**6. Role of diet and behavior during a pandemic situation**

The basics of Ayurveda suggested the state of equilibrium of Dosha (three body humors), Dhatu (seven types of tissues), and Trimala (Sweat, Urine, Stool) for the healthy living being. The ingested food gets digested well with the help of balanced biological energy and form productive nutrients for the nourishment of the bodily tissues. It sequentially takes place with the metabolic energy of each tissue and nourishes dependent tissues also. A healthy diet is essential for good health, which protects the body from many diseases. A healthy diet means a variety of foods, with less salt and sugar, the saturated and trans essential fats, including cereals, starchy roots, lentils and beans, fruits and vegetables, animal source foods (as per need), a preferably fibrous diet with sprouts, salad, leafy vegetables which keeps the body fit and fine. The intake of diet at the appropriate time and with due interval is essential. A person should consume food which is suitable to him as per his Prakriti and which digested quickly. Keep three-four hours interval between breakfast and lunch. Please keep in mind the gap between dinner and next morning breakfast should be eleven-twelve hours. With proper diet, quality of sleep is of utmost importance for good health. For good digestion and sleep, keep a minimum two hours interval between dinner and bed time [14]. Adequate sleep is as equally important as eating healthy and exercising. Nowadays, people sleeping less than the required duration are connected with higher body weight, poor nutrition, greater risk of heart disease and stroke, affected glucose mechanism, risk of diabetes, and low immunity. In a pandemic situation, body physiology gets changes according to the external environment that will affect the person's overall health. In that situation, everyone has to make a diet plan as per the suitability of the person. Proper diet planning includes good food habits, nutritional food, a wholesome diet, an easily digested diet, low calory healthy diet, and a timetable of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dietary and behavioral measures include the type of diet, time of consumption, the interval between intake of food, the quantity of intake (should be one-third of stomach capacity), and nutrition values. The central concept of diet in Ayurveda includes three types of diet Satvik, Rajas, and Tamas; a person should consume a diet accordingly to keep equilibrium for sustenance and good health management strong relation between gut health and mind. Whole things are interconnected; scheduling and management play a significant role in the pandemic situation for good health. Perhaps Ayurveda teaches us an important lesson that our health is up to us, how to live every day and every hour, choose either health or illness, opt for sound options, and think-rethink our choices [15].
