Well-Balanced Diet In Winters Plays Vital Role In Keeping Ailments Away

As soon as the mercury level gets down and winter sets in, individuals need to be more careful of what they eat as healthy and a well-balanced diet can play a vital role in keeping ailments away in winter.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Nov, 2018 ) :As soon as the mercury level gets down and winter sets in, individuals need to be more careful of what they eat as healthy and a well-balanced diet can play a vital role in keeping ailments away in winter.

Talking to private news channel a child specialist Amna Javed said, people must avoid excessive amounts of fried food and too much of deep fried dishes like 'samosas', 'pakoras', 'jalebis' and 'halwa' instead fresh fruits and vegetables should be eaten more in winter.

Medical expert also recommend the consumption of fish, particularly in winter as it contains protein, vitamins, and nutrients which can lower blood pressure and help reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

She said, fruit and vegetables are an excellent source of important vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, C, folate, iron and calcium.

Maximum use should be made of orange and guava as these are rich sources of vitamin C. Moreover, several vegetables are known to actually prevent cancer, heart disease and other diseases, she added.

'White' carbohydrate foods such as cakes, cookies, white pasta, rice and breads should be avoided instead one should switch to wholesome wholegrain varieties in winter to maintain a healthy weight and keep oneself full for longer, she said.

She also recommended dry fruit because they contain lot of fats, Almonds and walnuts are source of healthy fat and may be taken in moderation.

Cashewnuts keep a check on heart ailments and has beneficial effect on inflammation, teeth and bone disorders. Walnuts are also known as brain food, are rich in omega-3 and contain good lipids. They are also useful in asthma and high cholesterol, she said.

She explains: "Vitamin D is very important but in modern lifestyle now we don't get the same amount of sunlight exposure, we don't go outside much, when we do we tend to cover up and sun cream blocks vitamin D manufacture," she added.

She says most breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamin D which does help, but generally we don't eat enough vitamin D containing foods like oily fish and eggs to get our recommended dose.

"Two sardines would only give a small amount, a portion of salmon would give enough but people dont eat it every day." Nutritionists also agrees that people should take a supplement but also try to get 15 minutes of sunlight each day without sunscreen or make-up.

In winter, physical activity gets limited and most of the people do not opt walk or exercise in the morning or evening because of extreme cold and in this situation, healthy diet is the only way to stay healthy, said Medical expert.

Human body experiences changes in metabolism, eating habits and energy levels in winter and to stay healthy, selection of foods that give the body nutrients that actually help promote wellness is important, she highlighted.

She said green tea is also beneficial in winter as it provides relief in cough; flu and cold. Good quality, low-fat protein diets such as nuts, seeds, legumes, eggs, fish, lean meat, chicken and low fat dairy should be taken and at least half of diet should be made up of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Dates are rich in fiber and proteins. A small bowl of low calories chicken, corn or vegetable soup with immune-boosting ingredients such as garlic, ginger, and onion daily help protect from colds and flu and it is much important to drink plenty of water all year around for good health. It is must to drink at least 8-11 glasses of water daily, said Dr