Contributed by: Healthians Team
Introduction
Winter brings a whole lot of food options with amazing nutritional value that you need to fill in your kitchen pantry. They can help you resist cold, boost your immunity, and maintain your digestive fire.
Digestive fire is the strength and volume of stomach acid, digestive enzymes, and bile in the GI or gastrointestinal tract, which helps in maintaining healthy digestion.
The diet you consume has a huge impact on your digestive fire. If not taken care of, it can easily lead to digestive issues such as constipation and fatigue.
In this article, we bring you five simple ways that can help you achieve smooth digestion and boost your immune system at the same time to protect you from winter ailments.
Eat more winter greens
It is always best to include seasonal green vegetables in your daily diet when it comes to maintaining good health during winters. They help you in staying fuller and also provide you with several nutrients to promote your overall well-being.
Spinach (palak), mustard greens (Sarson ka saag), fenugreek (methi), amaranthus (cholai), and lambs quarters (bathua) are some flavoursome green vegetables that are easily available during this time of the year and even easier to prepare.
These winter greens are rich in fibre and vital nutrients such as several B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. They are also a storehouse of minerals like calcium, iron, potassium, and manganese.
These recommended green veggies keep your digestive system healthy and also enhance your immunity to protect you from the onset of various winter ailments.
You can enjoy the benefits of these vegetables by including them in your diet as curries or soups. They can also be used as fillings in healthy winter snacks, such as wraps, rolls, and parathas for a perfect combination of health and taste.
You can never go wrong with ghee
Also known as clarified butter, ghee aids healthy digestion by increasing good bacteria in the gut. It is used to prepare many delicious winter sweets such as panjiri, gondh ke laddu, and moong dal ka halwa, which keeps the body warm.
Ghee improves the functioning of your immune system and has an important role in maintaining healthy bowel movements. It can also aid in weight loss as it contains fat-soluble vitamins.
Another important benefit of consuming ghee is that it helps in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and balancing hormones, which supports your heart and controls blood pressure as well as blood sugar levels.
Note: If you are lactose intolerant (intolerance to dairy foods) or feel uncomfortable/feel allergic after consuming dairy products, it’s best to consult your doctor before including ghee in your diet.
A tinge of herbs & spices go a long way
Your kitchen is full of herbs and spices that not only make your food taste better but also keep your body healthy. Consuming herbs and spices regularly in the right amount can improve your digestion and boost your immunity too.
Turmeric (haldi), cinnamon (dalchini), ginger (adrak), cardamom (elaichi), cayenne, nutmeg (jayfal), black pepper (kali mirch), and cloves (laung), are some herbs and spices that are highly beneficial for you, while making your winter delicacies all the more eclectic.
Apart from making your food delicious, the above-mentioned herbs and spices can also be used as an ingredient in your tea, kadha, and soups.
Don’t forget the fibre-rich foods
Foods rich in fibre are highly beneficial for your digestive system. They also aid in healthy weight management by keeping you full for longer durations and reducing unwanted cravings.
Regular consumption of a diet rich in fibrous foods can help in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and promoting your heart health by minimizing the risk of stroke and hypertension (high blood pressure).
Some of the fibre-rich foods apart from green vegetables include carrots, radishes, guava, and apples.
Keep your water bottle handy
Winter can make you feel less thirsty and you may end up reducing your fluid intake, which is unhealthy for your digestion. Lack of water in the body can affect your digestive system by making your intestines stiff, which makes the bowel movements tougher.
Staying hydrated is essential for the smoother elimination of waste from your body. Aim for drinking at least two to three litres (or eight glasses) of water every day, lukewarm water is even better.
You can also increase your fluid intake by consuming healthy beverages like soups made from carrots, radishes, and tomatoes.
Final thoughts
The cold weather of winter increases the chances of digestive complications and weakened immunity. But following the above-mentioned dietary and lifestyle choices can help you withstand the effects of the cold and aid in protecting yourself from the onset of a host of winter-driven illnesses.
While a healthy diet is surely a key factor in maintaining your overall well being this winter, yet there’s one more thing that you should not forget. Take periodic health checkups, not because you might be ill but also to keep an eye out for any warning signs that your system might be silently giving.
Preventive health checkups offer you a comprehensive insight into your overall health and enable you to take measures to mitigate any issues that might be flagged.
