Control cravings and eat healthy

It's important to watch what you eat during the lockdown

Being forced to stay at home for a number of days can be quite intense. With either nothing to do or have tons of work from the office, eating never stops. And since you’re at home, all you end up doing, whether you like it or not, is eat. Most of the time, you aren’t making the conscious effort to eat healthy either.

Even though vegetable shops are open, people still end up reaching for the shelf that has unhealthy food with a longer shelf life. Edwina Raj, senior dietitian at Aster CMI Hospital, says, “It has been clearly mentioned by our government not to panic about the supply and availability of groceries but everyone is rushing out with barely any personal protective measures. We have not seen people with as much interest in veggies and fruits. Most patients who visit our clinic never consume the daily recommended daily intake of veggies and fruits.”

Eating unhealthy processed snacks with chemical additives can negatively impact your immune system and overall health. Experts feel this lockdown is the time to explore some healthy homemade recipes.

By being indoors all the time, you’re also engaging your body in eating and no exercise. Edwina adds, “Because you also experience loneliness, you end up eating junk or food from outside. This can lead to obesity, heart disease, mental disorder, high blood pressure and so on.” Being indoors can also make you susceptible to Vitamin D deficiency. Experts recommend supplement dosages for this.

As for parents who find it easier to put their child in front of a screen and give them whatever food they ask for, Edwina says it can be problematic. “If your child is less than three years old, then the ball is in your court. Stop yourself from buying unhealthy food. Older children will find it easier to listen to you if you explain the circumstances and how it could affect their health. Make that effort,” she explains.

Dr Girish Chandra, senior consultant of psychiatry at Aster CMI Hospital, says it’s important to stay healthy so that things won’t get worse.

“The lockdown and the news of Covid-19 have led to a series of mental health issues among people. It’s important that you tackle this with exercise and diet so that your mind and body stay healthy,” he says.

He says a healthy diet should consist of vegetables, fruits and adequate proteins to boost one’s immunity and reduce their chances of falling prey to Covid-19 and other infectious diseases. “Keep yourself engaged by learning a new skill such as cooking, reading or registering for an online course to tackle issues like loneliness and depression,” he adds.

On doctor’s orders

In order to suppress your hunger hormones rather than snacking on simple carbs, carb-dense, starchy foods which get digested quickly and don’t help you manage your hunger pangs nor give you the feeling of fullness(satiety):

• Reach out to healthy snacks dominated with fibre and protein that acts on your hunger and satiety. Sources such as roasted nuts, vegetable juice, kidney beans and vegetable cutlet, fruit bowl with roasted Bengal gram, vegetable egg omelette, paneer and veg toast, millet and veg Tikki, tofu and veg nuggets etc, are recommended.
• Do not hoard any unhealthy food and blacklist junk, sugar-based, refined carbs, ready-to-eat foods, bakery goods, starchy vegetables and desserts.
• Respond to your high appetite with low-calorie immune-boosting recipe ideas such as buttermilk with ginger and basil, vegetable soups with turmeric and pepper, sugarless ginger ale, sugarless unstrained fruit with nut smoothie/kokum drink/jaljeera/aam panna with chia seeds and stevia, traditional rasam, millet-based drink, vitamin water, fruit-infused water, green tea or herbal tea.

Tips and tricks to stay healthy

• Vitamin C intake: Incorporate vitamin-rich foods such as broccoli, tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, papayas, citrus fruits and guavas as it protects against cardiovascular diseases and improves eye health.
• Stay hydrated: Add oranges or lemons and cucumbers to your water; you can also try broths, soups, and yoghurts to keep up hydration levels. Sugar-free sports drinks or electrolytes are a great way to hydrate, especially if you come down with a cold or indigestion.
• Eat light: More frequent light meals is better than eating three heavy meals in a day. Including food rich in proteins, fibre, and healthy fat.
• Avoid fast-food: Highly-processed foods have been linked to headaches, acne, as well as dental and digestive distress. Try controlling your snack-time urges by portioning, or simply swapping them for healthy alternatives.
• Eat home-cooked meals: Try your hand at cooking meals at home instead of ordering in take-out. Not only is a hot meal comforting and healthy, but cooking is also a helpful skillset.
• Eat green: Make sure to incorporate fresh produce in your meals like green leafy vegetables and legumes.
• Regulate salt intake: Excessive consumption of fried, salty foods can lead to high blood pressure,
• bloating due to water retention, kidney diseases, and even osteoporosis.
• Avoid packaged food such as frozen or boxed meals as they use sodium as a preservative. Be mindful of cheeses and dairy, pickled foods, and sauces or condiments.

(With inputs from Prafula Grace Busi)