Monsoons are here, and so are the bevy of different monsoon maladies like viral fever, the common cold and cough, malaria, dengue, typhoid, diarrhoea and chikungunya. It will surprise you to know that most absenteeism in school and offices during the monsoon is due to the common cold, due to the viruses that thrive in the humid conditions. However, as all viruses go, the common cold is avoidable. Apart from wearing a mask in crowded places, you can boost your immunity to avoid common cold. Here are 5 Immunity Boosting Foods for Monsoon.

Spices and herbs – Spices and herbs like ginger, tulsi, turmeric, mint/spearmint, pepper, garlic, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg are bestowed with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antimicrobial benefits.

• Ginger tops the list because most ailments start from the stomach, and ginger is a top digestion-aiding spice. Add ginger generously to your diet during the monsoon. Have adrak wali chai, add ground ginger paste while preparing foods or make fresh ginger pickle to go with your meals. Keep Soonth powder or dry ginger root powder handy and add it to your milk or tea.

Our Gondh Ladoos make use of many immunity boosting spices like dry ginger powder and black pepper that are good for both cold and cough.

• Add turmeric, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg to your milk or make a kadha or concoction of them and consume regularly.
• Fenugreek seeds are good for digestion too. Have soaked methi seeds in the morning on empty stomach.

Nuts and Seeds – Nuts and seeds are a storehouse of antioxidants, healthy fats, minerals and vitamins. Have nuts and seeds to ramp up your immunity.

Try our Nutty Dates Ragi Ladoos which have dates and nuts like almonds, pistachios and walnuts.

Vegetables and Fruits – Monsoon is the time to indulge in gourd veggies like bottle gourd, ridge gourd, ash gourd, bitter gourd, pumpkin, snake gourd. It gives a boost to your gut health and keeps you relatively disease-free.

Fruits like papaya, cherries, plums, peaches, apples and pineapples are packed with vitamin A and/or C that help your body’s natural defence against illness and infections. Have them regularly in your diet.

Sweet limes and lemons full of vitamin C and antioxidants are some of the monsoon fruits to be indulged in.

Probiotics – As we said, you need to keep your gut flora healthy, and it will take care of your overall physical wellbeing. And we recommend probiotics like curds, buttermilk, kefir, kimchi, picked vegetables, pickles, etc. to help boost the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut.

Fluids – Like any other season, you need plenty of fluids, especially warm ones, like soups, green tea, Indian masala chai, dals, broths to keep you hydrated and your digestive system in top shape.

We have an Immunity Booster Combo that comprises 3 of our ladoos made of superfoods like nuts and seeds, dates, spices, sesame seeds, peanuts, etc.

Having said what you should do, take note of all the things you should avoid during the rainy season.

1. Avoid eating cut fruits and fruit juices from street vendors. The same goes for panipuri and other street foods. If you must, eat at reputed and hygienic places only.
2. Avoid raw salads, and instead steam them before consuming.
3. Ayurveda doesn’t encourage the consumption of green leafy vegetables during the monsoon as that can lead to bacterial and fungal growth if not washed properly. However, if you must, blanch them and then consume.
4. Avoid seafood as because of the high risk of water contamination, they can carry infections.

So these are the 5 Immunity Boosting Foods for Monsoon, and also a list of things to avoid during the rainy season.