Eating a healthy, nutritious diet is important to keep you healthy during the Kovid 19 pandemic outbreak. Here is a 21-day morning-to-night diet plan that you must follow to boost your immunity.
The country is currently on a 21-day lockdown due to a coronavirus outbreak. While it is important to eat healthy and keep your immunity at bay, the Nutritionist is sharing a 21-day diet plan for better immunity to fight coronaviruses. You can follow these to stay healthy during lockdown.
Social distance and self-restraint are a security measure against coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), but good nutrition is important to keep yourself immune. The immune system is your organs, cells, tissues and proteins. Together, they fight pathogens that cause viruses, bacteria, and infection or disease. When the immune system comes into contact with a pathogen, it triggers an immune response. The immune system releases antibodies that attach to antigens and kill them. When you stay home for 21 days during a nationwide lockdown and are trying to fight a coronavirus infection, here is a diet plan that can help strengthen your immune response.
Contents
Morning ritual
1 glass of warm water + half a lemon + ((a pinch of cinnamon) or (half a spoon turmeric and a pinch of black pepper powder) or a half inch ginger slice or 1tsp wheatgrass powder].
Notes:
Lemon helps to cleanse the liver & boost the metabolic rate of cinnamon, reduce inflammation; Controls blood sugar.
The chlorophyll in wheatgrass helps boost energy and detoxify.
This alkaline blend helps in washing out morning acidity and promoting smooth bowels.
A great way to dispose of waste in the body is to start the day!
Before exercise
1 apple / banana / pear / papaya (medium-sized – 100 g) or 1 cup boiled potato with lime and pepper.
Notes:
Pre-workout carb ensures continuous energy supply during exercise.
Post-work out meals
2 palm-sized moong dal-copper desserts or breads with fresh homemade coriander (use a 1: 1 ratio of moong dal and copper flour) + 2 tbsp. Or
1 glass shake shake – P 2 tbsp mix 200 ml buttermilk: 1tsp zest powder, 1tsp grated ginger, a pinch of salt and cilantro) + 1 small bowl of veg poha (add peas, carrots, onion, tomato)] or
1 Bowl rice vermicelli upma (add ginger, garlic, peas, onion, tomato) or
A glass of beet juice (unrestricted) is mixed with 1 tablespoon of silk powder. Or
2 Steam Idli with Vej Sambhar. (Egg Omelette with Multigrain Bread Slice)
Notes:
Using a combination of whole grains-pulses will give you the complete protein and good carbs needed to support a muscle recovery post-workout. Plant protein is rich in sodium (gram flour) which helps in muscle recovery. Beet is packed with nitrates, which is an excellent post-workout recovery drink due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also provides carb and fiber. (Carb-protein combination supports muscle recovery post-workout) 1 bowl- 200 ml.
Breakfast in the afternoon
3-4 soaked walnuts and 1 tbsp soaked pumpkin seeds or
1 tbsp flax seeds + 1 tbsp sunflower seed + 3 almonds + 2 Brazilian nuts
200 ml carrot beet juice, cinnamon ginger and rock salt to taste
Notes:
Walnuts contain omega-3, which reduces inflammation and helps control bad blood lipids. Pumpkin seeds and Brazilian nuts are packed with selenium, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus, which are great for immunity and thyroid health.
Flax seeds help to get omega-3s. Almonds are rich in vitamin E and fiber.
Veggie juice gives us the amount of fiber we need and keeps you full.
Lunch
1 cup carrot-cucumber salad ½ tbsp flax seed powder or 1 cup carrot and beet 1tsp roasted black sesame or 1 bowl cucumber and radish +
1 bowl cooked vegetables (preferably greens) or flax bell-peppers carrot and green peas flax seeds or kale broccoli stir fry +
1-2 palm-sized corn breads or 1 cup cooked rice
+ 1 cup tadka dal or sprouted green or yellow moong dal. (For non-veg: 1 bowl chicken curry (using onion-tomato base-100 grams chicken) or grilled chicken or 1 bowl egg
Or 1 bowl masur dal and rice khichdi 1: 1 ratio + 1 cup cucumber raita
Notes
1 cup = 100 g; 1 bowl = 150-200 g. Stay filled with fiber from cooked vegetables and salad. Be careful not to roast the flax seeds, as the bake will destroy the omega-3s. Sesame seeds are high on calcium.
After lunch
1 glass of lemon water with 1 tbsp ajwain-jeera-sanf mix.
Notes:
This blend helps to re-alkalize the body, support digestion and prevent bloating / flatulence. In a 1: 1: 1 ratio ajwain, jeera and sanf are lightly fried and softened. Store in an airtight bottle and use when needed.
Tea time
One cup of organic green tea (one infused tea in a star anise / a pinch of cinnamon powder or mint in green tea and any infused tea like cinnamon or basil-ginger. After 20 minutes, 1 cup pomegranate black pepper or 2 cups of papaya / muskmelon-3 pieces. 2 egg white for non-wedge lovers)
Notes:
Keep a 20-minute gap between taking tea and eggs
Green tea is packed with antioxidants (epigallocatechin), maintains blood sugar balance, neutralizes free radicals and acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent.
Cinnamon / star anise – to enhance its anti-inflammatory and metabolic-enhancing effect.
Mint – To keep the body cool and alkaline.
Eggs – Packed with proteins
Basil- coolant
Ginger – Filled with antioxidants.
Dinner
Add 1 cup spinach soup / zucchini soup (ginger-garlic or 1 bowl tomato basil soup or 1 bowl bottle gourd-onion and tomato soup Ginger garlic. Sprinkle half a spoon flax seed powder with soup or 2 cucumber roti. Or half a basan chilla + 1 cup cooked greens sabji + 1 cup tadka dal or 1 cup homemade yogurt Pun, combined with black sesame
(For nonvez lovers – 1 small bowl of fish or egg curry)
Or 1 cucumber onion tomato carrot zeera powder rock salt sauce and chopped cilantro rajma chat in 1 bowl
+ 1 bowl yogurt rice with ghee, mustard, hing, curry and red chilli
Notes:
Keep dinner supple and balanced (fiber and protein combo with micronutrients. Avoid roasting flax seeds, because roasting can kill omega-3. Sesame seeds are high in calcium.
After dinner (30 minutes later) 1 glass of lemon water with 1 tbsp ajwain-jeera-sanf mixture.
Notes:
This blend helps to re-alkalize the body, supports digestion and prevents bloating / flatulence. In a 1: 1: 1 ratio ajwain, jeera and sanf are lightly fried and softened. Store in an airtight bottle and use when needed.
Bed time
After 10-15 minutes of deep breathing and meditation with eyes closed and insight, take a cinnamon powder or chamomile tea in a glass of tepid water.
Notes:
To reduce stress, disconnect from the day and ensure good sleep.
