While some countries are already planning to reopen, and others are already reopening, there are still many people confined to their homes by the ongoing pandemic. For many, the change in their lives was dramatic, to say the least: they had to completely change their daily routines and transition from office life to the home office overnight. This is just one of the several major lifestyle changes people had to adapt to. Restaurants, bars, barbershops, gyms, and everything in between were closed.
In these trying times, eating healthy is probably the last thing you think about. The media is filled with scary news about the spread of the disease, the health stores are closed, and in some places, you can’t even leave home to exercise. But keeping your healthy eating habits are perhaps more important than ever. And a few glimpses on Paris Hilton’s cooking show will not do the trick.
Advocating healthy eating
City University of London food policy professor Tim Lang, along with a group of leading policy experts sent a letter to England’s environment secretary and the chief executive of Public Health England (an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care in the UK). In it, the group of experts has pointed out that a healthy diet could help fight infections – and this information is not stressed enough to the public. At the same time, the World Health Organization has also pointed out the importance of eating healthy during these times. Regular exercise, giving up bad habits like smoking and drinking, along with a healthy diet plays a crucial role in how well people recover from a coronavirus infection.
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Healthy eating tips in the time of COVID
One of the healthy eating tips that are often shared by experts is planning ahead. Facing the “what to eat” dilemma each and every day while stuck at home will cause most people’s inspiration to run dry during these times. Planning ahead for at least a few days at a time can help you through the “cook’s block” so you won’t have to eat PB&Js for every meal.
Keeping your food nutritious and varied is another aspect to keep in mind. Nutritionists agree that you should not avoid any food groups while on lockdown. Instead, make sure you consume enough micronutrients like vitamins A, and C, found in foods like sweet potato, spinach (A), tomatoes, peppers, and berries (C).
Finally, make sure to keep healthy snacks at hand. A monster Netflix session inevitably involves a few bags of potato chips, popcorn, cookies, or other nibble-worthy stuff. Replacing them with nuts, cheese, carrots, and other crunchy vegetables is a much better choice.
Finally, practice strict portion control to avoid overeating. Anxiety-induced eating is not a rarity in these trying times – maintaining a schedule for your meals and practicing portion control (even if it comes down to always using a plate instead of digging right into the pot) will help you keep your eating under control.