Switch to healthy diet to keep illness at bay in changing Odisha weather

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s weather has been playing irresponsibly, but amid the bright sun and sudden chill, we can’t afford to take our health lightly. People often fall ill when season changes. Though the dramatic temperature changes are not directly responsible for these illness, the temperature shift allows different group of viruses to flourish and these make people sick.

It is also the time when laziness takes over and we overlook the most important aspect of healthy living – diet.

Odisha Sun Times spoke to a city-based dietician, Sarmistha Maitra, who shared some tips to keep ailments at bay.

“When the weather starts to fluctuate, viruses and bacteria spread a lot more quickly and the easiest way is through water and food,” she said, emphasising on drinking boiled or filtered water.

Picture Courtesy: safewater.org

Advising to keep away from processed or packaged food, she said, “These food items have saturated and trans fat which is harmful for health. This is the weather when your body is trying to adapt to the environment, so light food must be taken. Fruits are a great antioxidant, and rich in water and fibre. Since this weather leads to digestive problems, taking whole fruits will take care of that.”

She suggested eating fruits only after keeping them in water for about 10-15 minutes so the dirt and synthetic colours on them are washed away.

Picture Courtesy: fruitizm.com

Green-leafy vegetables should be taken more, she said. “Eat seasonal vegetables too but make sure it is not over-cooked,” she said adding that stale food should be avoided.

Picture Courtesy: thebetterindia.com

Speaking about taking care of the immune system, she advised eating fresh fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C. “A strong immune system will always help you fight these seasonal changes and ailments. Vitamins strengthen your immunity,” she added.

She further said that if you’re a non-vegetarian, avoid eating red meat and instead switch to fishes as these are rich in protein and vitamin, which will boost your immunity.

She also informed that cow milk that we usually drink have bacteria which is unfit, especially for children, and thus, double-toned milk should be preferred. “In fact, very few people know that cow milk is no longer very safe for children. Pasteurized, double-toned milk should be preferred since the chances of bacteria in it is less,” she emphasised.

Picture Courtesy: thehealthsite

She believes diet is an entire-year effort and thus it must be given importance in all seasons. While a normal healthy adult can follow these, people suffering from specific diseases must speak to their doctors about what not to eat because 70% of our health and fitness depend on diet. “Though diet doesn’t change much according to the season, what matters is the care taken. Brisk walk for thirty minutes a day is also very important,” she added.

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