See what two senior
scientists from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India,
has to say on eating habits during COVID-19. Their recommendations and
guidelines are based on the ancient healing system of India—Ayurveda.
(A) Maximum use of raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, pulses, wholegrain foods, unsaturated oils;; and stop eating junk and sugary food. Apart from food, guidelines also recommend physical exercises, meditation and adequate sleep, and good exposure to sunlight.
(B) Limits the intake of soda, salt, sugar and trans fats (take rock salts, jaggery or honey and unsaturated fats instead), & Stop Eating junk and sugary food.
(C) Apart from food, guidelines also recommend physical exercises, meditation and adequate
sleep, and good exposure to sunlight.
In fact even governments
of most countries and several authorised
international health agencies like the World Health Organisation, the British
Dietetic Association and the UD Food and Administration has stressed on
these guidelines though without referring Indian healing system—Ayurveda (आयुर्वेदा ).
According
to the two Indian scientists, Jyoti Sharma S.K. Varshney, senior scientists from the
Department of Science and Technology of India, who have done an in-depth study of Ayurveda for curing people, Indian ancient healing system stands on four
pillars
1) Aahar (diet)
2) Vihar (lifestyle)
3) Achar (conduct of individual with the
external world)
4) Vichar (mental health).
It is well known that
there is a close relationship among genes, environment, food, and emotional
factors that lead to a bidirectional vicious cycle of mood, food, and lifestyle
diseases.
Ayurveda recommends
the intervention of healthy lifestyles, meditation, pranayama, adequate sleep,
and Satvik food to live a healthy, peaceful life and fight against various
diseases including COVID-19.
The scientists
claimed that proper food selection and dietary schedule help to maintain
holistic health with a calm mind. Bhagwad Gita and Yoga Shastras divided food into
three types based on their qualities (termed as gunas).
(B) Rajasa (rajoguna): Avoidable. A Rajasic diet, the
mode of passion, is one that
is overly spicy, hot, or fried with pungent, sour, and salty taste. Rajasic
food possesses attributes of negativity, passion, and restlessness. Examples of
Rajasic food is caffeinated drinks (like coffee, fizzy soft drinks, tea),
sugary foods (chocolate, cake, biscuits, chips, etc), or spicy food. As
these foods are rich in glucose, they may provide immediate energy but
eventually destroys the mind-body equilibrium, feeding the body at the expense
of the mind.
(C) Thamasa (tamoguna)
(Should not take): A Tamsik diet, the mode of ignorance, is one that consists of overcooked, stale,
fast, reheated, microwaved, or frozen food; dead food such as meat, fish,
poultry, eggs; alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs of addiction. Tamsik foods are
hard to digest and gift inertia, dullness, and induce sleep. All these are an
important cause of obesity, diabetes, heart, and liver disease.
Food rich in Prana (Life-Force):
It is a combination of
carbohydrates, fats, rich in dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, and
antioxidants with a limited amount of sugar, salt and oil, and no animal fat. It can be digested easily and
utilize the six tastes in Ayurveda (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter,
astringent). Satvik food with recommended physical exercise, adequate rest, and
a positive mindset is a source of energy and can reduce the risk of high body
mass index, coronary artery disease, obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes,
and osteoporosis. Satvik food is pure, natural, strong, wise, and full of
energy to provide calmness and peace to the mind, thereby resulting in
longevity of life in an individual.
Rajasic and Tamsik food:
Some food articles like onion, garlic, asafoetida, caffeinated
tea, and coffee; fried, spicy, high in sugar, and junk foods induce restlessness,
lethargy, and sleep. Food like garlic and onion may be good as medicine but not
for daily consumption. The daily consumption of food, which stimulates the
nervous system, may lower the possibilities of experiencing life.
