Covid-19 : Tips to eat healthy and stay fit

By: Mukta | Dietitian | Eat Rrite – A health and fitness company

www.eatrrite.com

It’s indeed, a difficult phase that the entire human race is facing today. In a matter of a day, the whole world has turned upside down.

Where one day, everyone was the king or queen of their own life, the next day they had to be quarantined – locked down, practice social distancing, and give up on their lifestyle that they had actually grown up with.

Right from small children, teens, young adults, aged people, everyone has been facing the brunt of this ugly life threatening disease.

Now, there has been a lot of buzz around this situation and health has become a priority. In the past where everyone had an excuse to not look after themselves, they have understood the importance and essence of staying healthy and fit at all times.

There has also been a buzz of a numerous immunity boosting foods, and now the market has been flooded with so many advices, that everyone is actually confused, which advice to pick up and which to let go.

Let me simplify it for you.

Health is not only given to us by the food we eat, but is also determined by the psychological health.

Nourishment is always both for the soul and body. It is a whole package, if your mental peace is imbalanced then no matter what you feed your body, and how healthy it is it will not accept it wholly and will also not reap the entire benefits of it.

So, here’s how you can structure your day, to accommodate both life during and after Covid 19.

Maintain a sleep pattern.

1. Always ensure that you wake up with the sunrise and sleep with the moon up in the sky.

• The body has a natural clock set in it, called the circadian rhythm. Our hormones are timed in with this. A disturbance to your circadian rhythm can disturb the secretion of important hormones.

• One very important hormone is your cortisol hormone which is effected by your circadian rhythm. An over or under active cortisol hormone can become metabolic inhibitor there by turning your body sluggish, giving out continuous stress signals and there by leading to fat gain or creating fat reserves.

• Sleeping and waking up on time ensures, you are active physically over longer durations, have proper eating windows schedule.

1. A good sleep pattern helps set up a good eating schedule too!

Drink plenty of water and fluids.

• Rehydrating and replenishing your body with the natural elixir of life is the next step.

• Child/Adolescent – 1.5 liters – 2lits/ day
• Adult women – 2lits – 2.5lits/Day
• Pregnant/ Lactating woman – 3lits/day
• Adult Man – 2.5lits/ 3lits/day.

• Water is an important part of our well-being. It is also often one of the most underestimated part of well-being. Our body needs water for all its functions.

• Our internal organs cannot function properly without sufficient water.

• Start your day with a glass of water and then go ahead with your daily chores and jobs.

Fix yourself a workout, yoga and meditation routine.

• The physical well-being of our bodies is very much dependent on how active we are.

• Squeeze in just 30 mins of work out, ten mins of yoga and 20 mins of meditation, we have ticked majority of the health parameters in this segment.

• No matter how physically active our day looks like, it’s always better to add in dedicated physical active.

How does a workout session help you?

1. Any kind of dedicated physical workout helps in maintaining and building your muscle mass.

• The more muscle mass the stronger your metabolism, the longer period you keep burning calories.

• Download apps for the basic know how of which workout to choose for your body type.

• Fix your meals.

DON’TS

• Avoid processed foods
• Avoid sugars
• Avoid anything that has artificial coloring, taste enhancers and is processed and packaged.
• Avoid mindless snacking.

DO’S

• Start cooking healthy easy meals at home.
• Include 3 portions of salads, 2 portions of fruits for your micronutrients in diet.
• Include about 200gms of whole carbs like oats, rice, millets.
• Include minimum 300gms of supreme quality of protein like Fish, Chicken, Eggs, Cottage Cheese, Tofu, Soy Chunks, Legumes, Pulses.
• Have regular meals at regular intervals.

Immunity through foods is a real thing, however it doesn’t work like Harry Potters magic wand!

Eating clean, making it a conscious lifestyle change is how you can achieve it.

1. Immunity Booster Brews.

• Turmeric Latte
• A brew made of Lemon grass, ginger, cinnamon and carom seeds
• A brew made of Fenugreek seeds, Fennel Seeds, Carom seeds and Cumin seeds. (beneficial for diabetics)
• You can also have herbal teas.
• Lemon Juice, with mint paste.
• Aam Panna (use Jaggery or Stevia)

Immunity Boosting Foods

• Oranges
• Lemons
• Sweet Limes
• Banana
• Mango
• Water Melon
• Avocados
• Broccoli
• Red Oumpkin/ Butternut Squash
• Pine Nuts
• Almonds
• Figs
• Walnuts
• Flax seeds
• Melon Seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Chia seeds.
• Vitamin D supplement
• Multivitamin tablet
• Vitamin E tablet.

Note: The above foods are high in calories. To be consumed in moderation.

• Food for Soul

Quarantine is one time where we are all holed up in our houses, whether we like it or not.

The best way to keep our mind fresh and positive would be

• Pick up a long-lost hobby
• Meditate
• Read a book
• Get in touch with long lost friends.
• Think of innovative ways to implement, to enhance your work. This will help you stay focused on your work even though you are off it for a prolonged period.
• Last but not the least try maintaining a gratitude dairy.

Safety measures

• Wash your hands regularly.

• Do not eat unsafe, uncovered food.

• Sanitize your hands, home and work desks.

• Wear masks if stepping out.

• Maintain social distancing.

Safety pointers for elderly

• Keep a track of their medicines.

• Follow up with the doctors on call/ video call regularly

• Ensure that they consume only those specific recommended fruits, if suffering from any medical condition.

• Vitamin C is an immunity booster. If oranges and lemons cannot be added due to their high potassium content, talk to your doctor for a Multivitamin with Vit C.

1. Include healthy fats like ghee and butter in moderation.

• Keep protein intake in check.

• Remind them to take short walks every 30 to 45mins.

• Music is a great way unwind a long quarantined day.

• Help them connect on social media with long lost friends and relatives.

Stay Happy, Stay Healthy, Eat Rrite!!!

For any help or guidance further required you can get in touch with me at the mentioned number or mail.