-19The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a severe danger to the world’s health and its economy. Coronaviruses basically cause infections and are contagious.
• Fever, cough, respiratory disorder, breathing problems, fatigue, and a sore throat.
• Some specific groups of people can have more intense symptoms and may require hospitalization. Pneumonia, and in some cases, sepsis, and septic shock are some of them.
Although nutrition is not the only cure for COVID-19, healthy patterns of eating can amend the function of the immune system. It helps improve immunometabolism which encourages healing process.
Nutrition plays a crucially important role for both, the COVID-19 patients and those who are recovering from this dreadful disease. During infection, the body gets weak and it continues to recover even after many days of recovering from the symptoms. Thus, it becomes necessary to take the balanced diet as prescribed by the dietician for a speedy and overall recovery of the body.
• Leftover items of food must be treated as medical waste and should not be used again.
• Mild physical activity and breathing exercise help patients, as per tolerance.
• Taking a balanced diet with normal carbs and fats, and High Biological Value proteins will be optimum.
• Giving Nutrition Supplements and Antioxidants to fulfill the demands of the patients.
• Intake and consumption of Antioxidant Vitamins and Minerals should be preferred especially Vitamin C and Vitamin D.
The major diet concentration for COVID-19 patients is to intake food that would enable the patient to reframe and rebuild muscle, immunity, and energy levels.
• Whole grains like ragi, oats, or amaranth are highly rich in complex carbohydrates.
• Consume more protein rich foods like chicken, fish, eggs, paneer, soya, milk, dahi, rajma, chhole, etc.
• Increase the intake of healthy fats like walnuts, almonds, olive oil, mustard oil because it contains omega-3 fatty acids.
• Five servings of all variety of fruits and vegetables are recommended to get enough vitamins and minerals when you are COVID positive.
• Little amounts of dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa might help you to enhance your mood, reduce anxiety and will also enhance and raise your immunity.
• Most of the patients suffering from COVID-19 have problems in breathing, loss of smell and taste, or issues in swallowing. It is necessary to intake soft and easy foods at short intervals.
• Avoid overcooking or undercooking vegetables and fruit – to avoid the loss of necessary vitamins
• If using canned or preserved fruit or vegetables – choose wisely and sensibly, avoid the range of highly added salt and sugar food items.
Eat adequate amounts of healthy fat and cold-pressed oils.
• Intake of unsaturated fats and low cholesterol diet rather than saturated fats
• Do not consume preserved meats as it is rich in salt and fat
• Try to restrict industrially developed fat – fast food, fried food, etc
Consume foods rich in protein like rajma, chane, chhole, paneer, milk, soybean, whole dal, eggs, chicken, fish, etc and consider Vitamin-D supplement. Having small and frequent meals also help with fatigue. The most important thing to remember is you need to plan a diet routine with balanced meals.
Drink a lot of fluids, like warm water with tulsi, leaves to tackle COVID clinical features, like cough and itchy throat. Try to avoid sugary drinks, alcohol, coffee as it results in dehydration. Inhale steam with keeping the tongue out at least 2-3 times a day.
Fruits and vegetables do not share the coronavirus directly, but they should be neatly cleaned and washed before cooking or intaking it. They should be eventually made dirt-free and washed in lukewarm water or you can also add soda-bicarb to the water. Soak the fruits and vegetables in this water for a little while before using it.
