The Coronavirus forces us to stay at home as much as possible to reduce the possibility of contagion. We need to review our food lifestyle: going to the restaurant becomes an undertaking, meeting at the bar for a chat with friends, a game of cards is forbidden, strolling through the streets of the city for shopping is blasphemy. But indulging in depressing feelings is worse. You can give yourself rules to stay healthy even inside the house and not consider it a prison. This is why we have thought of Smart advice to continue following the recommendations.
SmartFood, the nutrition science communication program of the IEO (European Institute of Oncology in Milan) supported by the IEO-CCM Foundation, has come up with a series of smart advice, suggestions, not strict rules, to help Italians live the bad times we are facing.
Keep shopping smart
There is no need to stock up on food, especially biscuits, sweets and savory baked goods. Avoid waste as much as possible. Buy fresh products such as fruit and vegetables: make sure you have, if possible, at least two servings of fruit and two of vegetables a day. With wholemeal flour we can prepare homemade bread, an excellent idea to involve even the little ones.
No need to stock up on meat
Meat, in a healthy diet, is recommended 0-3 times a week, stocks of cutlets and other ready-made meat products find no justification even from a nutritional point of view. Let's not forget the fish: even frozen fish is adequate, it maintains nutritional characteristics comparable to fresh ones. Preserved fish is rich in salt, but once a week it can be eaten, it is better to prefer canned mackerel which preserves omega-3s compared to tuna. Among other protein sources, include cheeses, preferably fresh and low-fat, and eggs in your diet.
Take advantage of the extra time available at home to prepare dried legumes and whole grains that require longer cooking times. If more than what is needed for the meal is prepared, store it properly and use it the following day to make a recipe with that ingredient. For example, legumes can be blended to make burgers. To adhere to a healthy diet, we always keep in mind the SMART plate model! Let's not exaggerate with the portions, especially if our lifestyle in this period is more sedentary.
We experiment with new combinations of spices and aromatic herbs to give flavor to dishes, we also use lemon or orange juice or zest to limit the consumption of salt. Studies show that about ten days are sufficient to disaccustom the palate to an excessively savory or sweet taste.
Beware of vices
We don't smoke and we follow the recommendations for a healthy diet which invite you not to drink. If you want to consume alcohol, you must not exceed 1 alcohol unit per day for women and 2 for men (1 alcohol unit corresponds to a 125ml glass of wine or a 330ml beer). We take advantage of fewer daily commitments to dine earlier than usual in the evening, in order to lengthen the time window between the evening meal and breakfast as much as possible.
Having fun in the kitchen
Cooking is an excellent stress reliever and is an activity that keeps adults, children and teenagers busy. If you lack inspiration to prepare SMART recipes, you can consult the section dedicated to recipes and menus Site where appetizers and side dishes, first courses, single courses, main courses and desserts are available.
Try to keep physically active
Even if you find yourself spending time in a rather limited space, there are many things you can do at home to increase movement:
- If you work on your PC from home, occasionally take a break, stretch your legs, take a walk and maybe do some stretching exercises.
- If you own a stationary bike or treadmill, start (or continue) using them to get some cardio. Start at a low intensity and build up gradually. Many fitness or other sports instructors are proposing videos for training at home, even without the use of special tools. For this purpose we can use video search engines and follow the exercises we like best.
Some music on the radio to dance and be happy
Something simpler? Turn on the radio and dance. Keep background music even when cleaning the house to use more energy. Arranging the shelves, the pantry, the cellar or the garage can be an opportunity for movement.
Balcony gardening for planting strawberries, tomatoes, salads and chili peppers
Take advantage of this extra time at home to pursue hobbies such as gardening, for example. If you have a small balcony or a private garden, this period is optimal to start planting chilli peppers, strawberries, parsley, onions, garlic, carrots, but also lettuce and tomatoes.
