5 lifestyle changes towards building immunity

New Delhi, July 21 The monsoon is here. As much as we enjoy the rain, it is also the time when the humidity levels in the atmosphere are their highest, resulting in poor digestion and reduced immunity. This makes us more vulnerable to diseases during the season.

Thus, it is important to eat foods which boost immunity and prevent us from contracting water borne diseases such as indigestion, diarrhoea, jaundice, etc. in order to keep us safe during this lockdown.

Sheryl Salis, Registered Dietician, and Certified Diabetes Educator shares five easy steps towards eating healthy along with consuming proper nutrition, so you can enjoy the monsoon while keeping up with your fitness goals:

Make Healthier choices

Sip on warm Moringa Green Teas and Green Coffees

Nothing beats the feeling of drinking our favourite hot beverages during the monsoon. You can switch to healthier alternatives like superfood Moringa Green Tea which is a nutrition powerhouse, filled with minerals and vitamins like vitamin C. Superfoods like Moringa are infused with antioxidant properties that boost immunity as well as help regulate the metabolism. With numerous flavours available like honey, lemon, lemon grass and mint, it can bring relief from cold and phlegm which is a common occurrence during the monsoon.

While moringa green tea satiates the tea enthusiasts, coffee lovers can try out the healthier Green coffee which is a health booster and high in antioxidants. The unroasted cousin of coffee, the healthier version is loaded with immunity boosting properties and therefore has three times the antioxidant potential which is otherwise lost during the roasting process. It not only makes for a really healthy alternative but also tastes great.

Don't forget your dose of proteins

For the best of immunity during this season, it is vital to consume a good quantity and quality of protein in our diet. A quarter of your meal should always include the right protein. Nowadays, instant-ready High Protein soups infused with superfoods like quinoa, amaranth and turmeric are available which are really nutritious and have up to 4x protein content v/s regular soups. It is a convenient and nourishing option to keep you warm and active while cleansing your body of bacteria and waste products. One of the best things about soups is that when you are hungry in the evenings, this plays out as a very good evening snack. For people also soaked in rain water, it helps achieve instant relief since its warm base clears up phlegm in the nasal cavities and general throat area.

Besides soups you can also include seasonal delicacies like bhutta which can be turned into spicy and tangy grilled corn for light snacking along with steamed muthiyas, boiled groundnuts and warm salads that are super healthy and provide instant respite to our monsoon snack cravings.

Consume select fruit, veggies and cooked foods

As our bodies find it harder to digest food during the monsoon, one should eat in moderation and eat only when hungry. Practice thorough washing of fruit and vegetables, particularly leafy vegetables and cauliflower with salt or baking soda. One can also opt for non-leafy vegetables such as snake gourd

( With inputs from IANS )