How to use food to stimulate the immune system

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What we eat is very important in terms of how our immune system responds to pathogens and how well it can defend itself against a pathogen, ” said Dr. Simin Meydani, senior researcher and team leader in nutritional immunology at Tufts University. Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center for Aging.

According to Meydani, micronutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B complex, zinc, and selenium can help „pump up” the body’s defenses against colds, flu, and even Covid-19, but you will not improve resistance by „how much to eat nutrients or food. folder. „

Forget the focus on „superfoods”. According to nutritionist Christopher Gardner of Stanford Medical School, many different nutrients are needed to provide the micronutrients the body needs to increase a strong cellular resistance response.

„There is no food or nutrient that is reliable, but it is a combination of a uniform interaction between different micronutrients,” Gardner said.

Plan your daily menu around a wide range of fresh and colorful red, yellow, orange, blue, and green fruits and vegetables, along with quality wholemeal products, low lean protein, and a little healthy oil.

Plants and cereals are also the basis of the highly-rated Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, which means „dietary approaches to stop hypertension” or high blood pressure. The Mediterranean and DASH diets avoid processed foods and focus on fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

Consumption of Mediterranean foods can reduce the risk of high cholesterol, dementia, memory loss, depression and breast cancer, several studies have found. Food from the vibrant Mediterranean is also associated with stronger bones, a healthier heart, and a longer life. Yeah, and it also helps with weight loss.

Overview

How much you can start with nutrient resistance depends on your age, overall health, and stress, according to Meydani.

In addition to a good diet, it is important to maintain a healthy weight, reduce stress, indulge in quality sleep, and exercise regularly to maintain your natural fighting defenses. Without this healthy baseline, your body will have to work hard to defeat the invaders – and still lose the game.

„The best defense against the serious threat of coronavirus is continued good health,” said Dr. David Katz, founder, and president of the True Health Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting evidence-based lifestyle medicine. „If you come across the virus in a week, in two weeks, in three weeks, there is a chance that you can improve by what you do with your diet now,” he said.

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