Sail Through The Monsoon

I have spent a considerable amount of the last week dealing with a flooded garage and a floating car and nothing was more comforting in these rains than my masala chai which boosts this seasons demanding robust immunity. Just as you use a raincoat or an umbrella to safe guard yourself from the rain, I'll show you how to safeguard your health this monsoon.You do not need a magic shield to protect you. All you need is a balanced, well-seasoned meal of Indian whole-grains, daals and pulses, vegetables and healthy fat. Unbalanced meals stress the body thus weakening the body's infection fighting power, resulting in lowered immunity.

B vitamins and fiber

present in whole-grains like wheat and rice, millets like ragi, jowar, bajra are a must so don't skip them! The humble corn becomes a nutritious golden snack with chopped onion and tomatoes. These nutrients satiated you, energize the body and keep the digestive system fighting fit.

Pulses

I advocate combining this with grains to get a complete protein. The enzymes and chemicals present are required to win the immunity battle. Sip on a hot piping rasam, daals and sambhars this season.

Seasonal vegetables

I always say 50 per cent of your plate needs to be full of seasonal vegetables. In the monsoon it is the gourd family, pumpkin, sword beans. Avoid cabbage, lettuce and leafy greens as they are germ infested. Cooked vegetables are better than raw in this season.

Fermented foods

In my clients diets I include buttermilk, dosa, idli, yoghurt and pickles that provide healthy probiotic microbes which protect the gut and fight water based infections.

Zinc

supports white blood cells in your body which are your immunity protectors. These are found in whole-grains, legumes, dairy, nuts and seeds. My go-to snack is a few roasted pumpkin seeds daily.

Anti- oxidant

I say cook in desi cow's ghee, garnish food with fresh grated coconut, snack on nuts and seeds as they are all rich in antioxidant Vitamin E that enhances immunity.

Vitamin C

A talk on immunity is incomplete without mentioning the mighty Vitamin C. Present in monsoon foods like tomatoes, lemons, bell peppers, papayas, mango, tamarind and garcinia cambodia keep you secure by suppressing damaging free radicals.

Spices

There is no comparison to the power of Indian spices. We are fortunate that our recipes have a way of blending in these miracle healers with ease. Ginger, turmeric, chilli, black pepper and cinnamon are just a few spices that keep your body safe from microbial infections. Sulphur containing garlic and fresh tulsi keep coughs and colds at bay. Beverages: Our masala chai, filter coffee, kahwa, rasams, herbal concoctions of Tulsi, turmeric and ginger, keep your respiratory tract clean. Listen to me ladies and include these foods in yours and your family's diet. Rest assured that you can enjoy this monsoon healthy, fit and fabulous.