Never eat if you are not feeling hungry, this is a solid cardinal mantra in monsoons. Doing so results in indigestion problems and illness. So, here are some specific guidelines regarding what to eat and what not to eat during rains.
The damp and filthy conditions in monsoon plays a host for many disease causing germs, which cause some serious health attacks like dengue, malaria, conjunctivitis, typhoid, viral fever, pneumonia, gastro intestinal disturbances, diarrhea and dysentery. If your immune system is weak you are supposed to catch these diseases instantly. To maintain healthy diet and protect you from such ill causes during the rainy season these countermeasures have to be taken.
- Eat fruits as they help you restore energy. Apples, mangoes, pomegranates, and pears are best suggestible. Avoid watermelon and muskmelons and also goosing on too many mangoes may cause pimples.
- Have medium to low salt food and avoid heavy salty food as they are responsible for high blood pressure and water retention.
- Eating watery foods like lassi, watermelon, rice, muskmelon creates swelling in the body. So, better opt for foods which are drying in nature like corn, gram flour, chick pea etc.
- Foods such as brown rice, oats, and barey are the best foods one could have in this monsoon.
- Body’s immunity can be increased by adding a dash of garlic to the soups, sir fries and curries you intake.
- Opt for yogurt, curd and almonds in your diet instead of milk. Drink only boiled and purified water to protect yourself from harmful germs and drinking plenty of waterkeeps your body hydrated.
- Consuming bitter vegetables like bitter gourd, and bitter herbs like neem, turmeric powder and methi seeds help in preventing infections.
- Consume drying oils like corn oil or light oil and avoid heavy oils like sesame oil, peanut oil and mustard oil as they fall in first place to invite infections.
- People who face skin allergies during rainy seasons must avoid spicy foods. Spicy foods raise body temperature and stimulate blood circulation and it leads to allergies and skin irritation. Other problems such as boils, change in skin color dullness, rashes, pyodera are also some skin damaging effects which arise in this season.
- Avoid naturally sour foods like tamarind, tomatoes and lime in your diet as it promotes water retention.
- Avoid too much of fish and meat this season and heavy curries and non- vegetarians should go for light meat preparations like stew and soups.
- Astringent, mildly bitter and pungent foods must be best served this season.
- Drink lots of herbal teas, especially those with antibacterial properties. These include ginger, pepper, honey, mint and basil leaves. Excessive intake of coffee and tea dehydrates body fluids so they must be better avoided.
- Vegetables like cauliflower, potatoes, cluster beans, ladies finger, kidney beans, pigeon pea, and sprouted grains must be avoided.
- Eat steamed salads instead of raw vegetables as they contain active bacteria and virus that cause bacterial and viral infections.
- Have fresh radish juice to fight cold and cough. To reduce mucous formations add pipli and rock salt to warm water. This reduces the natural monsoon ailments.
- Better eat seasonal fruits as non- seasonal fruits get infested with worms during the monsoons. Pomegranates, lychees, apples, bananas are among the recommended.
- Avoid eating fried items, pre- cut fruits and juices from road side vendors and stick to high quality and hygiene.
- People who suffer with arthritis should drink warm water with tulsi and dalchini (cardamom) on an empty stomach in the morning. Doing this improves bowel syndromes and also decreases pains in joints.
- Always wash vegetables well and keep them clean especially if they are taken raw.
Following these guidelines helps you to stay safe and healthy during monsoons. Always binge on nutritional food and be hygienic by taking necessary precautionary measures like cleaning your house, washing hands before and after having a meal, etc. Have a safe and healthy monsoon.
