July 2015
By Naini Setalvad
Surrender yourself to the melody of the monsoon once you learn to safeguard yourself from its maladies, says Naini Setalvad
The onset of the monsoon spells a welcome relief from the sweltering summer. However, the monsoon brings along its own set of challenges, chief among which is a massive influx of germs and infections.
With the amount of pollution in the city, rain water itself is not clean. In this fluctuating weather, our susceptibility to infections, colds and coughs increases tenfold. The best way to immunise ourselves is with the power of the food we eat, and our Indian diet is a powerhouse of immunising ingredients. The ancient injunction to eat according to the season is something we need to follow to keep ourselves healthy, fit and happy.
Mangoes have gone but some wonderful fruits like peaches and plums have arrived.
Sip on piping hot rasam, which has amazing spices that are anti-inflammatory, and help to prevent joint pains and stiffness due to the weather. It contains asafoetida, curry leaves, tomato, red chilli, coconut, mustard seeds, onions, garlic and ginger, and other such healthy ingredients.
With regard to roadside food, there is one simple rule: stay away from it (!), especially food that needs high amounts of water, like chaat, golas, and kulfis. Make an exception in the case of bhutta (corn), since it is freshly roasted before your eyes, and before that was safely wrapped in its own pristine packaging.
Besides this, follow the following guidelines and you will coast through the monsoon as snug as a bug in a rug.
Even at home, we have to be careful that we do not breed any germs. Many a time, our kitchens may be a breeding ground for mosquitoes especially if water is collected. Make sure that:
When it comes to beverages, prefer a delicious piping hot tulsi and ginger infusion with lemon juice. The ginger and the tulsi will keep diseases at bay. They are anti-bacterial and their health properties are amazing. Cook your food in mustard oil more often; it has high quality monounsaturated fat, which is a “good fat”. As much as you would love to indulge in oily, fried food during this season, just bake it. Fried food will make you feel lethargic, besides making you put on weight.
If you do not like spice, opt for clear soups. Add cinnamon wherever you can – even to hot water infusions with honey. This is an antidote to keep away water-borne diseases. Stewed cherries with cinnamon or peaches with cinnamon are a delicious option
Mysore Rasam
Ingredients
1 cup tuvar dal (cooked)
1 lemon-sized ball of tamarind
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp channa dal
2 tomatoes(chopped)
1/2 tsp asafoetida
2 tsps coriander seeds
4 tsps peppercorns
2 tbsps grated coconut
2-3 dry red chillies
2-3 cloves
1 tsp turmeric powder
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Curry leaves
Oil
Salt to taste
Method
Marinate tamarind in water and extract the juice. In a pan add tomatoes, tamarind extract, turmeric powder, salt and cook till the tomatoes are cooked and emanate a delicious aroma
Heat 1 tsp oil, sauté the coriander seeds, pepper corns, chana dal, red chillies and cloves till pink. Grind them with coconut to form a soft paste
Add the paste, tuvar dal and curry leaves to the tomato mixture. Add water to make liquid consistency and bring to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes
Heat oil, add mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves and season the rasam with this. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
Peach stew
ngredients
2 peaches
4 cups water
Cinnamon powder
Walnut
Method
Chop the peach into four slices. Add peaches to boiling water. Boil the water till half quantity. Sprinkle cinnamon powder and walnuts to it. Serve it chilled or hot.
Bio: Naini Setalvad is a nutritionist, specialising in lifestyle and immunity disorders. Her foundation, Health For You, throws light on healthy food habits.
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