By Shivam Sarkar
Most of the world is practically in lockdown. Grocery stores visits are much less frequent and you are forced to sit and work from home. You no longer walk to the train station, stand around for a cab or climb as many stairs. The side effect is- bad lifestyle changes, harming the immune system and metabolic rate.
The bodies immune response and energy are closely linked together. Fighting off pathogens and disease requires a robust immune system, and it requires energy, which is dependent on the bodies metabolism management. (In a review paper by Gökhan S. Hotamışlıgil, February 2017)
So it’s important to prevent a metabolism drop while also reinforcing your immune system.
So how do you eat healthy during the lockdown? Five small meals a day is the trick. Frequent eating will help retain a higher metabolic rate.
Pandemic diet plan:
- Breakfast- Eggs/ oatmeal with flax seeds and green tea/ lemon juice
- Post breakfast- Almonds/ walnuts/ pecans/ cashews and orange/ papaya/ avocado.
- Lunch- Chicken breast (roasted, pan-fried, or boiled), brown rice, roasted broccoli/ cauliflower/ salad, and a fruit
- Post lunch- Dark chocolate/ banana/ carrot or pear.
- Dinner- Soups/ salads and camomile tea.
Foods to avoid in the pandemic diet plan
1. Processed foods
In a panic many shoppers bought frozen and other processed foods. The incredible convenience costs you your health. These include factory foods like-
- Processed meats- Being regarded as a Carcinogen by the WHO’s International Agency For Cancer Research in 2015 does not do any good for its reputation.
- Snacks and junk food- Crafted with absurd amounts of sodium and/or sugar. Oreos, breakfast cereal, chips, instant noodles, ice cream, and everything that screams “I don’t like to cook” or “I can’t cook”.
- Fruit juices and Sodas- Both raise your blood sugar tremendously, stressing the pancreas to produce more insulin.
- Frozen fritters- Smiley-faced potato fritters, french fries, burger patties, sausages, and more. High in trans fat and responsible for high cholesterol.
2. Oily foods
Besides spices, oily foods are definitive of Indian cuisine. Our dishes would be incomplete without them. Cooking oils raise your cholesterol, but you can always choose oils that don’t spike it drastically or help you maintain an acceptable level.
3. Refined flour
Wheat, barley, rye are some grains known to contain gluten. So you may want to forget bread, parathas, pasta, noodles, and other foods derived from refined grains. If you cant change your diet then whole-grain versions are a better option.
Foods to have in your pandemic diet plan
1. Healthy fats
- Monounsaturated fats- Olive, canola, peanut, sesame, and sunflower oil.
- Polyunsaturated fats- Corn and soybean oil, nuts, flaxseed, pumpkin seed, ghee. Fatty fishes such as salmon, herring, and sardines containing Omega-3 fatty acids.
2. Dark chocolate, 70% or more
An ounce a day is safe. Good for digestion, source of vitamin A, B and E. Contains potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium. Has a mix of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Also an antioxidant and metabolism enhancer.
3. Almonds
An excellent fat burner, rich in fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
4. Water
Funnily enough, water raises your metabolism. According to a journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism study, drinking water can boost the metabolic rate by 30%. It is vital for the success of your lockdown diet plan.
5. Tea
- Green tea- Great antioxidant properties, has small amounts of caffeine.
- White tea- Low factory processing, has even smaller amounts of caffeine.
6. Coffee
Results vary for each individual, but the caffeine content is proven to accelerate metabolism.
About 270mg of caffeine daily can help burn 100 calories. [Pubgmed.gov]
7. Ginger
Ginger consumption enhances the thermic effect of food and promotes feelings of satiety without affecting metabolic and hormonal parameters in overweight men.
8. Apple cider vinegar
About 2 tablespoons in the morning along with warm water before breakfast. Keep a gap of ten minutes before eating breakfast. Helpful in digestion along with improved insulin and blood sugar levels.
9. Egg
A veritable source of protein well regarded by bodybuilders everywhere. Vitamin A, vitamin B-12, and selenium in eggs are key to keeping the immune system healthy.
10. Soups
Tomato soup and cabbage soup are very easy to make. The key to making soups healthy is to cook them fresh each step of the way. Soups are more filling and can stave off hunger for longer.
11. Green vegetables
Broccoli, celery, ladyfingers, bitter gourd, french beans, spinach, etc.
If you went through all the foods mentioned above you’ll notice multiple items fulfilling both metabolic and immune system needs. Unfortunately there is no single best lockdown diet plan. More food items could be mentioned here but at the risk of being uncommon or rare. Truth be told, you should eat most of these foods whenever you can, pandemic or not.