Proper diet in winter helps avoid seasonal ailments

Rawalpindi

Several foods give the body nutrients that help in promoting wellness and this is very important particularly during the winter season when majority of population remains at risk of contracting seasonal infections like cough, flu and cold.

Green tea is much beneficial in winter as cough; flu and cold are common in the season. Good quality, low-fat protein diets such as nuts, seeds, legumes, eggs, fish, lean meat, chicken and low fat dairy should be taken with every meal. Physically active people and children should eat an egg daily. People limited to desk job should have it twice a week. Diabetics and heart patients should eat egg white only.

Professor of Community Medicine at CMH Lahore Medical College Dr. Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry expressed this while talking to ‘The News’ on Monday.

He said at least half of your diet should be made up of fresh fruit and vegetables. Fruit and vegetables are an excellent source of important vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, C, folate, iron and calcium. Maximum use should be made of orange and guava as these are rich sources of vitamin C. Moreover, several vegetables are known to actually prevent cancer, heart disease and other diseases, he said.

He believes that a hot bowl of oatmeal in the breakfast during the winter can be highly beneficial for your health as it is full of nutrients and phytochemicals. “It keeps you full and provides lasting energy.”

He said that it may be tempting for one to enjoy ‘white’ carbohydrate foods such as cakes, cookies, white pasta, rice and breads but these refined foods promote weight gain as they are digested quickly and cause your blood sugar and insulin levels to spike. “Switching to wholesome wholegrain varieties will help you maintain a healthy weight and keep you full for longer, said Dr. Ashraf. He added that other ‘white’ foods to avoid include cream, butter and cheese as they are heavy on calories and rich in saturated fats.

He suggested that one should have dry fruits in moderate quantity because they contain lot of fats. “Almonds and walnuts are source of healthy fat but these should be taken in moderation.”

He said that it is better for one to have a small bowl of low calories chicken corn or vegetable soup before dinner daily. To save time, make a healthy vegetable-based soup at the beginning of the week and freeze portions. Don’t forget to add immune-boosting ingredients such as garlic, ginger, and onion to help protect you from colds and flu, he said.

To a query, he said we often forget to keep our water intake up during winter yet it is important to drink plenty of water all year around for good health. It is must to drink at least eight to 11 glasses of water daily. At least two glasses of water should be taken early in the morning on empty stomach. Use of heaters can be very dehydrating in winter and this dehydration can cause kidney problems, he explained.

He said one should use honey in winter as it is the most natural sweetener you can find. But be careful not to overdo it, especially diabetics. Joint pains and return of previous injury pains are very common during the cold season. Avoiding cold, keeping the body warm, 30 minutes walk daily and taking care of your diet will help you to protect from joint and body pains, said Dr. Ashraf.