Healthy products for disease prevention

Year
2017
Categoría
Health tips

At this time of year that temperatures drop and respiratory infections become more frequent, so more than ever we have to prevent their development with the help of a good diet. In this article, we will tell you what not to miss in your diet for disease prevention this season.

Zinc

This is a little known element to take care of the diet because it is needed in few proportions, has been linked in 2011 to a lower incidence of colds and in addition, consumed during the first 24 hours of having started the infection could reduce its symptoms and shorten the permanence of the same.

Zinc is a very important element to keep the body’s defense system in good working order; therefore, its deficit is associated with an increased risk of infections and if we want to prevent both cold and flu, this nutrient should not be lacking in our diet.

Some foods rich in zinc that we can add to our dishes are meats, seafood, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Vitamin D

This vitamin that we usually associate with calcium and good bone health, has other important functions in the body and one of them is on the immune system of our body.

It may not be by chance that respiratory infections increase in the winter months, when sun exposure is reduced and our body produces less vitamin D, as this nutrient contributes to the production of antimicrobial peptides that help prevent flu and colds, according to conclude American scientists.

Also, studies have linked vitamin D deficiency with higher incidence of respiratory infections in children, then, this nutrient can not be lacking in our dishes to keep away from the body flu and colds.

We can add it to the diet with fatty fish, beef liver, egg, borage or fortified foods.

Vitamin C

This is the vitamin that par excellence associates with a lower risk of suffering from colds, but the reality is that its action is not specifically against this disease but rather, against all types of infections.

Vitamin C can raise the body’s defenses and neutralize negative effects of stress on our body because it has antioxidant function, so it is an important component of our diet if we want to prevent flu, cold and other diseases.

However, a study published in Experimental Biology and Medicine notes that proper use of ascorbic acid could help control the flu epidemic.

Then we can incorporate this vitamin into the diet to take care of the defenses and away from these infections and others through a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits, red peppers, cabbage and green leaves.

Antioxidants

The different types of antioxidants that we can find in foods can strengthen the immune system by neutralizing the oxidative stress in our body, however, one of the most potent are polyphenols that have been shown to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties in a study published in Current Opinion in Biotechnology.

Among polyphenols, anthocyanins can be very helpful in reducing the incidence and reducing symptoms of colds and flu. These are found in red fruits and other vegetables or fruits purple or red intense.

Also, the polyphenols present in green tea, for example, have been associated with increased immunity and antiviral effects, would even help in preventing bird flu, according to conclude South Korean researchers.

So, in addition to all the above nutrients, antioxidants should not be lacking in our diet to prevent colds and flu this season. For this, I recommend you ingest variety of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as infusions such as black or green tea.

Of course, these respiratory infections can be diminished with a good system of defenses, therefore, not only the diet is helpful, but other habits such as regular and moderate exercise, adequate rest each night and absence of Toxic habits are key to getting away from colds and flu

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