NUTRITION TIPS FOR BETTER HEALTH DURING THE QUARANTINE AND BEYOND

Maintain a regular eating time during quarantine. According to research, how we choose the time to eat meals could have a huge impact on your health. Researchers have managed to pinpoint the best time to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They found that the best time to have your breakfast is just after 7 am. It’s better to get stuck into your lunch sooner rather than later between 12.30 pm and 1 pm. And when it comes to dinner, the later you leave it the worse it can be for your quarantine diet – the optimum time for dinner is between 6 pm and 6.30 pm preferably.

What’s the harm of ignoring these health nutrition tips during quarantine governing the best time to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you might ask? Well, a recent study has shown that regularly sitting down to dinner after 8 pm can add an extra two inches to your waist.

Fruits and vegetables are among the most important foods for supplying the vitamins, minerals, and fibre our body needs for good health and immune function. A balanced diet should offer around 60-70% of total calories from carbohydrates, 10-12% from proteins, and 20-25% of total calories from fat. Add immunity-boosting vegetables like carrot, spinach, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, dark leafy greens, tomato, asparagus and broccoli; and fruits like mango, citrus, fruits, and strawberries. These fruits and vegetables contain magnesium, selenium, and zinc that acts as immunity-boosting vitamins. Include lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, etc. Make you add these to your quarantine diet.

Add Whole grains, unlike refined grains, maintain most of the structure of the grain, keeping the layers that hold the vitamins, minerals, and fibre in your quarantine diet. In addition, whole grains also provide an important source of carbohydrates which give us energy and can help us feel fuller for longer periods.

Now since you’re mostly indoors you might not be getting enough sunlight to meet your body’s needs. The sun is the best source of vitamin D. Make sure you spend some time (15-20mins) on the window or balcony doing yoga or gardening under the early morning sun.

Eat plenty of vitamin D rich foods – egg yolks, oily fishes and fortified foods like milk, cereal, and juices

However, don’t forget to use good sun protection if you are staying under the sun exposure for more than 30 minutes.

Keeping hydrated is essential for overall health. Keep drinking water regularly throughout the day. An adult needs 2 liters of water per day whereas children need atleast 1.5 liters. Take hot water if possible. A cup of Kara (masala tea) at least once in a day is a good addition to your routine.

For a refreshing boost, you can add slices of lemon, cucumber, mint, or berries. Other drinks such as unsweetened coffee, sparkling water, unsweetened tea, iced tea, or unsweetened infused or flavored water are also good choices for hydration.

Here is another well tested quarantine diet tip. Foods and drinks high in fat, sugar, and salt such as cookies, potato chips, chocolate, and sugary drinks, when eaten in high amounts can lead us to consume more calories than we need. As these foods often provide little nutritional benefit, they are not needed for a healthy diet and should only be enjoyed in small amounts and eaten occasionally.

A health tip during quarantine that you can follow is exercise, yoga or meditation.

Physical exercise helps boost your mood. When you exercise, the body releases adrenalin and endorphins, and the improved confidence that comes from achieving new goals. Since you are confined in a room you should try a few yoga asanas which boosts immunity. Meditation is an exercise for your mind that relaxes you from all external chaos and distractions.

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Try to get a good night's sleep. Sleeping well directly affects your mental and physical health. This helps reduce stress, improve your memory, lower your blood pressure, strengthen immunity, maintain your weight, and many more.

Avoid all bad habits that reduce immunity. Smokers have a higher risk of getting coronavirus because they are constantly putting their hands to their lips. If they get coronavirus, they run a greater risk of getting a severe case because their lung function is impaired. Quit today to reduce these risks and start living a healthier life.

“Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.” – B.K.S. Iyengar. Use these health tips during quarantine for a complete wellbeing.

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