DIET Tips to Keep Healthy this Monsoon
Monsoon showers come as a relief from the gruelling heat but also bring with them health irritants like allergies, infections and indigestion. The rain water makes it easy for mosquitoes to breed ,hence increases the risk of mosquito transmitted infections, such as malaria,chikungunya & dengue. In addition, the high humidity can contribute to numerous skin diseases and fungal infections. People must be aware of these and should take preventive measures during this season.
Here are 8 DIET TIPS to keep Healthy this Monsoon
Avoid Oily Food
Humidity levels are high during the monsoon because of which the capability of the body to digest is at its lowest. Therefore, avoid heavy and oily food like samosa,pakoras, kachoris etc during this season as they could cause gastronomical complications like bloating and stomach upset.If temped to have, restrict yourself to a small portion and cook at home preferably
Wash all fruits & vegetables properly
Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consumption to avoid bacterial infection . Considering the risk of infection, it is always better to avoid leafy green vegetables during monsoon. The grime and dampness present in them makes them highly susceptible to germs. So avoid vegetables like spinach, cabbage and cauliflower instead, go for vegetables like bitter gourd( karela), bottle gourd (ghiya),ridge gourd( tori ),round gourd(tinda ),etc. Make sure all vegetables are thoroughly washed and cooked well.
Hydrate Yourself
You may not feel too thirsty but you should keep hydrating the body, otherwise it may lead to a drop in the immunity and make you lethargic. Ensure you drink plenty of boiled water or purified water. You can also squeeze some lemon in it. Even if you are not a fan,do prepare herbal tea adding herbs and spices like tulsi, mint, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom etc and consume daily during monsoon season. Barley water is also good during monsoon since it helps in preventing water retention in the body
Eat Cut Fruits/ Salads with Caution
Any fresh food items that have had a long exposure to the monsoon air should be avoided. Even at home, make sure you do not leave cut fruits out for very long. Any prolonged exposure to the air can cause contamination. This is the reason why we should avoid street food during rainy season since the vendors have the fruits and vegetables cut up well in advance, which could have come in contact with contaminated air.
Keep Away form Street Food
Also stay away from items like gol gappa, papdi chat,fruit chaats,dahi bhallas etc where unpurified water can be used, which is a carrier of waterborne diseases. Also these food items not being heated / boiled can be a fertile ground for microbial growth. Can prepare these at home and consume fresh
Ones with Allergies Beware
People who are prone to skin allergies during monsoon should not eat spicy food because spicy food stimulates the circulation and raises body temperature, which leads to skin irritation, allergies and diseases
Improve on your Immunity
Even moderate zinc deficiency can suppress the immune system. So include foods high in zinc like egg, seafoods, lean meats, oils seeds, nuts etc
Garlic and ginger can be added to soups and curries , which helps in building the body’s immunity.
Curd is more suitable than milk during the season, since curd has some live bacteria. It is a fact that two live bacteria named lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium are present in curd which are effective in preventing stomach problems
Walk / Exercise
Moderate physical activity is known to help in boosting immunity. Yoga is found to have beneficial effects on general health and fitness especially during monsoon when outdoor activities get restricted to home.
