In today’s lifestyle, one finds it very difficult to take out time to cook a wholesome meal. This is especially true in the case of office goers. But monsoon is the time when our digestion gets weakened & immunity is at its lowest, making one vulnerable to monsoon ailments. In this article, we have listed tips related to diet for monsoon, especially for working professionals.
Diet for Monsoon for Office Goers
One of the most important health tips related to diet for monsoon for the working class is to realise the need for carrying food from home. Roadside food such as chaats, fast foods, sandwiches and fruit juices may tempt one at lunch or snack time, but it is ideal to refrain from eating them.
Office goers must avoid juices, buttermilk, lemon juice, goals and kulfis from street-side stalls. Reason? These food stalls are the biggest sources of infections and diseases due to their unhygienic practices of food preparation. Office goers should preferably carry their food from home or choose to eat foods from restaurants that maintain good hygiene.
Tip 1:
Your diet for monsoon must definitely not include raw foods like raw vegetable salads. Instead, carry stir-fried veggies or the normal sabzi preparations that are usually an integral part of an Indian diet. Drink only boiled and filtered water.
Tip 2:
Eat fruits liberally in the rainy season, but only after washing them thoroughly in running water. The same applies to green leafy vegetables. Soak the leafy greens in a vinegar solution (30 ml vinegar in 1/2 litre water for 10 minutes and then wash it with plain water). Vinegar kills 99% of the bacteria and is an effective and readily available cleansing agent.
Well-cooked sprouts, pulses and dals can be carried for lunch. Avoid raw seafood, shellfish or any kind of raw meat preparations.
Tip 4:
If you have no option but to eat out, choose steamed foods like idlis, steamed rice and dal with vegetables (request for less oil and masala) and hot soups. Non-vegetarians should go in for lighter meat preparations like soups and stews rather than heavy curries.
Tip 5:
Drink warm beverages; add mint or ginger or dry ginger powder to tea. You can include naturally sour foods (not fermented) like tamarind, tomato, lime and kokum in your diet – in soups, dals and vegetables. Overall, astringent, mildly bitter and mildly pungent foods work best in the monsoon.
Read more: Foods that Fight Flu & Build Immunity
Working professionals are so caught up between their work and household chores that it gives them little time for themselves. In this state, diet becomes the most easily ignored part of their schedule.
Managing a healthy diet is quite a task for them, but one cannot ignore the range of positive outcomes it brings along with it.
One usually sees a lot of staff falling during the monsoon, leading to absenteeism and a loss in terms of productivity, manpower and efficiency in achieving targets. Little extra caution in terms of food choices is important if you value your health and want to avoid falling sick.
Suggested diet for monsoon
A sample menu for healthy eating during monsoons for working professionals should include:
Breakfast:
OR
1 bowl of oats porridge or steamed moong sprouts
Lunch:
2-3 rotis with a bowl of vegetables and dal
OR
3-4 steamed Idli or 2-3 dosa with sambhar
OR
Miso soup with whole wheat bread along with grilled chicken or stir-fry greens
Snacks:
Banana / oranges / sweet lime / 5-6 soaked almond / handful of roasted channa
Dinner:
OR
2-3 Rotis or a bowl of rice with vegetables and dal or curd
Today, we have more knowledge of health than before, yet we continue to suffer from serious diseases that are largely preventable by making wise food choices. A monsoon diet mainly involves eating safely. Eat a balanced meal and try to carry wholesome foods with you for the day.
Discard rotten, smelling, decayed foods immediately; wash your hands before eating and handling food in any form. Hygiene and sanitation at every step will help combat all food and water-borne diseases in monsoon.
For a personalised diet plan, speak to Health Total experts. Call toll-free 1800-266-0607 to book an appointment for a consultation.