These tips do not cancel or replace the quarantine and treatment prescribed by your doctor. But they will help your immune system resist the infection, which can lurk on the door handles, the elevator button or in the breath of a neighbor who has violated the distance in the store.
Covid 19 continues to spread around the world. Seasonal flu and colds are still here. Worrying news and worries about loved ones plunge us into a state of stress – and stress, in turn, strikes an immune system. In general, whatever one may say, it’s time to strengthen the body’s defenses.
Take Probiotics
Our immune system almost directly depends on healthy intestinal microflora, because as many as 70% of immune cells are in this organ of the digestive tract. That is why it is so important to provide the intestines with probiotics – living microorganisms that live in the human body and positively affect their vital functions.
Among the “ready-made” preparations, it is now best to choose multicomponent ones, consisting of several strains of bacteria or several of their species.
“It has been proven that probiotics consisting of several strains of bacteria can significantly reduce common colds and reduce the severity of symptoms,” says British nutritionist Natalie Lamb (in an interview with Daily Star Online).
If we talk about nutrition, then the sources of probiotics are the majority of fermented milk products (kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc.). Probiotics are also found in fermented foods: sauerkraut, kimchi, soy sauce, pickled cucumbers
Take Vitamin D
Most of us are locked at home and do not leave the house without special need. This is absolutely the right step, which has only one side effect: sitting at home, it is difficult to get enough vitamin D. But the “vitamin of sunlight” is extremely important for strong immunity.
Therefore, making a trip to the pharmacy, do not forget to purchase a vitamin D 3 drug. It will not only strengthen the “immune system”, but also help you cope with chronic fatigue, loss of strength and pain in the back and neck (very important if you work at the computer all day).
You can also get your share of valuable vitamin on the balcony – spending 15 minutes a day in the sun. A longer exposure to direct rays will require sun protection!
Less sugar and fast carbs.
Of course, it is very tempting to crackle cookies under the series, absorbing cup after cup of sweet tea. But, unfortunately, by this behavior we annul rule No. 1 – and harm intestinal health.
Nutritionists warn: simple sugars and refined carbohydrates multiply the amount of unwanted bacteria and yeast in the intestines. And those, in turn, displace useful strains that support the immune system. So it’s better to crunch not with cookies, but with a carrot or an apple. Or to refrain from excess food intake – now, when we lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, we do not need extra calories.
More vibrant products.
Now in our diet should be present vegetables and fruits of bright colors, containing carotenes, vitamin C and iron. These are tomatoes, carrots, citrus fruits and apples.
So, just one glass of tomato juice per day significantly increases the level of carotenes in the cells of the body. Vitamins A and E are synthesized from carotenes, which protect the cells of the thymus (thymus gland) and spleen, helping them to produce antibodies. Also, two tablespoons of olive oil per day will provide you with vitamin E.
Strengthen the immune system and other nutrients – zinc and selenium. The first is found in brewer’s yeast and whole grains, the second – in beef, turkey, garlic.
“Include garlic in your diet. It has been used for centuries as a natural antimicrobial agent to fight infections, says Dr. Natalie Lamb. “But do not subject it to prolonged heat treatment, so as not to destroy the active ingredient – allicin, a natural antioxidant and antiseptic.”
Lean on the protein
Protein is a building material for the body as a whole and for protective cells in particular. Our immune system is very fond of protein foods. That’s why doctors advise with a cold not only to drink chicken stock, but also to eat chicken meat. Immunoglobulins, interferons, and other components that help fight infections are synthesized from protein.
Top 5 protein foods most beneficial for immunity:
- Meat (best white meat is turkey or chicken).
- The eggs.
- Sea fish.
- Cottage cheese.
- Legumes (beans, peas, lentils).
Meat dishes can be made even more healthy if you cook them with herbs – sage, rosemary and thyme. The essential oils contained in these spices will rob germs of last chance.