Oman Wellness: Foods for the winter months

Winter is a great time to be together with the family and enjoy Christmas and New Year, but that does not mean that you don’t pay attention to your health. Research has shown that more people fall sick and are prone to different health problems during winter.

Therefore, one must take good care to ensure that health is not compromised under the excuse of having fun. You can certainly enjoy some of your best days in winter, but you can only enjoy them better if you are healthy and fit. Winter can bring different viruses and bacteria that can harm your body and you should therefore keep your body warm.

You can certainly turn on the heater, but there are some foods that can help you keep you warm from within so let’s take a closer look at what you should eat and avoid during winter. Certain foods are an easy cure for health issues, as compared to related to artificial and synthetic medicines, that can lead to side effects. Garlic must be added in sufficient quantity to food for heart patients. Because it has a strong aroma, garlic may not be liked by everyone, but you cannot underestimate the power and potential behind garlic.

Garlic contains allicin, that helps increase the body’s immunity, which is very crucial during the winter months. The presence of garlic in food also helps reduce the risk of diseases such as heart attacks and cancer.
Ginger is another natural food that you must add to your food, because it is naturally thermogenic. It can help you to stay warm from within during severe winters. Ginger is an excellent food to consume during the colder periods, because it keeps blood circulation in check and eases congestion in your throat and lungs, which keeps the common cold and flu at bay.

Onions are also very good items for intake during winter apart from ginger and garlic, as they help in maintaining body immunity.

However, if you aren’t interested in eating onions or the other aforementioned food items, you must eat fruits such as plums, oranges and vegetables such as beetroots and carrots. But certain food items such as rice and butter have to be avoided in winter. They contain plenty of starch and fat, which could choke the wind pipe, causing difficulties in breathing.

Avoiding fried foods and alcohol during winter is also essential, as it could increase the LDL cholesterol levels within the heart, which is unhealthy. Though some sandwiches can be considered healthy, they contain cucumber and bread, which are very cold and must therefore not be taken during winters.

Drinking coffee or tea is good for keeping yourself warm during winter, but you should keep consumption of such stimulants under control. — Artipot