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Nature is actually the best physician and cosmetologist. She gives us fruits and vegetables, needed by the body for both health and beauty during the different seasons. In winter, we get fruits and vegetables which are beneficial to the body in cold weather. For instance, we get oranges, keenu and mousambi, rich in Vitamin C, which actually help to strengthen our immune system and protect us from colds, cough and respiratory ailments. Green leafy vegetables like lettuce, "palak", "methi" and "sarson ka saag" are also rich in Vitamin C. In winter, the body also needs Vitamin A. So, have plenty of orange vegetables and fruits, like papaya and carrots. Amla, also available in winter, is the best source of Vitamin C.
In winters, your body needs extra nutrition. You need to load up on vitamins and consume a whole lot of veggies and fruits.
Winter is also the time for hot drinks. Instead of normal tea and coffee, try herb teas or soups. There are certain foods that actually help to keep our body warm. In Ayurveda, ginger is known as "a universal remedy" because it has so many benefits. Ginger tea can be taken after meals for digestion and for coughs and colds in winter. Ginger has to be boiled in water to make ginger tea. As everyone knows, ginger can also be added to a cup of tea. It is of particular benefit in winter. It can also be added to soups and chutneys and chewed raw. Black pepper and tulsi are also said to be useful in coughs, colds and respiratory congestion.
You can also add other spices to tea, during winter, like Cardamon (elaichi), Cinnamon (dalchini), pepper and nutmeg. They not only add flavour to foods, soups and desserts, but also help to prevent viral ailments. For example, cinnamon has many benefits and can be added to fruit desserts, liked baked apples and pears. Such foods and spices contain vitamins and minerals that enhance the beauty of the skin and hair.
Hot soups can be delicious during winter. They can be easily made by boiling vegetables in water. You can make a mixed vegetable soup with potatoes, carrots, turnip, peas, tomato and so on. Or you can make a spinach soup (palak). Fresh mushrooms, available in winter, make good soups too, especially if you add a little milk. After boiling the vegetables, strain and puree the vegetables in a mixer. Then add it back to the water. Add salt and black pepper, along with a little milk to make it tasty and more wholesome. In spinach soup, you can add a dash of lemon juice. Grated cheese also makes a tasty addition to vegetable soups.
A healthy, nutritious diet is the foundation of both health and beauty. Remember that internal health and external beauty are two sides of the same coin.
(This article is authored by Shahnaz Husain, a Padma Shri Award recipient and pioneer of the Ayurvedic beauty movement and the head of a global network of franchise ventures and 375 formulations.)