A healthy, nutritious diet is the foundation of both health and beauty. Shahnaz Husain shares what you must include in your diet during the cold months.
Nature is actually the best physician and cosmetologist. She gives us fruits and vegetables, needed by the body for both health and beauty during the different seasons. In winter, we get fruits and vegetables which are beneficial to the body in cold weather. For instance, we get oranges, keenu and mousambi, rich in Vitamin C, which actually help to strengthen our immune system and protect us from colds, cough and respiratory ailments. Green leafy vegetables like lettuce, “palak”, “methi” and “sarson ka saag” are also rich in Vitamin C. In winter, the body also needs Vitamin A. So, have plenty of orange vegetables and fruits, like papaya and carrots. Amla, also available in winter, is the best source of Vitamin C.
Load up on vitamins
- In winters, your body needs extra nutrition. You need to load up on vitamins and consume a whole lot of veggies and fruits.
- Both Vitamin A and C keep the skin healthy and protect its youthful properties.
- Vitamins A and E help to keep the skin soft and smooth.
- Nuts and dry fruits are also available in winter.
- Include peas in your diet too. They provide proteins and maintain body heat. They also contain vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids. They are better taken unsalted.
- Snacks made from sesame seed (til) and peanuts are popular. There is enough evidence that natural foods improve the external appearance.
- Fruit and vegetable juices, freshly extracted, are ideal for making you look and feel better. Make them from seasonal fruits, like oranges, mausambi, pomegranate (anaar), or from carrots, spinach or cabbage. They help to cleanse and purify the system and prevent the accumulation of toxins. This reflects on the body, in terms of clear skin and shiny hair.
Keep your body warm with hot drinks
Winter is also the time for hot drinks. Instead of normal tea and coffee, try herb teas or soups. There are certain foods that actually help to keep our body warm. In Ayurveda, ginger is known as “a universal remedy” because it has so many benefits. Ginger tea can be taken after meals for digestion and for coughs and colds in winter. Ginger has to be boiled in water to make ginger tea. As everyone knows, ginger can also be added to a cup of tea. It is of particular benefit in winter. It can also be added to soups and chutneys and chewed raw. Black pepper and tulsi are also said to be useful in coughs, colds and respiratory congestion.
