Diet and healthy habits to improve quarantine

We are all tired and tried at the idea of continuing to stay at home: it is a common feeling, especially considering that the lack of open air and free movement are already two stress factors, to which is added that of the risk of contagion.
Many people experience anxiety at the thought of having to go out by necessity, including a mask, gloves, disinfection practices.

Not to mention the fact that many of us have distant affections.

All of this results in a lot of stress, which leads to more cortisol being produced. As a result we are hungrier, we feel agitated, we sleep badly. In this article we see 11 little tips to improve voluntary or mandatory quarantine, which relate to diet and good habits.

DIET AND HEALTHY HABITS TO IMPROVE THE QUARANTINE

Start the day with a light bath.

Open the windows and raise the shutters of all the rooms in the house as soon as you wake up. If you can, in the morning, looking out the window or on the balcony of the house, count ten minutes of sun exposure. Do this twice a day to balance hormones, promote proper body weight, and reduce emotional stress.
Use vegetables and fruit for mineral-rich flavored waters to drink throughout the day.

You can use these combinations, even with organic or untreated vegetable and fruit peels (make sure of this).
In a liter and a half of water, preferably with low mineral content, mix.
First mix: a cucumber, half a stick of celery, a sliced lemon, basil leaves.
Second mix: sliced orange, a quarter of sliced fennel, a stick of cinnamon or a piece of ginger (optional), sliced half a lemon.
Third mix: a sliced cucumber, 4 strawberries cut in two, a quarter of sliced fennel, half a lemon.
Keep this fruit in the water from the night before, in the fridge. The next day, strain and drink.
Choose 5 contacts every day that you haven’t heard from for a long time to find out how they are doing.

It is very important to keep in touch and be heard even with distant friends, whom we have lost sight of. A “how are you?” not only is it always welcome, but it is also good for us to communicate it. An exchange of even a few words, other than writing the usual comment on the news of the day.
Make a to-do list, including the menu, even if you’re on your own.

I will never tire of repeating how this insignificant little thing can help us. It allows us to have clear ideas, to organize the day in a profitable way, without giving us the impression of having wasted time and not having done anything concrete. In the list we also make a daily menu: it will help us to optimize the food we have in the pantry, avoiding waste. For example, read these 5 anti- waste recipes or the 6 recipes to make with almost nothing at home.
Set a nice table even if you eat alone.

Many are sharing photos of their meals on social media. All in all a good habit, which also serves to make us feel less alone, and also pushes us to set and take care of the dish instead of eating it from the package or from the pot. This sloppiness has a boomerang effect on our sense of satiety and also on our psyche. The mind seeks comfort, and often comfort is also made up of small cares or colors on the plate. It’s a way of saying “I’m taking care of myself”.
Not only that: setting the table, putting food on the plate, taking care of its presentation are all things that reduce hunger and improve the sense of satiety, helping communication between the brain and intestines.
Learn how to make light recipes taking inspiration from these blogs.

Instead of just trying your hand at desserts and pizzas, set yourself a different challenge at least once. Try making sweets or light recipes of savory dishes.
It means cooking differently, but often with ingredients that are just as cheap as traditional recipes and you save a lot of calories. Here I suggest the best ones to take inspiration from.
Play a logic game (board or online) once a day.

There are several logic games online, alternatively newsstands sell game magazines and crossword puzzles. Even if you’re not used to it, try making one a day. You can visit the crossword puzzle or game.it sites .
Do the 5 Tibetans or half an hour of yoga in the morning.

A healthy but also training practice, which improves your flexibility, reduces stress, deflates and improves night rest. The 5 Tibetans are 5 yoga exercises, lasting about 10 minutes: you can find them here . If you want to stay more active, do half an hour of yoga training for beginners: here are videos 1 , 2 and 3 .
Focus on mood-saving foods.

Dark chocolate, almonds, raw carrots, prunes or dates, Parmigiano Reggiano, pumpkin, strawberries or red fruits, yogurt, salmon, bananas, whole milk flakes. What do these foods have in common?
They are natural antidepressants.
They improve mood by stimulating some receptors in the brain but also in the palate.
Use them sparingly in snacks or with meals.
For example, you can make a healthy ice cream with a low-fat yogurt and half a frozen banana in pieces or eat a dozen almonds or two cubes of dark chocolate or two dates. For lunch, salmon with vegetables or a salad with parmesan flakes.
If your stress is high and you feel almost out of control , I recommend a trick.
Drink a freshly squeezed orange juice made by you with a very small pinch of salt.
This simple recipe has an immediate and calming effect on the adrenals. The oranges must be sweet and not sour.
Think about doing a good deed for others.

Social media must not only be the bass drum of bad news, it can also be used for good.
It is often there that we know of people who are in serious financial difficulty, who have sick relatives to care for, who don’t make it to the end of the month. You can also call supermarkets to find out if in times of emergency they collect food to make baskets for those out of work or in another state of emergency. Or ask the neighbors if they need anything in case you need to go out, especially if you are alone and elderly. Helping others also means helping yourself.
Rotate these foods to quench your nervous hunger.

Foods that reduce cravings for junk food are spinach, lentils, raw carrots, plums or prunes, cooked champignons. These foods reduce nervous hunger naturally.