Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of disruption to our daily lives, including our diets. With the increased stress and anxiety of the pandemic, many people are turning to unhealthy eating habits to cope. Unfortunately, this can lead to a variety of health risks. The Mayo Clinic has recently released a warning about the potential risks of unhealthy diets during the pandemic. In this article, we will discuss the risks associated with unhealthy diets during the pandemic and how to avoid them.
Mayo Clinic Warns of These Diet Risks During COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many people to change their diets, but the Mayo Clinic is warning of potential risks associated with some of these changes. In a recent article, the clinic outlined the potential dangers of certain dietary habits, including:
- Eating too much processed food: Processed foods are often high in sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats, which can increase your risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Eating too much of these foods can also lead to nutrient deficiencies.
- Not getting enough fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are packed with essential vitamins and minerals that are important for maintaining a healthy immune system. Not getting enough of these foods can lead to deficiencies that can weaken your body’s ability to fight off infection.
- Skipping meals: Skipping meals can lead to overeating later in the day, which can cause weight gain and other health problems. It can also lead to low energy levels, which can make it harder to stay active and healthy.
- Drinking too much alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption can weaken your immune system and increase your risk of developing certain diseases. It can also lead to poor sleep, which can further weaken your immune system.
The Mayo Clinic recommends that people focus on eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. They also suggest limiting processed foods, alcohol, and sugary drinks, and eating regular meals throughout the day.
By following these guidelines, you can help ensure that your diet is healthy and balanced, and that you are getting the nutrients you need to stay healthy during the pandemic.
Though the CDC notes that there isn’t a proof to help the transmission of COVID-19 via meals, that does not imply you are secure from being contaminated with the novel coronavirus when consuming.
Whether or not eating out, ordering takeout or supply, or dealing with meals after grocery procuring, there are a number of consuming habits that may put you susceptible to COVID-19, in response to the Mayo Clinic.
Listed here are the seven most typical consuming dangers you need to keep away from in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic on account of their hyperlinks to contracting the virus, as defined by the Mayo Clinic. Learn on, and for extra on wholesome consuming, do not miss 11 Greatest Suggestions for Secure Grocery Purchasing Amid Coronavirus Considerations.
The Mayo Clinic urges that should you go to a restaurant, you should not keep lengthy. The longer you’re round folks with out masks, the longer your publicity time, the extra of the virus you breathe in, and the extra it could possibly construct up and infect you. The Mayo Clinic reviews that being uncovered to an contaminated one who is inside 6 toes for a complete of quarter-hour over a 24-hour interval can put you at elevated danger of COVID-19.
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Going to a restaurant when it is busiest will improve the chance that you could be come into contact with an individual contaminated with COVID-19. The Mayo Clinic recommends that you just keep away from consuming out at busy instances of day or evening.
When you’re not consuming in a restaurant the place you would be uncovered to somebody contaminated with COVID-19 over lengthy intervals of time, there are nonetheless some dangers related to coming into contact with somebody with COVID-19 when ordering takeout or supply; nevertheless, following the right precautions will considerably decrease this danger. The Mayo Clinic suggests that you just “attempt to pay on-line or over the cellphone to restrict contact with others” when ordering takeout.
For supply, “ask for it to be left outdoors your own home in a secure spot, such because the porch or your constructing’s foyer.” Whether or not it is takeout or supply, keep at the very least 6 toes away from the particular person dealing with your meals. Lastly, “after bringing house your meals, wash your arms or use hand sanitizer.”
In fact, you might want to take away your face masks with a view to eat meals, however the Mayo Clinic urges that you just nonetheless “put on a face masking as a lot as doable when you’re not actively consuming or ingesting.”
There are some ugly unwanted effects of ingesting an excessive amount of alcohol—which embrace liver issues and weight achieve—however there’s one further facet impact of ingesting an excessive amount of alcohol to be hyperaware of throughout COVID: that it could possibly make you much less more likely to comply with security measures, in response to the Mayo Clinic.
Whereas Mayo Clinic physician William F. Marshall, III M.D. notes that there isn’t a proof of anybody contracting the virus that causes COVID-19 after touching meals containers and meals packaging, it does have some greatest practices to comply with when ordering meals to go. These embrace transferring meals to a clear dish utilizing clear utensils, washing your arms once more earlier than consuming, and cleansing and disinfecting any surfaces that had takeout containers on them.
At present, there isn’t a proof to help the transmission of COVID-19 related to meals, in response to the CDC. Nonetheless, there’s some proof to help that it’s doable to contract COVID-19 by touching a floor or object (like meals) that has the virus on it after which touching your face; nevertheless, this isn’t the principle manner the virus spreads.
“The most important danger of contracting the virus from meals could be should you contact meals that is been uncovered after which contact your face,” says Dr. Abinash Virk, a Mayo Clinic infectious illnesses specialist. “In that sense, it’s best to clean your arms earlier than and after dealing with meals and washing unpeeled vegatables and fruits earlier than you eat them.”
To be as secure as doable, the Mayo Clinic suggests following greatest observe meals security pointers: wash all vegatables and fruits completely earlier than consuming them, by working them below water, scrubbing produce that has a rind or thick pores and skin with a clear produce brush, and washing your arms properly with cleaning soap and water as quickly as you get house from the grocery retailer. It’s doable to harness the ability of meals to guard you from the coronavirus. See these 11 Greatest Immune-Boosting Meals to Combat COVID-19, Say Medical doctors.