Diet and Lifestyle during COVID 19 Pandemic

While the whole world is facing the global pandemic of COVID-19 or Corona Virus, the number of confirmed cases in Nepal is also increasing rapidly. This has created a type of threat in society. But this is not the time to panic but to be careful in order to avoid the infection by boosting our immunity. And for those who have been infected, it is a must to follow a very healthy lifestyle along with isolation.

What we need to understand is eating healthy does not need to be an expensive diet but things that we find around us easily.

Here, we will share some tips to boost our immune system to fight against this disease by following some healthy diets and lifestyles.

The two major things that we need to focus on are:

1. COVID 19 affects the lungs in the long-term,
2. People with a stronger immune system are less likely to get infected with COVID-19

Therefore, our major focus is to take care of our lungs in a very special way. For this reason, we will have to:

• Do physical exercises or Yoga to enhance our breathing system
• Avoid Smoking and Drinking Alcohol
• Consume a balanced diet

Here are some measures to strengthen our immune system to fight against COVID 19:

1. The first thing to keep in mind is maintaining personal hygiene that includes: taking bath regularly, washing hands and feet often, regular cleaning of towels, bedsheets, and other utensils and moreover keeping the home clean.
2. Vitamins help to boost immunity. Especially, Vitamin A, Vitamin C Vitamin D, and Vitamin E are known to help in enhancing the immune system in humans.
   • Vitamin A is abundantly found in Green leafy vegetables and yellow fruits.
   • Likewise, citric fruits like lemon, oranges as well as grapes contain Vitamin C, which helps in preventing cold.
   • For Vitamin D, go for mushrooms, egg yolks and expose yourself to sunlight at least for 15 minutes to half an hour a day.
   • Similarly, avocado, sunflower seeds, spinach, almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios, kiwi, and mangoes are good sources of Vitamin E.
3. Antioxidants also help to strengthen immunity as they are known to prevent or slow the damage to cells caused by free radicals and unstable molecules produced by the body itself or by the environment. The major sources of antioxidants are Walnuts, turmeric, garlic, onions, Green Tea, Broccoli, tomatoes, Kiwi, and carrots to name but few.
4. Lastly, White Blood Cells and Red Blood Cells also contribute to strengthening the immune system by fighting against any external particles or germs that enter into us. Pomegranate, Beet Root, Tomatoes, Kidney Beans, Lemon, Cashew nuts help to promote the better production of these cells in the body.

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Besides these measures, drinking hot water with ginger and turmeric instead of tea, soaking all kinds of green vegetables in saline water before consumption, following a regular eating time table, regular consumption of seasonal fruits, exercising for at least 30 minutes a day and drinking plenty of water can help in strengthening our natural immune system which will not only help fight against COVID 19 but all other viral diseases too.

Article By Anu Mourya 

(Nutritionist)

English Translation: Rupa Karki & Ankur Mourya

Article in Nepali:

कोरोना को बेला खानपीन र रहनसहन