
Amid Covid and its rising variant cases, many are experiencing flu-like symptoms including fever, cough and cold. The seasonal changes along with inadequate meal times may be to blame. While it is necessary to take adequate rest along with medicines to recover faster, diet plays an extremely important role in the entire process of recovery. So, experts are of the opinion that it is time to eat right and mindfully to nurse your health back as well as build and improve immunity to ward of future illnesses.
Here are two sample diets that can help with flu recovery, and building immunity over a long time.
Recover from flu with this diet plan from certified health and nutrition specialist Mrigna Chawla.
Chawla posted on her Instagram Isahealthyvibe that it is necessary to take adequate precautions amid “third wave”.
“With so many people suffering with covid/flu symptoms, this post was definitely a need of the hour. Make sure you’re taking your medicines along with zinc and vitamin c supplements,” she said.
Here’s the sample diet plan.
On waking up
Ginger, black pepper and jaggery tea with a handful of soaked nuts (5 almonds, 1 fig, 3-4 raisins)
Breakfast
Eggs and toast or one panner paratha, one cup tulsi adrak masala chai
Mid meal
Apple (Sprinkle seed mix on top)
Lunch
Homemade chicken curry or dal
sabzi of choice
Roti with ghee
Evening
Vegetable soup or bone broth soup
Dinner
Indian seasonal cooked vegetables, grilled chicken, grilled fish, paneer or tofu, brown rice
Post dinner
Ajwain water
Meanwhile, nutritionist and lifestyle educator Karishma Chawla shared a sample diet plan with indianexpress.com that can help with immunity
Build immunity with home remedies (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock)
Non-negotiables for an immunity building diet as per Karishma are:
*Diet that helps with blood sugar control
*Remove food sensitivities and add foods that help with gut health ( 70-80 per cent of the immune system lives in the gut)
*Add foods rich in antioxidants
Morning on waking up
Lukewarm water + lime
Followed by
Green veg smoothie (can add a high fiber fruit like apple or orange to naturally sweeten the smoothie instead of sugar) can add a teaspoon of camu camu powder rich in vitamin C (antioxidant) to help with immunity
Breakfast
A combination of complex carb + protein with good fats work the best for stabilising blood sugar levels
Brown rice poha/moong dal chilla with eggs/ protein supplement (vegan or milk protein- subjective to gut tolerance) or
Almond bread/jowar bread with eggs or vegetable sandwich or
Quinoa upma with eggs
Mid morning
Can add a high fibre fruit like apple, orange, papaya and a teaspoon of cold pressed coconut oil + pinch black pepper + pinch turmeric powder (made as a paste)
Lunch
Experiment with cinnamon water or apple cider vinegar in lukewarm water
Make sure you have these foods in your diet. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Water
Start with soup or salad with some whole grains (rich in fibre) such as jowar/rajgira/brown rice with dal/pulse along with fibre – green veggies
Add 1-2 tablespoon fermented veggies like carrots, cucumber, cabbage, cauliflower (these are loaded with beneficial bacteria)
As per Karishma, the fibre is the food for the gut bacteria that helps to make immune building compounds, certain vitamins and helps to lower inflammation.
Evening snack
Protein like eggs/paneer/protein supplements along with salad and/or healthy nuts such as almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts
Salads can be sprouts/nut salad/avocado salad/chana salad
Dinner
Soup, vegetables with a portion of complete protein such as eggs/chicken with brown rice/quinoa
Post dinner ¨
Chamomile tea
Fluids
Can indulge in chia water, turmeric+ pepper + ginger herbal tea, lime water, basil water- all help with immunity besides plain water and infused water with
fruits and salads
Cut out
-processed or packaged foods
-soy
–gluten
-dairy ( on tolerance)
-sugar
-Limit alcohol
-Avoid excess consumption of anti-inflammatory pills and antibiotics
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https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/flu-immunity-covid-diet-plan-eat-healthy-foods-7712693/