recommend practicing self-care alongside maintaining a healthy diet. Regular exercise, connecting with your friends and relatives, and spending time amidst nature can also prove to be beneficial in these tough times.
Subarna Basu