Diet Tips While You Staying at Home During the COVID-19 Outbreak
Like nearly every other American, you are stuck at home right now while we wait for the COVID-19 outbreak to be brought under control. Your activity may be limited because it is simply too dangerous to leave your home right now except for the most necessary things. One of the big concerns for you is the diet that are you maintaining during this time. The food that you eat affects your physical and emotional health. With that in mind, here are some nutrition and diet tips for you as you cope with the stay-at-home order in place right now.
Try to Lay Off Caffeine
You have enough things in life to make you nervous right now between the threat to your health and possible financial problems. Caffeine has been shown to increase stress and anxiety, and it can get you wound up in various ways. The last thing that you need is to get riled up by the artificial energy that caffeine provides. Of course, you should not just give up caffeine cold turkey while you are home because you may experience withdrawal. Instead, you should simply cut back on your caffeine usage during this time to calm your nerves.
Consume Vitamin C
While we are not saying that vitamin C can ward off the coronavirus, it is in your best interest to build up your immunity system as much as possible. and vitamin C is one of the most effective substances for your immune system. Try to have an orange each day or some other food rich in vitamin C. You can also take it in a capsule or tablet form. Oranges are a great natural way of getting vitamin C, and the best thing about them is that they can keep fresh for a long time when you are trying to minimize trips to the grocery store. If freshness is an issue, you can also drink a cup or two of orange juice each day.
Comfort Food
We are certainly not going to advise you to deny yourself every type of food on the grounds that it is unhealthy during this stressful time. In fact, we recognize that food can actually provide you with comfort. There are two types of health, and your emotional health is every bit as important as your physical health. In this regard, it is alright to eat something to comfort you within reason, even if it is not the healthiest food for you. While you still must be cognizant of calories because your exercise level may be reduced, you can treat yourself right with your favorite food occasionally during this quarantine. Of course, take care not to overdo it, but remember during this time that it is alright to be good to yourself.
Don't Have it in the House
Chances are if you are stuck in your home with tempting and delicious food, you are going to eat it. If you have a pack of candy within your reach, you will likely consume it in a few sittings. When you go to the grocery store now, you have the ability to control what you eat through your shopping choices. There is less spontaneous snacking right not since you are not going out of the house.
Therefore, the place where you need to exercise the most discipline is when you shop. If you manage the resist the temptation in the aisles at the grocery store, you will be winning most of the battle. If it is not in your pantry in the first place, chances are that it will not tempt you when you are at home. Make sure that you come to the grocery store with a detailed list and stick to it.
Take Care of Your Digestion
You will be sitting for longer periods of time than usual even if you manage to get up for some exercise. This can have negative impacts on your digestive system. Try to add some probiotics to your diet to help with digestion. You can get probiotics in everything from pickles to yogurt. Gut health is important and it impacts your overall physical well-being. Moreover, good gut health can impact how your body deals with COVID-19 should you contract the virus. It can help prevent your body's overreaction to the virus which can severely damage your lungs.