How to stay healthy and sane during this insane period?

The world is going through an unprecedented phase and no one is certain about how and when this pandemic and crisis will end. Nothing is the same as it was a few months ago. Lives, outlooks, routines and many other things have changed drastically.

With no end in sight, we have to get on with life and remain sane. Lot’s of people have asked me how can we remain healthy during this insane period? Here are a few points that we should do.

1. A strict NO to ultra-processed and junk food in the house.

   
   You can’t let a rat in and then complain about it damaging the house. Since everyone is home and the tendency to raid kitchen and fridge is more than normal, the easiest way to stay healthy is to not allow any processed food ino the house.
   
   Articles of bread, chips, instant noodles and other processed food flying off the grocery store shelves tells us how ignorant and negligent we have become about our immunity and health.
   
   

   Healthy snack -home made ragi balls

   Keep healthy , wholesome and homemade snacks reachable.  Fruits, nuts and seeds, lime juice, buttermilk etc are simple and healthy options.
   

2. Don’t try any new- name diet

   Let’s ditch fancy diets all together and stick to a balanced traditional diet that consists of grains/millets, pulses/legumes, veggies and good fat. Any traditional Indian meal will comply with this. Sambar rice, khichdi, Pongal, roti/dal/sabzi etc are all balanced and easy to cook.

   

   Balanced plate – Grains, legumes, vegetables and good fat

   Trying out new diets now and stressing yourself out if you are not able to stick with it (because of  the limited grocery supply that we have during this pandemic ), is not worth it.

   Confused about portion control for balanced plate? Try mindful eating.
   
   

3. Workouts need not be only in the gym

   Just because the gym is closed doesn’t mean you need to skip the workout. Physical activity and workout are equally important to improve and maintain immunity and energy levels.

   

   Wall sit – Strengthens core and lower body

   Burpees, climbing stairs, squats, lunges, leg raises, pushups, pull ups, wall sit, planks, tricep dips, bear crawl, suryanamaskar , yoga and the list of body weight workouts that you can do are endless.
   
   

4. Pranayama is the need of the hour

   Stress is a standalone factor that can hamper immunity, metabolism, fat burn, hormonal balance and health. Deep and meditative breathing can activate the parasympathetic nervous system and reduce stress levels which in turn can improve all the above-mentioned parameters.

   You can try breathing deeply even when you are reading this article.
   
   

5. Improve your immunity

   Stick to wholesome, fresh and home made food that also includes spices like ginger, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric , pepper and the other Indian spices. Sipping warm water through the day, avoiding food that is cold and old, having a spoon of chavanaprash in the morning, getting atleast 30 minutes of direct sunlight everyday are all good ways of improving immunity.

   Blending everything into a smoothie doesn’t give the same benefit or serve the purpose.
   
   

6. Routine – most important and most neglected

   Since there is no real hurry to wake up early and rush to office or school due to the sleep cycles have started getting distorted.

   Bedtime, sleep quality and quantity are as important to immunity, mood and metabolism as food. 7-8 hours of sleep is essential for optimal performance  of our body and health. However, sleeping for 7 hours from 1am – 8 am is not the same as sleeping from 10pm- 5am. Try and stick to a regular routine and bedtime closer to 10PM.

   If you are interested in binge watching at night , remind yourself that the same series is available in the day time too.
   
   

7. Ditch the scale

   There is already so much chaos in this period and you don’t have to add fuel to the fire by checking your weight often. Besides, body weight and BMI are not accurate parameters of health.

   Your energy level, body composition/body fat, sleep quality, and skin clarity can talk a lot about your health than your weighing scale
   
   

8. Ask for help from family

   This is a good time to teach cooking to children and spouse, and share your chores. Not only will you get help and respect for what you are doing on a regular basis, but it will also reduce their screen time and increase happiness in the family. Cooking is a lifeskill. This is a great time to learn it.

   Your Child/their spouse will be grateful about it when they grow up.