Q&A: 7 Food and Nutrition Tips To Improve Your Health

The global pandemic has taught us that now more than ever it is important to note that good nutrition is crucial for health, particularly in times when the immune system might need to fight back.

So, we asked Kripa Jalan, a Harvard-trained nutrition consultant and the founder of Burgers To Beasts, to address some of the FAQ’s around health and nutrition, immunity boosters, quarantine diet, and summer coolers and on how to shake off fatigue and keep your spirits up in the face of adversity.

1. What according to you constitutes a balanced diet?

So the definition of a balanced diet is going to differ from person to person. Individuals are unique so their care should be too. But as a baseline, most people can benefit by including adequate protein be it animal based or plant based, starchy fruits, wholegrains, healthy fats like olive and nuts, and most importantly a variety of fruits and vegetables. I strongly believe that each food gives you different nutrients, so diversity is the key and so is flavour. Your flavour factor may be a sauce – mustard, herbs, spices, or seasonings, whatever you enjoy cooking or preparing your food in to boost the flavour. When I say sauce, I don’t mean Ketchup, because that has high amounts of sugar. Herbs and spices make your food taste great, but they are also packed with antioxidants that can help you glow from inside out.

2. What is your recommendation to those who are constantly looking for foods to boost their immunity?

I think it’s imperative knowledge that Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is good health and immunity. So, any pill or powder telling you that you can have bullet proof immunity overnight is just fooling you and taking your money. Your health and immunity are a result of consistent actions taken daily. So to that effect, in addition to practicing good hygiene, wearing a mask and social distancing norms, eat whole fruits, eat a nutrient dense diet as discussed above, continue to treat sugar as an occasional indulgence rather than an everyday staple. Add herbs and spices to your food. Include quality protein sources be it meat, seafood, tofu, or even lentils and beans for the vegetarians. Most importantly get adequate sleep and sunshine. These are the corner stones of a healthy and joyous life.

3. The home confinement of children and adolescents in the last three years of the pandemic have had a significant affect on their physical and mental health What tips would you give parents who are concerned about the health and nutrition of their children?

So I would say, regardless of Covid, kids who are old enough to eat solid food, should eat the way their parents do provided they eat real food and not too many processed foods. I think parents should lead by example because it is hard to convince kids to eat vegetables and fruits if they are not eating it themselves. It is important to be mindful that children’s lives have been turned upside down by this pandemic. Between remote schooling and playdates being cancelled, chidren’s routine are anything but routine. So kinds also have questions about Corona virus and benefit from age appropriate answers. Don’t fuel the flame of anxiety. It also helps to discuss and role model things that they can control, like handwashing, physical distancing, and health promoting behaviours.

4. Food is often a self-soothing mechanism to deal with a distressing situation. Can you suggest some ways to mindfully reduce stress eating.

So one common reaction to stop stress eating that we see, or atleast I see in my coaching practice is that people completely avoid everything that they want to have or what makes them feel good to go on a diet or detox. And it actually backfires because one day comes when you are like – forget it I’m just going to eat everything that comes my way. So going on a diet to heal binge eating is literally like rubbing salt into an open wound. It doesn’t server the root cause and can cause you to under eat or over eat and keep you in the cycle of binge restrict reward. So moderation is the key regardless of what you are having whether it is pizza or grilled chicken and moderation differs from person to person and even withing the same person – they may feel more hungry one day and less hungry the next day so I think it is really important to listen to your body and give it the care and nourishment that it deserves.

5. What is your take on organic vs non organic food

In some cases organic food may have higher amounts of nutrients like you have organic vegetables and fruits, but you also have organic ice-creams, sodas, breakfast cereals and chips. So while buying these foods makes it feel like a better option for the environment or for the planet but it may or may not be for your health. An organic diet can reduce the amount of toxic chemicals consumed and increase the vitamin, mineral and fatty acid content of food for sure but what about high fructose corn syrup. That is not healthy. So organic doesn’t always mean healthy. So consider what you are getting, the price you are paying, the taste and your priority.

6. There’s so much conflicting advice on what’s healthy and what’s not. Can you help biust some of the myths around diet and nutrition?

There are no many. First is that Egg yolks are not bad for you. Dietary cholesterol is poorly absorbed and rapidly eliminated. Second is that you need to have the most exotic produce to maintain good health. But sometimes what’s local or easily accessible could be the answer. Third is that nutrition and dieting include bland and boring food. But it really isn’t. It includes small ways to make your meals slightly healthier. I feel a little bit of change goes a long way. Fourth is that Fat makes you fat. And that is further from the truth because of course you have healthy fats and unhealthy fats. But your healthier fats support your hormones, brain health and has a host of positive properties for the body.

7. With mercury rising around the country, could you give us some tips to beat the heat?

So circling back to the point I made previously that water intake is paramount. So if you struggle to drink plain water then add some slices of lemon or cucumber to it to help you drink more. Fruits and vegetables also contain some amount of water. Watermelon and cucumber – try to consume more of those as they are also lighter so you feel a lot better.

About Kripa Jalan:

Kripa Jalan, is a Harvard-trained nutrition consultant and the founder of Burgers To Beasts, a mind-body firm that integrates the science of nutrition with the art of mindfulness, to help individuals, look, move, and feel their best. Passionate about the deep health matrix, the ideology that food is medicine, and the belief that diets don’t work, she wants to work towards a world where good health is accessible to all, regardless of who individuals are or what their history is.

For more health and nutrition tips you can follow her on Instagram or subscribe to her YouTube channel.