Diet precautions for pregnant women to follow this monsoon

Following some simple diet precautions can help you fight infections and illness that can harm you during this monsoon. We tell you how to dodge them.

By: Debjani Arora | | Updated: October 9, 2014 5:10 pm

Monsoon is the time when you should be more cautious about your diet and food intake, especially if you are pregnant. ‘Infections, allergies and also indigestion are common in pregnant woman during monsoons. Increased humidity and a suppressed immune system makes one prone to either a viral, bacterial or parasitic attack leading to a cold, fever, dysentery, diarrhea, intestinal helminthes, malaria etc during monsoons,’ informs Dr Bandita Sinha, consultant gynecologist, SSD Hospital, Navi Mumbai. Following a proper diet regimen and maintaining good hygiene in terms of food intake and preparation can help one keep away from picking up a communicable disease in the monsoons during pregnancy. Here is what you can do to stay safe this monsoon:

Up your water intake: Keep yourself well hydrated to deal with the humidity and flush out toxins from the body. ‘If possible drink boiled and cooled water every time you feel thirsty. If you aren’t using a closed container to store water, use mugs with long handles to avoid contamination of water. When outdoors opt for juices packed in tetra packs or sip on coconut water,’ advices Dr Sinha. Also read why it is important to drink water during pregnancy.

Avoid having raw vegetables: ‘Raw vegetables contain certain enzymes which can be difficult to digest during the pregnancy. Also raw chopped vegetables have a tendency to absorb moisture too fast making them idyllic for bacterial growth,’ says Dr Sinha. For the same reasons avoid having salads or raw leafy green vegetables during monsoons. ‘The damp nature of the chopped raw vegetables makes them get contaminated soon providing a perfect atmosphere for germs to thrive and grow leading to different infectious diseases,’ she further informs. Also know about the vegetables that you should be having during pregnancy.

Stay away from raw chopped fruits: Especially fruits that are higher in water content like watermelon, cucumber, muskmelon, if they have been kept in the open for too long. ‘Like the raw veggies these food items also increases the chances of bacterial growth, due to their damp nature, particularly during monsoons,’ says Dr Sinha. In case of fruit juices prepare them fresh and consume them immediately. Know about the citrus fruits that you should have during pregnancy.

Be cautious with non-vegetarian foods: ‘Raw eggs and sea foods should essentially be avoided during monsoons. Be even more careful with foods like prawns and fish as this is the breeding season for them. Also stay away from raw fish and sushi. Try taking a balanced diet and incorporate a lot of protein sources to congregate your body’s requirement during the rainy season,’ says Dr Sinha.

Also follow these eat healthy tips to stay safe this monsoon:

Avoid buying chopped fruits and vegetables either from your local vendor or even from the supermarkets.

Stay away from fruits like jackfruits, jamun that are very strong smelling.

Also avoid sour foods like tamarind, chutneys or pickles as they might just lead to more water retention in the body.

Consume more of bitter vegetables and herbs like bitter gourd, fenugreek seeds, basil and turmeric to avoid infections from foods.

Be careful with green leafy vegetables like cabbage, spinach and cauliflower because of the presence of dirt, mud and worms. If you wish to consume them make sure you blanch them thoroughly and wash them in salt water.

Have more seasonal fruits like peaches, pears, plums, pomegranates, papaya and bananas.

Vegetables to avoid during monsoons include potatoes, cluster beans, and sprouted grains as these may lead to indigestion. Also over cooked and fried foods reduce the digestive efficacy of the body so keep in mind that your food should be cooked in the right way.

Boost your immunity levels by eating more home cooked food. Enrich your diet with whole fruits, antioxidant rich foods, foods containing vitamin A, C, E, Zinc, Selenium, as well as B6, B12, and folic acid.

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Published: June 25, 2014 7:26 pm | Updated:October 9, 2014 5:10 pm

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