Monsoon diet has us craving for delicious food. But what should we really be eating?
Highlights
As the scorching summer heat draws to an end, it's time to savour the refreshing monsoon showers. We all love to gorge on our favourite roasted bhutta or dig into some hot, crispy pakoras. However, the monsoon season comes with its own sets of risks. Seasonal infections are at an all-time high during the monsoon period, such as common flu and stomach infection. The high moisture content in the air makes our bodies susceptible to infections. Our diet can have a major impact on how the body responds. Thus, it is essential to follow these diet tips and ensure that we stay healthy through this disease-prone period.
1. Build Immunity
With the high susceptibility of infections spreading and communicable diseases becoming increasingly common, boosting immunity is key to good health. The immune system carries out much of the body's repair and restorative functions and also helps battle germs and infections. Nutritionist and Macrobiotic Health Coach Shilpa Arora suggests, "Keep gut bacteria healthy by eating fermented veggies or Kombucha or idlis and dosas." Herbal home-brewed teas and immunity-building soups are a good idea, according to Arora.
2. Avoid Infections
One of the easiest ways to avoid infections in monsoon is to keep a check on what's going into your body. Illnesses can be minimised by ensuring that the water we drink is properly boiled and germ-free. Further, the most important advice is to eat only cooked food and avoid raw food entirely during this period. Thus, even raw salads should be avoided during this period and vegetables should preferably be steamed.
(Also Read:Celeb Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar Recommends Konfal: Why You Should Add It To Your Monsoon Diet)
3. Hydrate Your Body
Monsoons go hand-in-hand with high moisture content in the air, but even still, it is important to keep the body hydrated at all times. It is essential to keep drinking water at regular intervals throughout the day. Eat seasonal fruits such as jamun, apple, pomegranate, cherry and pineapple during this period to provide your body with adequate water content. "Lots of liquids soups and stews is a great idea. Do not have chilled drinks and mucus-generating food," advises Arora.
4. Maintain Good Digestion
Fruits and vegetables hold the key to maintain your energy as well as keep the digestive system in check during the monsoon period. Try to avoid going out to eat and maintain a healthy diet while at home. Processed foods and heavy dishes are best avoided during monsoon season. "Avoid all Maida items," suggests Arora. Drinking plenty of water aids digestion too.
(Also Read:Healthy Monsoon Diet: 3 Immunity-Boosting Soup Recipes To Keep Handy)
5. Skin Care
Our skin is often representative of what's going on inside our body. Thus, we may notice frequent acne eruptions or other skin illnesses during this period. Maintain good cleanliness and keep skin clean and moisture free to avoid bacteria-related skin diseases. Further, Nutritionist Shilpa Arora has an easy skin tonic recipe which can be made at home for healthy skin. Here's the recipe of skin tonic by Shilpa Arora:
Ingredients:
1 Lemon, squeezed
1-Inch piece Ginger
1-Inch Turmeric Root
6 Peppercorns
300 ml Water
Method: Blend all the ingredients well to flush out all the toxins out of your body and keep your skin and body healthy!
About Aditi AhujaAditi loves talking to and meeting like-minded foodies (especially the kind who like veg momos). Plus points if you get her bad jokes and sitcom references, or if you recommend a new place to eat at.
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Monsoon Diet: 5 Expert Diet Tips And Healthy Eating Habits To Keep Diseases At Bay - NDTV Food
