It’s the season of sniffles, chills and the blues. But, you can keep your mind and body in tip-top condition with a smart, nutritious diet that keeps you warm, hydrated, full of energy and positivity and in optimum health, says Suman Agarwal of Selfcare – The Natural Way
Winter is the most awaited season in the coastal region but in the Northern region it does bring cool harsh winds and we need to be fully prepared for the way it affects our bodies and health. Our diet plays
an important role in doing so.
Keep your skin soft
Harsh winters lead to dry, flaky skin. Though lotions can remedy that to a certain extent, changing your diet can prevent this. The best way to keep your outer layer lubricated is to increase your intake of healthy fats. “Fat is a nutrient that protects all cells, including your skin cells,” says Kristine Clark, Ph.D., R.D., director of sports nutrition at Pennsylvania State University. Adding omega-3 fatty acid-rich fishes like salmon to our diet, a few times a week, keeps the skin soft. Introducing vitamin E-rich almonds, in the diet, is also a good option. A lack of vitamin E can influence the quality and texture of your skin. Even pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are good options, adds Clark. Include oily fish and almonds in your diet.
Boost your immunity
Colds and coughs are very common during winter. To stop a running nose, one must take foods rich in vitamin C like oranges, amla, pineapple, papaya, etc. It’s best to top it with a vitamin C 500 mg tablet. vitamin C increases the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and antibodies. To further boost the immune system, you can always increase the intake of foods rich in beta carotene. The sources include green leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, broccoli, orange-coloured fruits and vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, oranges and sweet potato. Onions are rich in quercetin, which is an antioxidant that slows viral activity and replication. So, adding onion slices here and there and in cooking gravies is a great idea. Chicken is a wonder food during winters. It keeps white blood cells, which can cause inflammation, from migrating into the nose and throat and causing congestion. It’s the nutrients in the mix of veggies with the chicken and the hot liquid that do the trick.
Binge the right way
“Cold weather actually triggers hunger,” says Nancy Duncan, author of Nancy Duncan’s Sports Nutrition Handbook. Our brain is tuned to the fact that eating increases the body’s temperature and warms us; so as soon as the body is cold or not warm enough it sends a signal encouraging you to eat and this causes a binge on wrong and more foods than required by our body, ultimately resulting in weight gain. So we must stock our kitchen with low-fat snacks, eat more vegetables and fruits and broth-based soups which will not only control the binge but also hydrate our skin and body.
Drink more liquids
Hydration is important during winters as the thirst goes down due to cold weather. Water helps in better transportation of nutrients in the body. Exercising in the cold is also very tricky as you still sweat but the dry air takes away the perspiration before you even notice. “I see this in athletes a lot,” says Ann Grandjean, Ed. D., Executive Director of the Centre of Human Nutrition. They don’t realise they are sweating unless they actually see it. That can quickly lead to dehydration. Athletes and marathon runners must weigh themselves before and after their workouts and replace every 500 grams they lose with an adequate quantity of fluid or sports drink. Drink water or warm fluids even when you are not thirsty.
Take care of your Vitamin D levels
We all know that vitamin D is required for strong bones and calcium absorption, but very few know that it’s also linked to your mood. A university of Queensland, Australia, review study reports that vitamin D affects dopamine, a brain chemical linked with reward recognition. During winter months, due to limited exposure to the sun, which gives us vitamin D, you can get a deficiency easily, which could cause winter blues. Taking a supplement of 1000 IU daily is recommended but you should also look for vitamin D rich foods such as yoghurt, fortified milk, egg yolk, full-fat paneer, fish, etc.
Check the serotonin effect
During winter, the supply of the chemical serotonin in our body lowers down due to lack of sunlight. Since serotonin is found in food, you have a good feeling if your stomach is full. But, if you choose to eat high-calorie foods like cookies and desserts and fried foods, it could lead to weight gain. However, if you control your carbohydrate portions, your brain can restore its serotonin level, without it resulting in weight gain.
Choose spices over alcohol
People think alcohol warms up your body in winters but that’s a misconception, as alcohol just dilates the peripheral blood vessels near your skin, which means more blood and heat flows to the vessels. So, though you feel warm, your vital organs aren’t as warm as you feel. If you go out into the cold after drinking, because you have got a lot of heat near the periphery of your body, you can lose heat easily and quickly. Instead, make your food rich in spices and herbs like mustard, black pepper, asafoetida (hing), fenugreek (methi seeds), carom seeds (ajwain), dill seeds (suva), etc. Mustard, carom and dill seeds are very effective against colds and coughs in winters as they help in digestion and also increase blood circulation. Dry or sprouted methi is helpful for bone health in winters. Fresh turmeric, especially the golden yellow variety, is a potential anti-microbial immunity builder.
Relish the special winter foods
Special foods like turmeric, tulsi, ginger, dill seeds, and sesame have their own benefits during winters. Basil (tulsi) increases your immunity and helps keep you away from colds, coughs and fever during winter. Use sliced or crushed ginger in teas, vegetables and dals. Use turmeric as an accompaniment with chutneys. Use dill seeds (suva) and sesame seeds in ladoos or mukhwas or sprinkle them on salads. Sesame (til) ladoos are extremely popular during winter months. Garlic is another spice which not only increases the body’s temperature but also cures fever and cold.
Don’t skip your exercise regimen
Exercise warms up your body by increasing blood circulation and also boosts up your immunity hence keeping away cold, cough and fever. So although you don’t feel like getting out of your blankets during winters, it’s a must to come out and exercise.
Embrace the season with a positive outlook, adopt a healthy, mood-boosting, pick-me-up nutritious eating plan and winterise your workout. Be smart, be warm and be healthy. It will keep you sunny all through the season.
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