With the alarming increase in COVID-19 infections more and more people are taking to self-isolation and self-quarantine. When you are left to fend for yourself most of the times with limited or no human company what should you eat to survive and recover fast? Given below are a few suggestions which Promagzine is listing out as general guidelines. This should not be taken as a medically prescribed diet/nutrition.
Foods on their own cannot stop you form getting infected nor can they cure you once you succumb to the infection, At best certain foods can boost your immune system ensuring that you can fight off the severity of the infection and recover faster as well as remain healthy when you are in isolation so that new infections and diseases can be kept at bay and further medical complications can be avoided.
Some of the crucial and important points to be kept in mind are:
- You must eat plenty of vegetables and fruits- These will provide you with the necessary vitamins, phytochemicals and minerals depending on the vegetable and food varieties that you incorporate in your diet.
- You must choose whole grains rather than refined grains- Whole grains provide carbohydrates which fuel our energy, they retain the fiber, minerals and vitamins which are essential for our body.
- You should replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats- This can help lower the bad cholesterol levels, and also reduce the chances of heart diseases.
- You must avoid food and drinks that are high in salt, sugar and fat- These have no nutritional benefits and harm us by increasing our cholesterol levels, and have other harmful effects.
- You must control Portion sizes – Do not eat large portions since physical exercise and mobility is reduced. This will make you gain weight and have other medical complications.
- You must choose both animal and plant-based proteins – For balanced and healthy nutrition.
- You must stay hydrated – This is very important. 20 -30 % of the water intake needed by our body comes from our food. The water consumption levels per person varies with lifestyle and age. You can supplement plain water with other drinks like unsweetened tea, unsweetened coffee, fresh juices and so on.
Remember, the best way of recovering fast and remaining healthy is dependent on a variety of factors, like maintaining COVID -19 protocols, adopting safety measures and so on, diet is only one part. It is however an important part and knowledge and information will help you understand what you should eat during self-quarantine!
