It’s the rainy season. Several parts of India are already experiencing heavy rainfall. It is certainly a relief after going through the scorching summer heat. However, these seasonal changes can aggravate the chances of contracting infections and other related ailments. Thus, the requirement to boost immunity becomes even more essential, says Avni.
As much as you love the rains and this season, there are several, water and airborne diseases that occur during this time. To keep all these diseases away, it is important to take steps to prevent them by adopting a few healthy changes in your diet.
Nutritionist and Dietitian Avni Kaul shares a few food tips in this blog that will help you sail through the season in a healthy and happy manner.
Refrain from Eating Excessive Salty Foods
Rainy season and fried pakoras go hand-in-hand for most of you and it is an ideal way to up your tea time experience, but did you know this craving of yours is also the reason for your increasing health problems? The presence of salt in the fried delicacies can spike the sodium in your bloodstream leading to increased blood pressure. Besides that, excessive salt consumption during the monsoon can lead to added water retention and inflammation in the body. Hence, to stay fit during monsoons, ensure that you do not eat too many salty foods.
Add Ginger and Garlic to your Diet
Both ginger and garlic are good for all seasons but during monsoons, adding these immunity boosters to your daily diet can build up your resistance to counter several seasonal ailments. This is the reason why ginger tea is popular in this humid weather. Ginger is high in gingerol, an antioxidant that can amplify your immunity and keep diseases at bay.
Similarly, garlic has been used as a good medicine in fighting infections, inflammation and reducing the oxidative stress caused because of the presence of free radicals.
In fact, to strengthen your immunity you can add garlic to your meals or eat it raw early in the morning. Moreover, ginger can also be taken with honey and black peppercorns and turmeric as a natural remedy to counter seasonal diseases. It can also relieve an upset stomach.
Go for Bitter Vegetables and Spices
Bitter is actually better and if you chalk out your monsoon diet bearing in mind this thumb rule, then you are less likely to fall prey to water and air-borne diseases caused due to this season. Adding vegetables such as bitter gourd, neem, bottle gourd, turmeric, methi, and other strong-flavoured spices can help in boosting immunity. Vegetables such as bottle gourd, bitter gourd are high in antioxidants, vitamins A, C, B, and minerals in the form of zinc, iron, etc. Besides that, ingredients such as neem and turmeric are known for their healing and antifungal, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory components. That helps in preventing as well as curing various diseases and infections naturally.
Consume Seasonal Fruits
Eating seasonal fruits such as jamuns, litchi, plums, cherries, peaches, papayas, and pomegranates will provide your body with the much-required boost of nutrition and hydration as the majority of these fruits have a good concentration of water, which also helps in managing the proper balance of fluids in the body. Besides this, the nutrient-rich composition of seasonal fruits can help in enhancing immunity and help fight seasonal ailments.
Drink Homemade Herbal Tea
Make certain you add immunity-boosting herbal tea or kadha to your diet. Simply add ingredients such as turmeric, tulsi, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, black salt and let the ingredients boil, and add some lime juice and honey. Herbal blends help boost your immunity and give your body sufficient strength to combat seasonal infections.
Take Probiotic
Include curd in your daily diet as the addition of probiotics in your diet helps keep pathogens at bay. Moreover, daily consumption of curd helps improve your gut health and strengthen your metabolism. The healthy bacteria available in probiotics can counter the attack of antibodies in this season.
Avni Kaul is Founder of Nutriactivania with Masters Degree in Food and Nutrition from University of Delhi and is also a Certified Diabetes Educator from Project Hope and International Diabetes Federation. She is a Leicester Mammas Ambassador trained in Lactation Counselling with NHS United Kingdom. Mammas support pregnant and new mothers and their families. Specializations of Avni Kaul Include Infant and Young Child Feeding Practises, Pre and Post natal diets, Fat loss, Muscle Gain and Holistic Health and Nutrition