Look Good, Feel Great, Perform Better with Dr Mickey Mehta and Chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s Immunity+ Plan

To upgrade and energize our bodies and to up-regulate our physiology, we need good wholesome food, a lot of sunlight, lots of breathing, productive physical activity, meditation, affirmations, prayer, visualizations and an optimistic outlook. We’ve tried and covered it all, and more, in Immunity+.

For those of you who want to ease into a cleaner and greener lifestyle by making small changes, you can choose where you want to start. We have created a four-week plan for exercise, meditation, nutrition, and affirmations and loaded the book with philosophies of holistic health. Our 4-week immunity-boosting vegetarian meal plan will satiate your taste buds, fill your tummy, and regulate your calorie intake while providing well-rounded nutrition.

For those of you who want to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle, we’ve created a 28-Day Master Plan, which combines all the individual plans. Follow this daily programme and you’ll be on your way to more effective workouts, better nourishment, and an improved attitude; and you’ll be surprised with lots more as well.

Here’s a glimpse of what Day 1 looks like in our plan –

Exercise

Breathing

Focus on Kapalabhati in the first week.

‘Kapalabhati’ means ‘that which shines and brings a glow to the forehead (kapal)’. ‘Bhati’ is shining or luminosity. It means that Kapalabhati brings clarity or luminosity in the mind and to the body by cleansing the passageway, removing carbon dioxide and generating oxygen in the cells.

Technique

• Sit in a comfortable pose with your back straight so that your spine is erect. Push your shoulders back. Your belly muscles should be relaxed. Place your palms on your thighs or knees. Relax your face.

• Take a deep breath that is soundless, expanding the chest. Exhale through your nose, pushing the air out while drawing your abdomen muscles inwards. This technique consists of explosive exhales and slightly longer passive inhales. As you exhale the lower belly contracts, which pushes the air out of the lungs. You then inhale, which sucks air into the lungs, and the stomach expands.

• Do active exhalation and passive inhalation in quick succession. Begin with 30 expulsions, and gradually go up to 60 expulsions per minute. With regular and sustained practice, one can achieve a speed of 100-120 expulsions per minute.

• After every round, pause and observe your body and mind. You will experience peace. Observation is key in upscaling your immunity. Your body speaks to you at every step.

Note: Pregnant and menstruating women should refrain from performing this exercise.

Affirmation

Affirmations are statements that are positive in nature. They help in overcoming negative thoughts.

An affirmation should be said with faith and devotion a few times a day.

‘I am full of energy, enthusiasm and joy.’

Diet

Breakfast – Lal Math Thepla 

Recipe

Ingredients

1 medium bunch amaranth leaves (lal math)

1 cup whole-wheat flour + flour for dusting

½ cup gram flour (besan)

2 tablespoons yogurt

1 tablespoon green chilli-garlic-ginger paste

2 tablespoons white sesame seeds

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

¼ teaspoon cumin powder

¼ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)

¼ teaspoon garam masala powder

½ tablespoon ghee + ghee for drizzling

Salt to taste

Instant chunda

1 large raw mango

peeled and grated

2 tablespoon

chopped jaggery

¼ cup castor sugar

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

¾ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur)

½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder

A pinch of salt

Method

1. Remove the stems and finely shred the amaranth leaves.

2. Mix together the whole-wheat flour, gram flour, yogurt, green chilli-ginger-garlic paste, white sesame seeds, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, carom seeds, garam masala powder, ghee and shredded amaranth leaves. Add ½ cup of water, mix and knead to a soft dough. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. For the chunda, heat a non-stick pan and add the raw mango, jaggery and sugar, and mix well. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the red chilli powder, dry mango powder, cumin powder and salt, and mix well. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and allow it to cool completely.

4. Divide the dough into equal portions, shape each portion into a ball, dust the worktop with flour and roll each ball into thin discs.

5. Heat a non-stick tawa, place the disc and cook one at a time for 1 to 2 minutes on each side; apply ghee on both sides and cook for 1 minute.

6. Arrange the theplas on a serving plate and serve with chunda.

Serves 4 • Preparation time: 25-30 minutes • Cooking time: 16-20 minutes

Lunch – Vegetable Dhansak

Ingredients

1 cup chopped pumpkin

1 large brinjal, roughly chopped

1 cup split pigeon peas (tuvar dal)

½ split Bengal gram (chana dal)

¼ cup split red lentils (masoor dal)

¼ cup field beans (vaal), soaked

1 teaspoon dhansak masala

2 medium tomatoes

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Lemon wedges for garnishing

1 tablespoon oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon cumin powder

Brown rice to serve

Fried onions for garnishing

Fresh coriander sprigs for garnishing

Onion rings for garnishing

Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat the pigeon peas, Bengal gram, red lentils, field beans, pumpkin and brinjal in a pressure cooker.

2. Roughly chop the tomatoes and add to the cooker along with ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder, salt and 3 to 4 cups water. Cover and pressure-cook on high heat for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat and cook for ten minutes.

3. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan. Add the onion and sauté till golden. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 1 minute.

4. Add the chilli powder, remaining turmeric powder, coriander powder and cumin powder, and sauté on low heat for one minute.

5. Add the pressure-cooked mixture and mix. Whisk to mash the mixture. Add some water, mix and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.

6. Add the dhansak masala, mix and cook for 10 minutes.

7. Top the brown rice with fried onions. Garnish the dhansak with coriander sprigs and serve hot with brown rice, lemon wedges and onion rings.

Serves 4 • Preparation time: 8-10 hours • Cooking time: 40-45 minutes

Dinner – Masala Barley

Ingredients

1 cup barley (jau), soaked for 30 minutes
and drained

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

8-10 curry leaves

1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped

1-inch ginger, finely chopped

2-3 green chillies, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small carrot, chopped

1 small capsicum, chopped

1 medium tomato, chopped

½ teaspoon cumin powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon coriander powder

¼ teaspoon red chilli powder

A pinch of garam masala powder

½ lemon

½ teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves

Coriander sprig for garnishing

Method

1. Heat a non-stick pan, add the barley and lightly roast it. Add the salt and 2 cups of water, cover and cook till the barley is cooked.

2. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the mustard seeds and once it splutters, add the cumin seeds, hand-torn curry leaves, garlic, ginger and green chillies, and sauté for a minute.

3. Add the onion and carrot and sauté for a minute. Add the salt, mix and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add the capsicum and tomatoes, mix well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cumin powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and garam masala powder, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Add the lemon juice and sugar and mix well. Add the barley and coriander, mix well and cook for 2 minutes.

6. Transfer into a serving bowl and garnish with coriander sprig and serve hot.

Serves 4 • Preparation time: 31-40 minutes • Cooking time: 16-20 minutes

For more, order your copy of Immunity+ today!