Improve your immunity to respiratory infections and your chances against Covid-19.
Optimise diet
- Eat a ‘balanced diet’ with plenty of fruit, vegetables and fish – helps stabilise asthma and chronic lung conditions such as emphysema
- Maximise antioxidants, which helps recovery in respiratory infections and reduces acute exacerbations of underlying lung disease – antioxidants include beta-carotene (apricots, mangoes, carrots, peppers, spinach), Vitamin E (grains, wheatgerm, almonds, peanuts), lycopene (tomatoes, processed tomato products) and seafood that contains selenium
- Take Vitamin D – doses of 1000U can reduce respiratory infections by up to 40%. Vitamin D is found in fatty fish, such as salmon, and in milk or foods fortified with vitamin D. Sun exposure improves Vitamin D levels
- Take Vitamin C – reduces common cold severity and duration. Foods include citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, broccoli, green peppers; beta-carotene is present in apricots, mangoes, carrots, peppers and spinach
- Include garlic in your food – garlic helps reduce severity, frequency and duration of a cold
- Take Zinc lozenges or supplements – shortens the duration of respiratory infections
- Reduce alcohol – avoid excessive drinking whilst in isolation as this is correlated with respiratory illness and pneumonia, and slower recovery from infection and wounds
Exercise at home
- Perform moderate intensity exercise such as jogging, brisk walking, bike riding, swimming – improves immune function, reduces risk and severity of respiratory viral infection
- Include aerobic exercise to effect deep lung breathing (chest physiotherapy)
- Meditate 45 minutes daily – reduces respiratory illness severity and duration
- Do as much as you can – supports mental health and boosts your immunity
- Also, avoid pollutants such as dust or mould, and if you happen to smoke cigarettes – stop!
If any questions, call Osana on 13WELL to speak with our dietitians or exercise physiologists.
References:
- https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/well/live/can-i-boost-my-immune-system.html
- https://journals.lww.com/ebp/Citation/2018/12000/Does_garlic_use_prevent_and_treat_viral_upper.56.aspx
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6465033/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-vitamin-c-help-with-colds#section1
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3394849/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2803113/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3392293/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/understanding-idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis/ways-to-keep-your-lungs-healthy-and-whole#3