Experts advise healthy eating to boost immune system
- Jun 20, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 29, 2020
Photo Credit: The Star (news)
With fears over Covid-19 becoming the dominant focal point, nutritionists and health specialists say that individuals should practice healthy eating, dealing with stress, and exercising to boosts their immune system. The medical expert Datuk Dr. Rajen Manicka (photo) said the sort of foods and supplements consumed can affect our immune system.
He believed that a high intake of turmeric, which Indians take it regularly, and onions, which is rich in quercetin, are the foods that boost our immune system. Experts said taking a high sugar can be harmful to our healths and people must consume more protein and drink water every day. Eating more protein such as fish and egg is an important component in the immune system. Deficient protein might weaken the immune system, slow recovery from illness and worst it leads to a reduction in lean muscle mass. Therefore, it is crucial to make sure we do not leave out protein in the immune system equation.
Aside from water, glutathione also crucial in our body because it helps our immune system to stay strong and ready to fight infections. Researched showed that active glutathione (GSH) primes white cells such as natural killer (NK) and T cells, our bodies front-line infection fighters. GSH-enhanced T cells are able to produce more infection-fighting substances, which control both bacterial and viral infections. People with low glutathione have a weak immune system like older individuals who are most likely suffered more. They run some clinical trials where glutathione showed positive outcomes that able to boost the immune system against the Zika virus.
Moreover, the latest study by Russian Medical Researchers suggested that deficiency of endogenous glutathione could also be another affecting factor of the level of susceptibility by individuals towards the SARS-CoV-coronavirus which causes the deadly COVID-19 disease. Researchers from Medical Genetics of Kursk State Medical University, Russia said that deficiency of glutathione has already been demonstrated through previous studies to be associated with an increasing number of chronic diseases including diabetes. As we grow older, glutathione levels typically fall and men as well tend to have lower glutathione levels than women as we age.
However, nutritionist Dr. Tee E Seong did not recommend taking supplements. For the average healthy individual, he motivates them to practice traditional dietary guidelines of the food pyramid especially for people who are ill and have history from surgery or old people who cannot eat well, supplements will help. For the individuals who are 35-years old and physically active or young children, there is no evidence that supplements will help. It is advisable to seek advice from a nutritionist before taking them.
Taking Vitamin C is often touted as a natural cold remedy. The nutrient is featured in supplements promising to boost the immune system. Our bodies do not make vitamin C, but we need it for immune function, bone structure, iron absorption, and healthy skin. We get vitamin C from our diet, usually in citrus fruits, strawberries, green vegetables, and tomatoes. The recommended dietary allowance for men is 90 milligrams (mg) per day, and for women, it is 75 mg per day. Also claiming that turmeric and garlic intake can combat viruses, although the spices may be an important source of antioxidants, singling out one food item alone is not going to help fight viruses.
To boost the immune system, we need to eat more fruits and vegetables are the best source of antioxidants such as carrot, tomato, colorful grapes, and cabbage because antioxidants in vegetables are not destroyed in the process of cooking, unlike the vitamins in them. Drinking a lot of water, at least eight glasses a day and a balanced diet can build up the immune system, and reducing stress is another factor that causes poor immunity. Everyone has their own ways to deal with stress by taking exercise, yoga, and meditation.
Written by:
Vergara, L.A.
23rd June 2020
References
Harvard Health Publishing (2017) Can vitamin C prevent a cold? https://www.health.harvard.edu/cold-and-flu/can-vitamin-c-prevent-a-cold
Pfordten, D. (2020) Experts advise healthy eating to boost immune system https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/03/16/experts-advise-healthy-eating-to-boost-immune-system
Popa, B. (2020) Glutathione: 14 Benefits of the Master Antioxidant [Plus Diet and Supplements] https://coremedscience.com/blogs/wellness/glutathione-3a-14-benefits-of-the-master-antioxidant-plus-diet-26-supplements#:~:text=Glutathione%20and%20the%20Immune%20System&text=Research%20shows%20that%20active%20glutathione,both%20bacterial%20and%20viral%20infections.
Thailand Medical News (2020) BREAKING! COVID-19 Research: Russian Study Indicates That Glutathione Deficiency Affects COVID-19 Susceptibility, NAC Supplements Helps https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-covid-19-research-russian-study-indicates-that-glutathione-deficiency-affects-covid-19-susceptibility,-nac-supplements-helps
Comments