Maintaining a Proper Diet in this Pandemic

MAINTAINING A PROPER DIET IN THIS PANDEMIC

Since early 2020, Covid-19 has been a challenge worldwide. One of the ways of dealing with this virus is proper nutrition and good hygienic practices. Maintaining good nutritional status is probably the most important way to fight this virus. Our nutritional status is affected by several factors such as age, sex, health, life style and medications. Our nutritional status has been proven to fight off various diseases and viruses for years. Optimal nutrition and dietary nutrient intake impact the immune system, therefore the only way to survive this pandemic is to strengthen the immune system. Vitamin C has proven to be one of the best ways to boost the immune system.

Both nutrient intake and frequency of disease usually influence our nutritional status. Inadequate diet and infectious diseases can lead to severe malnutrition. Currently, scientists and researchers are attempting to create a specific vaccine for this virus. Even if they were able to find the vaccination method, there is a high possibility that other antimicrobial resistant infections will prevail in the society.

An adequate intake of zinc, iron, and vitamins A, B 12, B6, C, and E is essential for the maintenance of immune function. In the current scenario, COVID-19 has imposed a new set of challenges for the individual to successfully maintain mental and physical health. The state of self-isolation, lockdown, and social distancing are important measures to flattening the curve of the disease. Although these measures have severe repercussions on an individual’s well-being the greater good is achieved by eradicating the virus.

The act of confining to one’s home has significant impacts on one’s health, including changes in eating patterns, sleeping habits, and physical activity. It helps to promote sedentary behaviors that affect mental and physical health and lead to an increased risk of obesity. Fear and anxiety may also cause changes in dietary habits leading to unhealthy dietary patterns and less desire to eat or with lessened enjoyment during eating.

A balanced diet will guarantee a strong immune system that can help with stand any assault by the virus. There is currently no evidence that any one supplement can ‘boost’ our immune system and treat or prevent any viral infections. In this current situation, it is necessary to be aware of the specific types of food that can improve our immune system in order to combat COVID-19. The following are some dietary guidelines suggested to help withstand COVID-19:

• Eat fruits daily

• Eat fresh vegetables

• Eat whole grains and nuts,

• Use nuts like almonds, coconut, and pistachio.

• Red meat can be eaten once or twice per week, and poultry 2−3 times per week. Use foods from animal sources.

• For snacks, choose fresh fruits and raw vegetables rather than foods that are high in sugar, salt or fat. Avoid irregular snacking.

• Do not overcook vegetables as it leads to the loss of important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.

• When using dried or canned fruits and vegetables, choose varieties without added sugar or salt.

• Make sure the food is prepared and served at acceptable temperatures.

• Limit the salt intake to five g a day.

• Consume unsaturated fats (found in avocado, fish, nuts, soy, olive oil, canola, corn oil, and sunflower) rather than saturated fats (found in butter, fatty meat, coconut and palm oils, cheese, ghee, and cream).

• Drink 8–10 glasses of water each day. It helps to transport nutrients in the blood, gets rid of waste, and regulates the body temperature.

• Avoid carbonated, concentrated juices, and all drinks which contain sugar.

• Maintain a healthy lifestyle of exercise, meditation, and regular sleep. Adequate sleep will help to support immune functioning.

• Eat at home to avoid contact with other people and try to reduce the chance of being exposed to COVID-19.

A proper diet can help to ensure that the immune system is in the strongest possible state to defeat this virus. Researchers have not found any source of virus contamination with food packaging or food. However, good food handling and preparation practices are always recommended to minimize the risk of contamination.

• Wash vegetables and fruits before eating.

• Wash, rinse, and disinfect objects and surfaces every time before and after use.

• Keep cooked and raw foods separate, as it would prevent the harmful microbes from raw foods spreading to cooked foods.

• Use different chopping boards and utensils for cooked and raw foods to prevent cross-contamination.

• Food service workers should use gloves while preparing a meal.

• Try not to display or sell unwrapped food from the self-service counter.

• Frequently disinfect surfaces which came in contact with customers or workers such as door knobs, counters, grocery carts.

A healthy diet can ensure a robust immune system that can resist any onslaught by diseases. Individuals consuming well-balanced diets appear to be safer with better immune systems and lower incidence of chronic diseases and infections. The main objective of this article is to induce healthy dietary habits that help to maintain the physical and mental health of individuals.

This period could be looked upon as an opportunity. The onus is on those in authority to promote and facilitate a nutritional culture, on the population to achieve behaviour change and on healthcare professionals to embed nutritional care into routine practice. None of these measures are new or groundbreaking, but perhaps have not been at the forefront in recent years. If we are collectively able to implement and sustain these strategies during and after this pandemic, there may be at least one positive legacy of COVID-19.