Self Care Guidelines for COVID-19: Self-care
guidelines for preventive health measures and boosting immunity include herbal
tea and decoction (Kadha) made from Tulsi, Dalchini, Kalimirch, Shunthi (Dry
Ginger) and Munakka (Raisin) with jaggery and/or fresh lemon juice to enhance
the taste as immunity promoting measures against COVID-19.
The Guidelines of AYUSH Ministry also
asked to cold, frozen, and heavy foods, which is a clear indication to avoid
Rajasic and Tamsik food. It asked people to take appropriate rest, timely
sleep, exposure to sunlight, and practice of Yogasana and Pranayama so as to
balance our body, mind, and lifestyle.
At
a time when COVID 19 is spreading exponentially, the AYUSH Ministry has
recommended that in this time of uncertainties and non-availability of treatment,
it is important to remain healthy and peaceful. Good food with other
recommendations, as explained in the above table, would help in building up our
immunity as well as burst the stress while combating against COVID-19.
|
Recommended Food |
Avoid (but could be taken rarely to satisfy
taste buds) |
Not Recommended |
|
Fibrous food in the form of raw or freshly cooked colourful
vegetables and fruits (good sources of
vitamins A, C and E, as well as antioxidants, folate, and fibre (opt steaming, grilling or sautéing cooking methods) |
Less spicy and oily food Garlic, onion, unseasonal veggies in a limited amount |
Fried, over spicy and overcooked, or stale food |
|
Pulses and wholegrain foods (oats, brown
pasta, millet, and rice, quinoa and whole-wheat fresh chapatis and wraps) |
Brown bread |
Refined, processed grain foods (white pasta
and rice, and white bread), deep-frozen foods |
|
Low-fat or reduced-fat versions of milk and
dairy products like curd, yoghurt (rich in probiotics that strengthen the
digestive tract). |
White meats like poultry and fish that are generally lower in
fats than red meat; processed meat (though it is not a part of Satvik food) |
Red meat |
|
Unsalted nuts and seeds (like pumpkin, sunflower, and flax).
They are great sources of vitamin E,
niacin, riboflavin, protein, healthy fat, antioxidants, and fibre. |
Homemade low fat/sugar snacks like idli, dosa, dhokla, upma,
daliya, brown bread with pea-nut butter |
Snacks that are high in salt and sugar (cookies, samosa,
cakes, and chocolate); pickles, jams |
|
Egg yolks, and fortified breakfast cereals |
Canned food, used after washing it to remove extra salt or
sugar |
|
|
Unsaturated fats (e.g., found in fish,
avocado, nuts, olive oil, soy, canola, sunflower and corn oils). The fat
intake is recommended less than 30% of total energy intake, of which no more than
10% should come from saturated fat. |
Saturated fats (e.g., found in fatty meat,
butter, coconut oil, cream, cheese, and lard) |
Trans-fats (processed food, fast and fried
food, snacks, frozen pizza, pies, cookies, margarines, and spreads) |
|
Fresh fruit juices, low-fat lassi, chaaz,
lemon water, coconut water/ hot water, herbal tea (packs a big punch of
polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants that destroy free radicals) |
Soft drinks or sodas and other drinks that are high in sugar
(e.g., packed fruit juices; fruit juice concentrates and syrups; flavoured
milks and water; energy and sports drinks; and yogurt drinks, caffeinated tea, coffee, ready-to-drink
tea, and coffee |
Alcohol, tobacco, drugs |
|
Honey and jaggery |
Brown sugar |
White sugar |
|
Indian herbs: Coriander (Dhaniya), turmeric (contain Curcumin), fenugreek (methi), tulsi (Basil), cumin
(jeera), fennel (sonph), cloves, black pepper (Kalimirch, contain Piperine), cinnamon (dalchini),
ginger and curry leaves. These spices have antioxidant, antibacterial
and anti-inflammatory properties, act as an immune booster and may help to flush
out any sinuses from the body. Rock salt (limit salt intake to 5 grams (equivalent to a teaspoon) a day. |
Iodised salt |
Non-iodised salt |
