For Healthy Diet During the COVID-19 pandemic, No specific food/drinks or diets have been suggested so far by the World Health Organization (WHO) for preventing the infection from COVID-19. But it is important to maintain a healthy diet during self-quarantine or generally, the COVID-19 pandemic period. This is mainly for boosting your both immune system and mental health. It has also been found in many cases that COVID-19 can intensify health issues after the infection, among these heart disease and lung problems especially stand out. Suggestions made on the everyday diet by WHO, thus, is a healthy diet that assures good daily nutrition. Cooking and eating food (with family members or flatmates especially) can bring you loads of joy (guaranteed) in this period and can be a bridge to multiple cultures.
First thing first, try to eat a variety of foods from the five, core food groups every day. These are:
- Vegetables,
- Fruits,
- Dairies,
- Grains (cereals),
- Lean meats, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans.
These items will provide the body with essential nutrients to help kids grow and develop/maintain a strong immune system for adults as well. If you are on a restricted diet/have a specific medical condition, supplements may be needed. Otherwise, our bodies best absorb the nutrients from foods directly rather than supplements.
Try to eat wholegrain foods (maize, millet, oats, etc.) because they are rich sources of fiber and are very filling. This way you won’t feel hungry frequently in between main meals. When it comes to fibers, don’t forget luscious fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, mangos, and raspberries.
During lockdowns or self-quarantine, you may not be as active as usual. Try to exercise at home, listen to your favorite music, and if you feel hungry more often, try to fill your plates with fresh vegetables. A healthy cognitive system has been proved to bring you joy and happiness. For this purpose, or combating depression or mitigating anxiety, eat foods rich in vitamins, minerals (5 core food groups), and fatty acids (seafood, nuts and seeds, plant oils).
If you have unhealthy food habits, such as consuming too much salt, perhaps the time has arrived for you to reconsider them. Choose unsalted nuts as snacks and be cautious of the amount of salt you put in your food while cooking. Cut down foods containing a high amount of sodium. These are basically smoked, cured, salted, or canned red/white meats, frozen breaded meats, canned entrees, salted nuts. Generally, ready-to-heat foods you buy from general stores. Taking these points into account, it would be better to choose healthier snacks as well. Try unsalted biscuits, nuts, fresh fruits, and pre-boiled eggs.
Postponing or randomly eating foods will make you feel hungry more than usual. Try to find activities that keep you stick to a schedule and maintain a structured mealtime. Be creative with food recipes to enjoy cooking for yourself or take your time checking out traditional foods from other countries. Rest assured you are going to be surprised at how many amazing things out there you were missing so far!
