Embrace healthier lifestyle during ongoing pandemic, with handful of almonds everyday  

Ludhiana: In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, as people around the world, and India in particular, adjust to the new concept of normal, Almond Board of California, today, hosted a session around ‘The importance of ensuring family health and nutrition amidst a pandemic’. The discussion focused on the current health situation in the country and highlighted preventive measures families can include within their daily diets and lifestyles. The session was moderated by RJ Meha from Ishq FM and featured prominent Bollywood Actress and Author, Soha Ali Khan Actress as well as Ritika Samaddar, Regional Head-Dietetics, Max Healthcare – Delhi.

As several people continue to work from home and children attend virtual classes, a sudden shift has been noticed in the family routine which has further resulted in chaotic and inconsistent schedules. This includes a mix of erratic meals, higher screen time, lack of physical activity, anxiety, stress and an overreliance on snacking due to easy access and boredom. Addressing these issues through the session, Soha and Ritika, focused on three areas of health - proper nutrition and dietary habits, the need to incorporate regular exercise and the importance of self-care during these challenging times. 

Through the session, the guests also highlighted the importance of mindful snacking and urged families across the city to inculcate healthy snacking routines within their diets. Both guests also shared anecdotes and examples from their personal lives, as well as suggestions for dietary and lifestyle adjustments that families can make to better support their health, immunity and boost overall well-being. 

Talking about the need to focus on improving immunity by consuming nutrients that support it, prominent Bollywood Actress and Author, Soha Ali Khan said, “I feel it’s my responsibility to undertake adequate preventive measures that can help in maintaining my family’s safety and good health. For this I rely on healthy dietary habits, focusing on foods that provide immune-supporting nutrients such as zinc. Almonds are known to be a source of zinc, which plays an important role in growth, development, and the maintenance of immune function. I keep almonds in the house at all times, and ensure that each family member eats a handful every day. I have been following this practice for several years now, and definitely urge other families to do so as well.”

Awareness around good food choices, and snacking habits is key to leading a healthy lifestyle, especially now when the world around us is changing rapidly. Make sure to focus on consuming balanced and nutrient rich diets including a handful of almonds, as they contain several nutrients like vitamin E, magnesium, protein, riboflavin, zinc etc. which, in the long run will aid in overall health and well-being.  But besides this, it’s also pertinent to stay fit by incorporating some form of physical exercise to the routine, and also maintaining a positive attitude while adjusting to these unprecedented times.

During the session, Ritika Samaddar, Regional Head-Dietetics, Max Healthcare – Delhi said, “The ongoing pandemic has highlighted more than ever the need for right nutrition amongst Indian families. Many Indians suffer from ailments such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes and obesity, and in many cases these existing co-morbidities have led to fatalities in Covid19 patients. Whether you are suffering from one of the aforementioned ailments, or are at risk, be sure to include nuts like almonds to your family and your daily diet as they are nutrient rich and add to the body’s overall health. Besides this, almonds also contain copper, folate, iron and vitamin E, nutrients that are known to contribute in supporting the immune function. So be sure to include a handful of almonds to the diet everyday!”