{"id":3208,"date":"2020-03-25T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-24T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.neolifesalud.com\/covid-19-how-nutrition-affects-our-immune-system\/"},"modified":"2020-03-25T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-03-24T23:00:00","slug":"covid-19-how-nutrition-affects-our-immune-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neolifesalud.com\/en\/blog\/nutrition\/covid-19-how-nutrition-affects-our-immune-system\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19: How Nutrition Affects Our Immune System"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The energy and nutrients we obtain through food play an important role in the development and preservation of the immune system, which is vital to combat this current situation.<\/strong><\/h1>\n

The close relationship between nutrition and the immune system means that an imbalance may increase the risk of catching this disease. In this article, we\u2019ll cover in detail the foods that should be included in an optimal diet for this situation, with a high content of vitamins A, B, C, D and folic acid, and in the case of minerals, iron, zinc, selenium, as well as in certain herbs, spices, and mushrooms.<\/p>\n

Neolife Nutrition Team<\/em><\/p>\n

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Our defenses may be lowered from bad eating habits, which in turn leads to a higher likelihood of catching diseases<\/strong><\/p>\n

Malnutrition is a condition that decreases the body\u2019s functional capacity and consequently exacerbates the weakness of the immune system, thus increasing morbidity and mortality. In these populations, where morphological and physiological changes predominate, it is important to follow an adequate, balanced, and healthy diet<\/strong>, which promotes a better immune response (1).<\/p>\n

The Western diet, characterized by being high in unhealthy fats, flours, refined sugars, and salt, and low in dietary fiber, has been shown to contribute to the development of obesity and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancer, and cardiovascular or neurodegenerative diseases (2). This type of disease is characterized by chronic inflammation that has a direct impact on the immune system<\/strong>, compromising its optimal functionality. Food as a whole and the nutrients<\/strong> that it provides therefore play an important role in the development and maintenance of the immune system.<\/p>\n

The immune system<\/strong> is complex and the elements that integrate it participate in numerous functions in a coordinated way with other systems of the body. In the protection against foreign agents (such as the coronavirus<\/strong>), a first line of defense is the physical and chemical barriers, such as the skin and mucous membranes (nasal, intestinal, etc.), their secretions (the pH of the stomach\u2019s gastric acid, sweat), and the protective indigenous microbiota. Once pathogens cross this first barrier, the immune system activates certain defense mechanisms. Immune system<\/strong> cells are strongly influenced by the balance of antioxidant substances, so that a high proportion of antioxidant<\/strong> agents, supplied by food, play a key role in the body\u2019s defenses (3,4).<\/p>\n

In order to combat COVID-19<\/strong>, one of the keys is to follow a varied, healthy, and balanced diet<\/strong> with a suitable nutrient intake: low in saturated fats, simple sugars, and salt, and high in monounsaturated fatty acids, complex carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. It is worth mentioning recent research conducted in 2018 and published in the scientific journal Cell<\/em>. The study showed that dietary fiber and short-chain fatty acids protect against severe influenza infection by reducing tissue damage and increasing antiviral immunity (5).<\/p>\n

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Effect of dietary fiber on viral infection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our Mediterranean diet pattern stands out for the type of fat that characterizes it (olive oil, fish, and nuts), the proportions in the main nutrients (cereals and vegetables as the main dishes and meats or similar as side dishes), and its richness of micronutrients, originating from the use of fresh, local, seasonal vegetable products, as well as aromatic herbs and seasonings. All this gives it a strong antioxidant<\/strong> load and beneficial substances of plant origin that have been shown to enhance and improve immune response (5,9).<\/p>\n

The emergence of new diseases<\/strong>, as well as bacteria and viruses, like the novel COVID-19, are situations for which we must be prepared, both at the national health<\/strong> system and at the individual level. Therefore, we must have a good diet, because this will boost the immune system and, consequently, protect our health by preventing diseases.<\/p>\n

We recommend including in your diet foods with a high content of vitamins A, B, C, D and folic acid, and in the case of minerals, iron, zinc, selenium, as well as in certain herbs, spices, and mushrooms.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Below are different foods that stimulate our immune system and protect us from the novel coronavirus<\/strong> and other respiratory viruses (3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11):<\/p>\n