Covid-19 has taken many lives for the past few months and is considered to be a virus in animals which later on got transferred to a human and started spreading rapidly. The first case reported for this virus was in Wuhan, the city of China, which is considered to be the place of origin of this disease.
The coronavirus is declared as a pandemic by WHO. It has spread to different countries across the globe leaving many people affected. We will discuss a few precaution measures in this article which should be taken to prevent the virus
How it Spreads?
The virus is likely to spread in the following ways:
- Person to person having close contact of about 6 feet
- Through coughing and sneezing droplets. These droplets may affect nearby people who came in contact with it.
Steps to protect yourself
- Wash hands often, minimum for 20 seconds when exposed to a public place or to coughing and sneezing.
- Use hand sanitizer after every 15 minutes.
- Try to avoid touching the nose, eyes, and mouth unnecessarily.
- Try to maintain distance with people who are sick.
- Wear a face mask when you are exposed to other people.
- Maintain hygiene of your surroundings and yourself too.
Dietary Manifestations for Boosting Immunity:
There are no certain foods, which can be labeled as coronavirus savers but immunity booster foods will make your body ready to fight any sort of virus. There are various foods that can boost your immunity and can help to improve your body’s natural defense system. Some of the prominent ones are mentioned below:
Vitamin C:
Vitamin C is known for boosting up body’s immune system. It works by producing more white blood cells i.e lymphocytes and phagocytes, which play a vital role in the body’s defense mechanism to kill infections. Vitamin C also protects white blood cells from free-radicals. Incorporating Vitamin C in your diet will help to fight against many harmful bacteria and infections.
Sources of Vitamin C are :
- lemon
- orange
- kiwi
- grapefruit
- guava
- cauliflower
- brussels sprout
- broccoli
- capsicum
- papaya
- strawberries
- cantaloupe
Vitamin A
Vitamin A plays a role in maintaining good skin, cell structure, and respiratory system, which is known to be the first-line defense of the body. Whenever a foreign particle enters in body Vitamin A encounters it. It helps in the production of antibodies that kill pathogens that cause infection.
Sources of Vitamin A are:
- egg yolks
- cheese
- tofu
- nuts
- seeds
- whole grain and legumes
- pumpkin
- carrots
- fish oil
B vitamins
B vitamins play a role by enhancing apoptosis (natural killer cells) by the production of natural killer cells.
Sources of B vitamins are:
- cereals
- legumes
- green leafy vegetables
- fruit
- nuts
- fish
- chicken and meat
- eggs
- dairy
Iron, Zinc, and Selenium
We need all of these nutrients for the proper functioning of our immune system in these ways:
- Iron in the production of free radicals to recognize and kill pathogens.
- Zinc and selenium act as antioxidants, which help to recover from the loss of oxidative stress.
Sources of iron, zinc, and selenium are meat, chicken, fish, legumes, whole grain, dried beans, nuts, and mushrooms.
Vitamin D
Immune cells need Vitamin D for their proper functioning against pathogens.
Sources of Vitamin D are:
- sun exposure eggs
- fish
- milk and milk products
In a nutshell, VitaminA, B, C, E, D help in boosting overall immunity. Incorporating such foods will help you to fight infections. Moreover, if you are looking for customized immunity booster diet plans, the Team of reliable Nutritionists at Zenith will provide you tailor-made diet plans.