Keep yourself and your family fit this rainy season with some expert tips for eating healthy food and staying disease-free.
by Deepa Mistry
The monsoon season is always greeted with a hearty welcome by soaking in the rains after the scorching summer heat, sipping your favourite cuppa from the road side chai tapri. Like many others, I love this romantic season, especially with some hot road-side vada pavs and kanda bhajjis to gorge. But the street food that we crave in this season is actually a gateway for viruses and illnesses; therefore we must avoid eating out at all costs.
The monsoons come with both pros and cons; they reduce our overall immunity and make us susceptible to many diseases. We have to help our body resist these diseases, by boosting our immunity and taking precautions. Some of the diseases associated with the monsoon are malaria, jaundice, and gastro-intestinal infections like typhoid and cholera. Apart from these, viral infections like cold and cough are common and spread fast.
Dr Vidya Yevale, nutritionist says, “During monsoons, it’s highly recommended that you avoid outside food, as high humidity makes your digestive system weak. It is important to get the right nutrition and keep your body resistant against diseases by boosting immunity through a healthy diet.”
Confused about what to eat and what to avoid? Wondering how to guard against diseases? Try these tips:
– Have a glass of warm water, one teaspoon honey and a drop of ginger oil every morning. It will cure your sore throat and keep your skin hydrated.
– Skip your usual black and opt for tulsi or cinnamon green tea. These will also help you lose weight.
– Only drink boiled and purified water from home. If you are travelling, carry your own bottle of purified water.
– Eat raw vegetables and fruit only if you have washed them properly. While washing fruit, add a teaspoon of vinegar to a bowl of water and soak all your fruits for 5 minutes. Wash with plain water before you eat. This method helps wash away all dirt and chemicals.
– Avoid buying pre-cut vegetables and eating salads or cut fruits at restaurants and roadside stalls.
– Try to avoid direct intake of dairy products like raita and cottage cheese (paneer) while eating outside. Curd or buttermilk is a preferable option over milk.
– Eat fresh home-cooked food and add a little ginger-garlic to all your meals. Ginger is known to have properties that increase immunity.
– Hot soups are the best to fight cold and cough during this season. Add some pepper as it is loaded with vitamins and disease-fighting properties.
– Try and avoid too much of fish or meat. Stock your fridge with green vegetables, cereals and fruit. Also avoid fried or overcooked food since it decreases your body’s digestive efficiency.
Homemaker Prerana Singh shares her healthy cooking tips. “During monsoons, my kids love to munch on street food like samosas, corn-on-the-cob, chaats but avoid home cooked 
food so I have started making all these dishes at home. I secretly add vegetables they don’t like in my home-made burger patties and samosas and they love it.”
Children can nag you for street food during the monsoons, so make sure you eat from a good restaurant and the food served is piping hot. Also, drink plenty of water as it helps wash out all the toxins and helps you detox. As you eat healthy this monsoon, stay fit by trying some easy exercises at home – try yoga, pranayama and Surya Namaskar – which will boost your immunity against cold and flu.
(Pictures courtesy healthmeup.com, foodsapor.com, easiestrecipes.blogspot.com)