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The Need to Eat Healthy Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

September 2022

The pandemic has changed our daily lives. Our bodies need to adapt to the new normal, thus the need to eat healthily in order to build a stronger immunity system.

COVID-19 has changed the day-by-day lives of individuals around the globe. Even after more than a year since it has been declared, the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact us in different aspects of our lives —physically, mentally, and even financially.

However, there are some things we should not compromise, even during these troublesome occasions. In order to prevent COVID-19 contamination and transmission, everyone is urged to follow the WHO safety guidelines and national policies. Especially now with the Delta variant, social distancing and proper hygienic practices are simply the best protection against COVID-19.

Proper nutrition is likewise essential, particularly during a pandemic. While there is no proven dietary requirement or supplement that can stop the disease, keeping up a solid eating routine is vital — it develops and sustains a healthy immune system, our body's first line of defense.

Keep in mind that food is a medicine; it supplies what the body needs to be healthy. Essentially, our body requires vitamins and minerals to maintain a reliable immune system. These vitamins are A, C, B9, B12, and D. Aside from these, zinc is also a necessary mineral.

A nutritious diet coupled with regular exercise and a proper sleeping routine is much recommended for everyone. It builds a more robust immune system and promotes overall physical health and wellbeing — enabling us to battle illnesses and diseases with or without the pandemic.

Why You Need a Healthy Eating Habit

An unhealthy eating routine may lead to diseases such as obesity. This remains a serious problem because of its detrimental effect on mental health and overall quality of life. It is even said that the high obesity rate in the United States is mostly due to unhealthy eating patterns. According to reports, 33.8% of American adults and 17% of children are obese. In the Philippines, the obesity rate is also rising. In fact, a 2019 report by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology found that the prevalence of obesity in the country is now at 31.1% coming from 16.3% registered in 1993.

Therefore, a nutritious diet coupled with regular exercise and a proper sleeping routine is much recommended for everyone. It builds a more robust immune system and promotes overall physical health and wellbeing — enabling us to battle illnesses and diseases with or without the pandemic.

What You Should Eat

Maintaining your fruit and vegetable intake is the key. Fruits and vegetables are essential sources of vitamins and minerals for the body. Understandably, buying, preparing, and cooking vegetables could be a struggle during a lockdown.

Be that as it may, it is still important to find suppliers or stores where you can buy your fresh produce safely. It is essential to guarantee that all members of the family are getting a lot of leafy foods in their eating regimen.

Fiber is a nutrient naturally derived from plants. It helps "clean" our bodies and has been linked to a decrease in the risk of diabetes and heart diseases. A high-fiber diet includes a healthy consumption of green leafy vegetables (the darker, the better), fruits, and grains. When fresh produce and harvests are scarce or inaccessible, swap for their canned alternatives such as canned beans, chickpeas, mushrooms, and the like.

The WHO suggests a daily diet of

  • Two cups of fruit (four servings)
  • 2.5 cups of vegetables (five servings)
  • 180 g of grains
  • 160 g of meat and beans per day (red meat and poultry can be eaten up to twice a week)

Aside from this, it is crucial to ensure that you are drinking enough water (8-10 cups), and limiting the amount of your salt and high-sodium condiments. Consume more unsaturated fats (found in fish, nuts, avocados, olive oil, soy, canola, sunflower, and corn oils) rather than saturated fats (e.g. found in fatty meat, butter, cream, cheese, coconut oil, ghee, and lard).

Our body should be supplied with what it needs to keep it healthy and safe from infections, viruses, and diseases. So whenever you go to the market, make a point to get various fruits, vegetables, and other healthy food options for the body.

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