5 Tips By Celebrity Nutritionist To Boost Immunity In The Monsoon Season

As the rain clouds gather and the air is filled with moisture, seasonal diseases start pulling many people down. But don't worry! Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar shares top tips that shall keep you in top shape and bursting with energy this monsoon season. Very simple dietary choices can make a world of difference when done right. Diwekar shares in detail how exactly to do this in her Audible audiobook ‘Eating in the Age of Dieting.’

5 Tips To Boost Immunity In The Monsoon Season

Spice Up Your Chai for a Healthier Sip

Who doesn't love a steaming cup of chai in the rain? According to Diwekar, the following immunity-boosting add-ons will take this comforting beverage to an all-new level:

• Ginger and tulsi: Enhance digestion and immunity
• Lemongrass: Combat bloating and congestion
• Black pepper or cinnamon: Improve insulin sensitivity

"These simple additions can transform your regular chai into a powerful health elixir," Diwekar explains. "It's an easy way to support your body's natural defences while enjoying a delicious treat."

Power of Local Produce

When it comes to vegetables, Diwekar emphasises the importance of eating what's in season. She notes, "The soil during the rains is not suitable for growing green leafy vegetables, and therefore we shift to creepers like dudhi (bottle gourd), pumpkin, karela (bitter gourd), gilka (ridge gourd) and root vegetables like sweet potato, suran (elephant foot yam) and konfal (purple yam)."

Diwekar highlights the nutritional powerhouses that thrive during monsoon, "The exception to this rule is the wild and uncultivated greens that shoot up during the season - ambadi (roselle plant), shevla (dragon stalk yam), lingri (fiddlehead fern), to name a few… It's very important for your gut bacterial diversity and acts as a booster shot for immunity."

Nourish Your Body with Ancient Grains and Millets

Forget about multigrain breads and biscuits. Diwekar recommends focusing on traditional grains that are perfectly suited for the monsoon season. "You can eat nachini as porridge, bhakhri or even a papad," she suggests. "The season also comes with festivals and special months like Shravan, where the focus shifts to eating smaller millets like Rajgira, Samo, Kuttu, Mandua, etc. Again, have them in traditional preps and in combination with dahi, makhan etc, to ensure optimum assimilation."

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Pulse Your Way to Better Health

Did you know that our ancestors had a clever way of ensuring protein intake during monsoons? Diwekar reveals, "During monsoons, Indians historically substituted meat and fish with carefully dried and stored pulses from the summer months. These became a source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and even fibre during the season."

She particularly recommends two powerhouse pulses, "You must incorporate two important pulses in your meals this season, kulith (horsegram), and alsane (Goa beans), great for skin and hair."

Indulge in Bhajiyas – Guilt-Free!

Craving those crispy, deep-fried monsoon treats? Diwekar says you can enjoy them without guilt! She advises, "Use filtered groundnut, mustard or coconut oils, and don't reuse the oil for cooking afterwards. Without essential fats in the diet, vitamin D cannot be assimilated. Essential fats also help in regulating blood sugar."

In fact, Diwekar goes a step further, stating, "So apart from being tasty, deep-fried pakoras are healthy too, and for everyone, heart patients, obese and diabetics included, eat them without fear and with the confidence that you know when to stop eating."

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Nourish Your Body, Boost Your Immunity

Contrary to popular diet culture, Diwekar emphasises the importance of adequate calorie intake during monsoons. She explains, "Your taste buds are not against your weight loss plans. They are simply against your plan to lose your immunity and to guard you against a possible crash of your immune system."

By following these simple yet effective tips, you can support your body's natural defences and enjoy the monsoon season to its fullest. For more in-depth advice on eating well throughout the year, tune into Rujuta Diwekar's ‘Eating in the Age of Dieting’ on Audible.

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