Staving off the boredom and mental demands that lockdown is having on people might be important things to address but there is also the topic of maintaining good nutrition levels to make sure your body is ready when this is all over and its time to go back out into the busy world we live in.
Here are 5 tips that will help you maintain and improve your general health and keep your immune system strong and working at maximum.
1. Spice up your food
Spices not only make your meals taste a hundred times better they also have a huge array of benefits such as lowering blood sugar levels, aiding weight loss, relieving nausea among many others. Spices like cinnamon, cayenne and turmeric are popular choices but there are many different ones you can and experiment with.
2. Boost your vitamin D levels
As we get older, our skin becomes less effective at making vitamin D in the presence of sunlight. People who rarely go out in the sun need extra vitamin D, which is vital for healthy bones and teeth.
It is found in many different foods, but often in low quantities. These aren't sufficient levels for older people so its recommended to supplement it if your levels need boosting.
3. Drink more milk
If you have low body weight or find yourself struggling for calories, then you can increase your calorie intake and nutritional intake by adding extra ingredients to fresh whole milk. Try making a daily smoothie with several ingredients to increase your vitamin and mineral intake and boost your calorie intake for the day.
4. Buy more frozen fruit and vegetables
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient when it comes to maximising your immune system and frozen fruit and vegetables are actually proven to be a better source of vitamin C than fresh options. This is because they are usually frozen immediately after being picked. Steaming them or putting them straight into meals or smoothies are easy and creative ways to get the best out of them.
5. Drink more fluids
It’s important to stick to the minimum guidelines or 1.5-2 litres of liquid per day. It doesn’t have to be only water as there is no significant evidence to show that tea and coffee dehydrates you, so they can be included in this. However, if you’re active at home and are also still exercising then you should aim for at least 3 litres per day to reduce the risk of dehydration.
