NUTRITION & COVID-19 PANDEMIC: THE REAL WAY TO FIGHT!

Centuries ago, the great Greek physician Hippocrates said: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” The nutritional status usually influences the nutrient intake and prevalence of the disease. Developing nations, where a part of the population strives for food, have the most significant number of people low on nutrition.

Inadequate diet and infectious diseases can lead to severe malnutrition [1]. With the COVID-19 pandemic challenging the health of individuals across the globe, it is imperative to understand the “what and why” of the situation. Though scientists and researchers have attempted to create vaccines for this virus, it too is surrounded by different controversies [2,3,4, 5].

History of infections and flu state, how the human race is at high risk of antimicrobial-resistant infections that may prevail in society. Rather than injecting chemicals or, for that matter, some dead viruses, nutritional status is significant to maintain a robust immune system against such viral attacks.

Immunity and COVID-19

In the present scenario, COVID-19 is closely known to impact the body’s immune system. This imposes new challenges for individuals to maintain a healthy diet [6]. Lockdown, self-isolation, and social distancing are having severe repercussions on an individual’s life, after all, locking up healthy persons is never a good idea. The act of confining to homes has significant impacts on health, including changes in eating habits, sleep cycle, and physical activity. This promotes sedentary behaviour that affects mental and physical health and may lead to an increased risk of obesity [7].

Here’s how a balanced diet supports the immune system:

A balanced diet guarantees a strong immune system that can help withstand any assault by the virus.

Only a few supplements like Vitamin C can ‘boost’ the immune system and prevent viral infections. Vitamin C is a significant constituent of water-soluble vitamins, making a robust immune system.

Optimal nutrition and dietary nutrient impact the immune system; therefore, the only way to survive is to strengthen the immune system. A proper diet ensures that the body is fit to defeat any viral infection.

During COVID-19, the nutritional status of individuals is used as a measure of resilience toward destabilization. Optimal nutrition and dietary nutrient intake impact the immune system through cell activation, gene expression, and signalling molecules modification. Various dietary ingredients are determinants of gut microbial composition and subsequently shape the immune responses in the body. The only sustainable way to survive in such situations is to strengthen the immune system. An adequate intake of vitamins A, B 12, B6, C, E, zinc, and iron is essential for maintaining immune function.

In the current situation, it is necessary to be aware of the specific types of food that can improve our immune system and help fight against viral infections like COVID-19 [8].

Some dietary guidelines to withstand COVID-19:

Like we have oral immunotherapy, which helps cure diseases like cancer, autism and many other chronic diseases. For instance, here’s a list of food for patients battling cancer.

Along with immunotherapy, a natural and grounded lifestyle also helps with recovery. Similarly, to fight back minor infections and the COVID-19 virus, you can choose to boost your immunity using these simple guidelines:

Eat fruits daily. Include guava, banana, apple, cantaloupe melon, strawberry, grapefruit, pineapple, papaya, orange, blackcurrant, pummelo with a serving size of two cups.
Eat fresh vegetables like green bell peppers, kale, garlic, lime, ginger, coriander (dried), broccoli, green chilli pepper, at least 2.5 cups of vegetables and legumes.
Consume whole grains like unprocessed maize, millet, oats, brown rice, wheat or roots like yam, taro, potato, or cassava.
Include nuts like almonds, coconut, and pistachio in some form in your meals.
Red meat is suggested with a limited intake of once or twice per week.
Choose your snacking options wisely. Avoid food high in sugar, salt or fat. Also, remember irregular snacking is a threat to your health!
Do not overcook vegetables as it leads to losing important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
When using dried or canned fruits and vegetables, choose varieties without added sugar or salt.
Prepare and serve food at acceptable temperatures, i.e., more than 72°C for 2 mins.
Limit your salt intake to five grams a day.
Consume unsaturated fats than saturated fats. You can have avocado, nuts, fish, olive oil, soy, corn oil, canola, and sunflower. Most commonly consumed saturated fats are butter, coconut, fatty meat, palm oils, ghee, cheese, and cream.
Drink 8-10 glasses of water every day. This aids the constant transportation of nutrients in the blood and helps it get rid of waste, and regulate body temperature.
Avoid any carbonated, fizzy, concentrated juices and any drink containing sugar.
Keep cooked and raw foods separate to prevent harmful microbes from natural foods from spreading to cooked foods.
To prevent cross-contamination, use different chopping boards and utensils for cooked and raw foods.

Conclusion:

We highly believe that the “pandemic” is subsiding, and it will soon come to an end. We are also currently increasingly witnessing measures to reduce as it has perhaps reached its peak of profits and vaccine uptake has spiked. Also, more and more people are waking up to the propaganda that is being played under the cover of vaccinations, health protocols and lockdown.

An adequate diet can ensure that the body is robust enough to fight any virus. A proper and healthy diet provides a robust immune system that can resist any onslaught by any virus. A certain amount of nutrient saturates into cells and prevents any nutritional deficiency. Individuals consuming well-balanced diets are safer with better immune systems and lower chronic diseases and infections.

At healing oracle, we have been vocal to maintain a healthy lifestyle with regular meditation, exercise, and regular sleep. Read here more about the role of diet for healthy living and some recipes to pamper your taste buds while staying on the healthy side!

References and Sources:

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Immunity and COVID-19

Here’s how a balanced diet supports the immune system:

Some dietary guidelines to withstand COVID-19:

Conclusion:

Maryjayne