1)MYTH: I have been always eating healthy food, I can’t be infected by COVID-19.
• FACT: You cannot prevent the Covid-19 infection through diet. However, always following
healthy eating habits will help you to recover soon & maintain your immune system to fight against the virus.
2) MYTH: Eating chicken can spread coronavirus.
• FACT: Eating hygienically prepared and well-cooked chicken does not spread any coronavirus.
3) MYTH: Keep on sipping warm water every 15-30 minutes to avoid coronavirus
• FACT: There is no proven evidence that warm water prevents Coronavirus. However, WHO recommends to keep yourself hydrated, by drinking 2-3L of room temperature water.
4)MYTH: Drinking all kinds of herbal kadhas, bitter gourd juice twice a day will protect me against coronavirus infection.
• FACT: False. No amount herbal kadha or bitter gourd juice can protect you against coronavirus.
5) MYTH: Eating garlic will help to prevent the corona virus infection.
• FACT: Garlic has anti- microbial properties and is indeed healthy. But there is no evidence that eating garlic will keep you away from coronavirus infection.
6) MYTH: Gargling with warm water mixed with salt helps in treating corona virus infection.
• FACT: False. Coronavirus cannot be treated by gargling warm water mixed with salt.
7) MYTH: Adding hot pepper and lemon juice to your meals or soups will prevent from coronavirus infection.
• FACT: No amount of hot pepper and lemon juice addition will protect you from corona virus infection. WHO recommends to eat 2-3 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables as a part of healthy diet.
8) MYTH: Including spices like turmeric, Cinnamon and black jeera seeds in all your meals will protect you from coronavirus infection.
• FACT: The antimicrobial properties of these spices does strengthen your immune system but there is no scientific evidence that it prevents Coronavirus infection.
9) MYTH: Post corona infection recovery, one should avoid exercising.
• FACT: Fatigue, breathlessness or muscle and joint pain may prevail post corona recovery, but it is ideal to be physically active to get your lymphatic system back on track. Lymphatic drainage is a part of our immune system which gets severely affected by the coronavirus. You can start with low intensity exercises like walking or slow jogging for 15-20 minutes daily. And, stretching out will ease your muscle & joint pains and increases the flexibility to move around.
Meenu Agarwal
Food N Wellness.
Meenu is a renowned nutritionist based in Singapore and practising across the globe. She is the Vice President at CAFE Head Board.
