[Lifestyle]A healthy lifestyle and food habits- How has the pandemic impacted it all

[Black CaT]

The International Food Information Council's annual Food and Health Survey found people still trust the safety of the food system and was turning more to plant protein for health.

GUWAHATI: The one thing that the Covid-19 pandemic has forced the human race to change in this pandemic era is lifestyle. And food being an integral part, the outbreak has also left its mark on our food habits. Staying healthy has become the topmost priority.
As TIME8 reached out, it was found that while many have chosen to opt for a healthy lifestyle by adding exercise, yoga and healthy foods to their daily routine, a large section of society was continued to be struggling to even get a meal due to the lockdown like situation in the country as well as in the state.
For Pankaj Mahanta, a retired officer, the pandemic was a life changer. He said, “Covid-19 has changed everything for me. I was the kind of person who used to be least bothered about my own health. But once the pandemic hit the world, I became extremely cautious regarding my food habits and regular lifestyle.”
He also mentioned that he has started to consume immunity enhancer food items and exercising for an hour has become a part of his daily activities.
The healthy change amongst many was also backed by dietician Abhijit Mahanta. He said, “Eating healthy should be a must for everyone but there were many who used to discard the idea of living a healthy lifestyle. By choice or by compulsion, the food habits of all of us have changed, most probably towards a positive end. I personally suggest people have less of fast foods and more of home food.”
He also advised that people should avoid salt, as in less salt and sugar and not as much fatty oily food. To keep it short, food and drinks which keep your immunity n energy level high would be the best of choice, he added.
But healthy foods also come with a price. And since people have been going for health-conscious food items, demand in this sector has also impacted. “We can see a high demand for health booster products. If the supply is less than the expected demand, we need to increase the price of the products by at least some percentage,” Dinesh Agarwal, a shopkeeper owner.
However, not everyone was lucky. There was a large section of people especially the daily wagers who have been hit badly by the pandemic. For them, even basic food was found to be a luxury.
Sharing his experience, Nur Hussain, an auto-rickshaw driver said, “It is difficult for my family to stay healthy and fit as we don’t get to buy fresh groceries and have healthy food most of the time. My financial condition is not strong and due to the partial lockdown imposed by the government, I hardly get to earn any money.”
The International Food Information Council’s annual Food and Health Survey found people still trust the safety of the food system and was turning more to plant protein for health.

 

https://www.time8.in/a-healthy-lifestyle-and-food-habits-how-has-the-pandemic-impacted-it-all/