You wash your hands several times a day, you do not use public transport, you avoid close contact with people, and you stop touching your face and hair with unwashed hands. What else can you do to improve your health and avoid coronavirus infection (COVID-19)?
Pay attention to your diet. Experts warn that most products bought in panic will end up in the trash can. What is worth buying during quarantine ?!
Coronavirus: what is there to strengthen the immune system?
A varied, well-formulated diet helps maintain a good immune system. Here are a few things to include on your menu during the coronavirus threat.
- Cereals – contains B vitamins, lecithin, calcium, potassium, iron, tryptophan (a valuable amino acid). Millet porridge strengthens the body and helps in the treatment of colds.
- Vegetables – Provides fiber that probiotic bacteria feed on.
- The omega-3s found in flaxseed and fish oil (fish oil) strengthen the immune system by improving the permeability of cell membranes. This facilitates the rapid movement of valuable ingredients through them.
- Honey – kills bacteria, reduces the duration of an upper respiratory infection.
- Oysters are rich in zinc, an important mineral. Zinc deficiency significantly reduces the proper functioning of the immune system.
- Red meat is a source of protein, zinc and iron.
- Nuts are a source of magnesium, which is involved in immune responses.
What weakens the immune system
It is also worth knowing what weakens the immune system:
- excessive alcohol consumption
- smoking
- drug use
- chronic sleep deficit
- poor nutrition (malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, and morbid obesity).
Increased risk in patients infected with coronavirus
The increased risk of serious complications in patients infected with coronavirus (including leading to death), primarily applies to people with immunodeficiency. These risks can be associated with:
- taking drugs with immunosuppressive effect by transplant recipients
- people with autoimmune diseases
- can also affect malnourished people with other serious medical conditions (cancer, uncontrolled diabetes, postoperative status, progressive circulatory failure, severe lung, liver, or kidney disease).
Coronavirus (Sars-CoV-2) – facts and myths
In the media, social networks, messengers, television, we are constantly faced with a huge amount of information about the coronavirus. Which ones do not deserve attention and which ones are really important?
Myth # 1 – Increased intake of vitamin C protects against the virus
Taking vitamin C in extremely high doses (that is, as most do) does not provide much benefit in terms of immunity, and certainly does not prevent coronavirus infection or eliminate it from the body. The daily dose, the requirement for vitamin C in an adult is about 100 mg per day. Excess vitamin C can cause kidney stones and gastrointestinal upset, which can be dangerous, especially for children and the elderly .
Myth # 2 – Zinc inhibits the multiplication of the virus in the upper respiratory tract
The zinc-containing agents available on the pharmaceutical market that help with upper respiratory tract infections (throat, nose) do not inhibit the multiplication of SARS-CoV-2 in them. Taking them unnecessarily is completely unjustified. Although zinc itself is an important nutrient and is responsible for the body’s immune defenses, it is worth taking care of the correct intake of this element. Very good sources of zinc are foods such as meat, eggs, buckwheat, dark bread, and liver.
Myth # 3 – Vitamin D fights infection
Unfortunately, none of the vitamins help fight the coronavirus. Nowadays, vitamin D is very popular in the world of nutritional sciences, but taking it in horse doses is not recommended, and, moreover, an excessive amount of this vitamin is toxic to our body. Observe the daily rate.
Myth # 4 – Garlic prevents coronavirus infection
Of course, garlic is beneficial to human health as it has antibacterial properties. Unfortunately, this has nothing to do with viruses. There is no scientific evidence that garlic protects against coronavirus infection. It is definitely a healthy food and I recommend that you include it in your menu, however it makes no sense to consume it in kilograms to avoid contamination. The only thing a high dose of garlic can cause (besides fighting bacteria) is bad breath and body odor.
Myth # 5 – Drinking alcohol protects against the virus
Drinking alcohol does not protect against infection or kill the virus in any way, but it weakens the function of the immune system. However, it is an excellent disinfectant. Alcohol can be used to disinfect all kinds of surfaces such as doorknobs, cabinet handles, telephones, watches, and can also be used to create a homemade hand sanitizer.
Myth # 6 – Only the elderly are sick
SARS-CoV-2 infection occurs in all age groups. It should be emphasized that the most susceptible are the elderly and those who suffer from other diseases, in particular chronic diseases, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and others.
Conclusion
To date, according to the WHO, there are no drugs or supplements that would be effective against the coronavirus.
This, however, does not mean that supplements and vitamins are completely unnecessary – of course, this affects the proper functioning of the immune system, and our body cannot synthesize them on its own, so they must come from food.