As the craziness of COVID-19 continues, we are faced with uncertainty on a daily basis. When uncomfortable situations strike, it’s understandable that we would turn to certain comforts for mental peace — it’s only human nature.
Of those comforts, it’s likely that food is not far down the list of things that can pick us up when we aren’t feeling too great. But we have to remain cautious to not delve too deep into the deliciousness of a Big Mac or a Hawaiian pizza — it is now more important than ever that we keep our immune systems at their best.
In 2018, Statistics Canada reported that 9.9 million Canadian adults were classified as overweight. This figure, and many others like it, have only been increasing over the years, making it clear that Canadians have work to do in terms of cleaning up their diets.
The greatest single influence of whether you develop a bad chronic disease or die prematurely is the quality of your diet.
The difference between those years and 2020 is that COVID-19 wasn’t even a figment of anyone’s imagination.
“I urge people not to lose sight of the fact that we are still in a pandemic. We should not forget why we stayed inside for all those months, or the realities that COVID-19 brings to families and the greater community,” says Isha Bhatnagar, a social worker dealing directly with COVID-19 patients in the York region.
With this pandemic continuing, as well as the flu season approaching, Canadians need to put more emphasis on their health, and it starts with nutrition.
“The greatest single influence of whether you develop a bad chronic disease or die prematurely is the quality of your diet,” said preventive medicine specialist Dr. David Katz. “It is the single leading predictor of all-cause mortality.”
The CDC recommends eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, as well as foods rich in vitamin C, D, and zinc.
Obviously, a complete overhaul of one’s diet is neither realistic nor is it recommended. But with some minor tweaks to your dietary routines, you can ensure that you’re following up-to-date, expert advice on how to feel your best and protect yourself against the flu.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, as well as foods rich in vitamin C, D, and zinc. These nutrients can be found in foods such as low-fat milk, seafoods, nuts and seeds.
For some, including third-year computer science student Ryan Solana, the pandemic brought forth an opportunity to brush up on cooking skills and become more nutritional in the process.
“During the beginning of the pandemic, many restaurants that I would often go to or order food from were shut down for dine-in. Because of that, I started doing research. I watched cooking videos and studied recipes online in hopes of replicating the dishes that I was unable to order outside. As a result, I was able to learn how to improve my cooking skills and regularly cook my own meals which saves me time and money. I have also noticed that I’ve been eating healthier more often,” says Solana.
In a time that seems ever so unpredictable, there is absolutely nothing wrong with indulging in the things you enjoy and cheering yourself up. With this being said, however, we also owe it to ourselves and the people around us to look after our health in any and every way possible.
