Dietary Tips To Help You Stay Healthy During Times Of Uncertainty 

This year, the value of being healthy can not be understated, as we endure the repercussions of a pandemic sweeping across the globe. So, how do we stay healthy during these scary times? To find the answer to this question, we looked to food. Yes, we are a food company but . . . Hippocrates did say, “let food be thy medicine, and medicine by thy food.” 

Avoid Overeating & Mindless Eating 

Something a lot of us having been struggling with lately is mindless eating. Food makes us feel good, and, heck, cookies and chips are fun to eat! But when we researched what overeating does to the body, we found some startling results. For instance, unhealthy eating habits (like overeating or mindless eating) can create inflammation in the body which causes oxidative stress and weakens our immune system. Yikes!

An easy way to avoid mindless eating is to plan meals in advance.  Keep healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, and nuts available to avoid overindulging in unhealthy foods and try to practice mindfulness during mealtime. Incorporating more satiating meals - like Chef Soraya Plant-based Macro Meals- can help keep you fuller for longer, which will also reduce mindless eating or overeating. 

Stick To Plain Beverages

Sweetened and artificially sweetened soda and teas keep insulin levels high all day (insulin is the main fat storing hormone). Additionally, sugar and fake sugar weaken the immune system. Yes, even artificial sweeteners compromise our immunity, as our body perceives these sweeteners as foreign food, an invader that it cannot process, and as a result, sends antibodies to attack!

What To Do:

An easy tip is to reduce your intake of sweetened beverages is to sip on water, mineral water, plain tea and coffee instead. Tea and coffee are also rich in immune improving antioxidants. If you struggle to drink water, add mint, or citrus fruits to your H20 to make your water more delicious!

Increase Your Intake Of Stress-Busting Foods

Foods rich in vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin B12, magnesium and antioxidants, have all shown to help alleviate depression, fatigue and irritability and improve overall health & well-being. 

What To Do:

Eat more leafy greens, berries, healthy nuts and seeds and beans! Did you know that hemp seeds, beans, and quinoa are all nutrient-rich superfoods that also happen to be inside every Chef Soraya Plant-based macro meal? That's right! Our bowls can help keep you healthy! 

Eat With Others

Research supports that when we eat with others, it enhances social bonding and feelings of happiness & well-being. We are more likely to slow down during this time, connect, and produce more feel-good hormones. Happier people have shown to be healthier, so, eat in a social setting (even if it’s socially distanced). 

What To Do:

Even if we are practicing social distancing, there are still ways to eat with friends and family.  For instance, you can schedule Zoom dinners, have an outdoor potluck, or eat at a local restaurant that adheres to strict social-distancing practices. If there is a will there's a way!

Take Care Of Yourself & Take Care Of Others

Taking care of yourself is not selfish. In fact, these days, it’s imperative for us all to focus on supporting our own health to keep others safe. As the Buddha said “To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”