Here’s what an ideal diet for corona patients should include
Given how draining the impact of corona virus can be on a person suffering from it, it is very important to keep the levels of stress as low as possible and that of energy as high as possible. And when it comes to having optimum energy throughout a day, one needs to have proper and healthy food always, which also plays a major role in boosting immunity for faster healing.
Following are some pointers which one should focus on while preparing an ideal diet plan for corona patients:-
Proper hydration – Staying hydrated is the key if you have been contracted with corona virus. In such conditions, one should drink the optimum amount of water as prescribed on a normal basis, which is essentially 6-8 glasses of water, which roughly translates to 1.5-2 liters of water a day. In addition to the consumption of water, one can rely more on liquids like milk, fruit juices, tea and coffee. It is recommended to stay away from liquids-rich in sugar content, and that means consumption of fruit juices too should be in a limited amount (not more than 150ml).
Stay away from alcohol – If one is diagnosed with coronavirus, facing stress can be a direct outcome in these tough times. In such conditions, those who consume alcohol on a normal basis see it as a natural way to relieve from stress. Considering the fact that alcohol leads to dehydration, it is purely recommended to stay away from alcohol in these times. However, if one can’t stop the urge to have it, ensure that he/she should consume it in a minimum amount as possible.
Foods rich in nutrition, but low in calories – If one is suffering from corona virus, boosting immunity through foods should be a prime focus. It is advisable to consume foods which are rich in nutrients like vitamins and minerals, which will help in enhancing immunity. The most essential nutrients in such situations include proteins, Vitamin A, C, D and E as well as zinc content. For this, the most recommended things are quinoa, lentils, eggs, boiled fish, spinach, pumpkin, carrots, fruits, yogurt, dried fruits and nuts, nut butter, fruit smoothie and soup (chicken/carrot/tomato).
Avoid some food items – While there are a number of food items which can boost your immunity, as mentioned above, there are certain food items which can be best avoided in order to not invite any further trouble. In such times, one should avoid food items which are quite hard to digest or can cause gas, such as fried and spicy food, packaged snacks and acidic drinks including soda. In contrast, one can find alternatives by having foods which are easier to digest, such as bananas and cooked vegetables like spinach and beets, the latter of which can be consumed in liquid form like soups.
Grain consumption – In order to facilitate easy eating in these tough times, one should keep his/her fiber content in optimum condition to ensure smooth digestion. For this, in such a duration, one can have include whole grain items like oats, brown pasta, brown bread and quinoa, and avoid refined grain foods like white pasta, white rice and white bread.
In addition to all these, there are some conditions which one should keep in mind while having a proper diet plan in these tough times. Here they are:-
Prepare a proper schedule and diet chart for the healing period – Since one might need to stay only at home during the healing period, he/she should not indulge in the practice of panic buying. This only leads to negative consequences like a sudden increase in prices of food items or shortage of essentials. You can focus more on food items whose shelf life is longer, in order to avoid frequent buying.
Focus more on home-cooked meals – Most of the restaurants and take-away places rely on frozen items which might not be too fresh for consumption purposes. While you might feel a strong urge to eat outside food, it is better to focus more on home-cooked food, which ensures optimum freshness and exact amount and type of ingredients as per your choice. However, if conditions enforce you to have outside food, try to order foods which are easy to digest as well as simplistic in their cooking and digestion approach.
Limit salt and sugar intake – It is recommended to consume less than 5g of salt and less than 5% of energy intake from free sugar in your daily routine. So, in these times, one should avoid adding extra salt or sugar to your already cooked food. For added flavor, one can experiment with fresh or dried herbs.
Safe food handling practices – Since coronavirus is one rapidly spreading disease, one must ensure following safe hygiene practices as and when required. While having food, there are certain steps, both before and after, which ones should follow, such as keeping kitchen and utensils always clean, keeping raw and cooked food separate and keeping food at safe temperatures.
While preparing this entire food and diet plan, one must consult the type of food item and amount of it for consumption with a trained dietician, for faster recovery purposes.