These five lifestyle changes can help to strengthen immunity

It is important to eat foods that boost immunity and prevent us from contracting water-borne diseases such as indigestion, diarrhoea, jaundice, etc. Sheryl Salis, registered dietician and certified diabetes educator, shares five easy steps towards eating healthy along with consuming proper nutrition.

Sip on warm moringa green teas and green coffees. Nothing beats the feeling of drinking hot beverages during the monsoon. You can switch to healthier alternatives like moringa green tea which is filled with minerals and vitamins. Superfoods like moringa are infused with antioxidant properties that boost immunity as well as help regulate the metabolism. With numerous flavours available like honey, lemon, lemongrass and mint, it can bring relief from cold and phlegm which is a common occurrence during the monsoon.

Coffee lovers can try out the healthier green coffee which is a health booster and high in antioxidants. The unroasted cousin of coffee is loaded with immunity-boosting properties.

For the best of immunity during this season, it is vital to include a good quantity and quality of protein in the diet. A quarter of your meal should always include the right protein. Nowadays, instant-ready high protein soups infused with superfoods like quinoa, amaranth and turmeric are available which are really nutritious and have up to 4x protein content vs regular soups. It is a convenient and nourishing option to keep you warm and active while cleansing your body of bacteria and waste products. One of the best things about soups is that when you are hungry in the evenings, this plays out as a good evening snack.

Besides soups, you can also include seasonal delicacies like corn which can be turned into spicy and tangy grilled corn for light snacking along with boiled groundnuts and warm salads that are super healthy and provide instant respite to monsoon snack cravings.

As our bodies find it harder to digest food during the monsoon, one should eat in moderation and eat only when hungry. Practice thorough washing of fruit and vegetables, particularly leafy vegetables and cauliflower with salt or baking soda. One can also opt for non-leafy vegetables such as snake gourd, bottle gourd, apple gourd, bitter gourd, cluster beans, French beans, etc, in their diet. However, avoid uncooked food, raw salads and sprouts. Steam those veggies and sprouts well before consuming them to avoid contracting water borne illnesses. Seasonal fruits like mangoes, bananas, apples, litchis, cherries and pomegranates should be eaten as the non-seasonal ones may be infested with disease inducing worms.

Salt is one of the ingredients that complete our food, but excess of it causes water retention and bloating in the body, especially, in monsoon. Thus, avoid excess salt in your diet while also going slow on pickles, papads, chutneys, especially, packaged and canned foods. Maintain your hydration and proper flushing out of the toxins by drinking adequate amounts of boiled and filtered water.

Every household has their own version of home remedies to cure common cold, indigestion, etc, that are passed down from generation to generation. Concoctions prepared out of ingredients like virgin coconut oil (10 ml), garlic (2-3 freshly chopped), fennel (2-3 tsp), ginger (1-2 inch), cloves (3-4), cumin seeds (2-3 tsp), and turmeric (4 pinches) can be consumed frequently since they are anti-viral in nature that help in boosting our body’s immune system functioning.