The last two years have been an extended episode of bad news. There are clear signs of extreme climate change, with major damage to the seasonal cycle. Increased cyclones, floods and droughts are examples of the damage the entire world is seeing.
What is essentially known to be the summer season in western India, is turning out to be a combination of extremely hot afternoons, transcending into (almost) stormy nights. It is almost difficult to tell what season it is exactly. On some days, it's summer, on the other, it's monsoon.
So, all in all, the weather is constantly changing and it is extremely difficult to maintain your diet according to the season. However, in order to keep your health in check, it is important to eat the right kind of food. As it is ensure that you stay away from sniffles during just erratic changes.
The food we eat plays an important role in helping our body deal with the changes in the weather. Especially if you have a higher susceptibility towards falling sick with changing temperatures. Most often the change in weather causes people to either catch a cold, or get an itchy throat. Though there might not seem like major hassles, especially because of the times we live in now, it can be a matter of huge concern as these symptoms are similar to the ones caused by coronavirus. So eating the right kind of food can do a long way in helping our body to adjust to the changes and better adapt to the weather.
The Bridge Chronicle looks at some of the food-based helping agents, that can assist our body in adapting better with the change.
Vitamin C: Though there are a few apprehensions about the role that is played by vitamin C in improving immunity. It is considered to be an aid to strengthening it. However, it is not always that one must stick to fruits for increasing their vitamin C intake. Various vegetables are rich in vitamin C and can be an easier way to increase their intake. Especially vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kimchi and sauerkraut can add a new flavour to your otherwise regular food. Another important thing to remember is that vitamin C is highly sensitive to heat and even a little heat can reduce the content of vitamin in the food. Hence eating these vegetables in the form of a salad can be effective both for your weight and also for your health.
Increase your liquid intake: Without a doubt, water works as a temperature regularizer in the body. It helps in the process of digestion and also regulates temperature. But other liquids can also be equally effective in maintaining a healthy body. Especially, in extremely hot weather, it becomes difficult to eat heavy foods. Hence choose options such as fruit juices, tomato soup with herbs, lentil soups. Apart from that, make sure to include healthy drinks such as turmeric milk, homemade kadhai with spices. You can also include lemon juice, ginger barley or lemon barley water into your diet. Additionally loading up on buttermilk is a good idea to maintain your gut strength.
Avoid raw foods: Even though raw foods are highly nutritious, they are hard on our digestive system. Which makes it difficult for our body to digest them. Additionally, in the monsoon seasons, these fresh veggies gather a lot of bacteria which could further affect our health. However, as mentioned earlier, extensive exposure to heat can affect the nutrition of some foods. However, it is a good idea to steam your food before consuming it.
Eat seasonal crop: Now the catch here is that it is difficult to know what to call the seasonal crop. For example, methi, which is essentially a winter crop is now available throughout the year. However, make sure to eat all the fruits and vegetables that are available at your local market. Fruits such as pineapples, mangoes are typical of this season. Additionally, Millet, sorghum, and maize are stronger crops that are not easily affected by weather change, hence it is a good idea to load up on those.
Fermented food: Fermented foods work wonders for your gut. They improve digestion. Try including foods such as kombucha, kanji, and yoghurt in your daily diet. Additionally, buttermilk is also a good addition that can cool your body and also aid digestion.
With erratic weathers becoming regular, the only way to ensure good health is by adjusting and altering our food to best suit the weather. Eating extremely hot foods during summers can affect your body just the way eating cold food during winters.
