Amid the ongoing pandemic and it’s rising variant cases, several people are experiencing flu-like symptoms including fever, cough, body ache, and cold. The seasonal changes along with irregular meal times might be to blame. While it is important to take adequate rest along with medicines to recover quickly, diet plays a very important role in the overall process of recovery.
So, Dietitian Avni is of the opinion that it is time to eat properly and mindfully to nourish your health back as well as develop and improve immunity to ward off future illnesses.
Here are a couple of sample diets that could help you with flu recovery, and forming immunity over a long time as suggested by India’s eminent Dietitian, Avni Kaul.
Since several people are again falling sick and having flu-like symptoms, the following diet, besides good rest and medicines, should help you recover faster.
On getting up in the morning – Drink ginger, black pepper, and jaggery tea along with a handful of soaked nuts (5 almonds, walnuts, 3 to 4 raisins).
Breakfast – Eat eggs and toast or one paneer paratha and one cup of tulsi ginger masala chai.
Mid meal – Apple (Sprinkle some seed mix on top)
Lunch – Homemade chicken curry or dal, vegetable of choice, chapati with ghee.
Evening – Vegetable bone broth soup
Dinner – Local seasonal cooked vegetables, grilled chicken or fish, paneer, and brown rice.
Post dinner – Ajwain water
The second meal plan that you may have:
Morning on waking up– Lukewarm water with lime
Followed by a green vegetable smoothie (which can include a high-fiber fruit such as apple or orange to naturally sweeten the smoothie instead of adding sugar) . You may add one teaspoon of Camu Camu powder which is rich in vitamin C (antioxidant) to boost your immunity. You can avail of Camu Camu powder from online stores easily.
Breakfast
A combination of complex carbohydrates + protein with good fats work the best for stabilizing blood sugar levels.
Brown rice poha, moong dal chilla besides eggs/protein-based supplement (vegan or milk protein- subjective to gut tolerance) or can have almond bread/jowar bread along with eggs or vegetable sandwich or quinoa upma with eggs.
Mid-morning –You may eat a high-fiber fruit such as apple, orange, or papaya and a teaspoon of cold-pressed coconut oil with a pinch of black pepper and a pinch of turmeric powder (made as a paste).
Lunch –You may drink cinnamon water or apple cider vinegar in lukewarm water.
Begin with soup or salad and some whole grains (rich in fiber) like jowar, rajgira, or brown rice with dal or pulse along with fiber – green vegetables.
Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of fermented vegetables such as carrots, cucumber, cabbage, and cauliflower (these are all filled with beneficial bacteria)
The fiber is food for your gut bacteria that helps to make immune-building compounds, and specific vitamins and helps to reduce inflammation.
Evening snack – Protein such as eggs, and paneer along with salad or healthy nuts like almonds, walnuts, and brazil nuts. Salads can include sprouts or nut salad or chana salad.
Dinner – Have warm soup, and vegetables with a portion of full protein like eggs or chicken with brown rice/quinoa
Post dinner – You may have chamomile tea. It helps you to have a good sleep.
Fluids – You may include chia water, turmeric, pepper, ginger herbal tea, lime water, or Tulsi water, all of which help with immunity along with plain water or infused water with fruits and salads.
Leave outprocessed or packaged foods, soy, gluten, and sugar, restrict consumption of alcohol.
However, it is recommended to consult with your Dietitian before you create your diet plan as several other factors often need to be considered before including any specific meal plan.
