Local dietitian discusses immunity, nutrition and Covid-19
She says if you consume a healthy diet, you should not need any of the supplements being marketed around coronavirus.
POLOKWANE –Â “Covid-19 is new and the truth is that we do not have a lot of information on what to eat for prevention or to get better. What we do however know is how our immune system works and what we can do to be healthy,” says dietitian, Anke van Waveren.
“The immune system’s role is to defend your body against disease by fighting infection. The system has many interconnected working parts; white blood cells, antibodies, bone marrow, the spleen, the thymus and lymphatic system. These all have to work together to find and identify dangerous pathogens, like viruses, that have entered the body and can make us sick if not eliminated.”
Anke explains an immune boost in that process would not be a good thing. It would mean your immune system was overactive, and an overactive immune systems lead to autoimmune disorders. You just want the immune system to function normally, so it helps prevent infection, not cause you to have a disease.
“It will not help you, if you buy all the vitamin C products in the pharmacy. While it is true some parts of the system requires vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, C and zinc, to function normally, higher doses have not been shown to make the system function better. You cannot believe everything that is claimed on supplements, as it is not well regulated what is added to these products. Vitamins and minerals are actually absorbed from food better than from supplements. If you consume a healthy diet, you should not need any of the supplements being marketed around coronavirus.”
What can we do to keep the immune system and our overall health functioning optimally?
“Eat a balanced diet. Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables every meal. Eat a quarter of a plate of starch and focus on eating more whole grain starches such as whole grain bread, brown rice, whole wheat couscous or pasta, because these have the most fibre, vitamins and minerals. Starch gives your body energy to be healthy and strong. If you fill the remaining quarter with lean or low fat beef, chicken, fish, eggs, or dairy you will get in all protein that your body needs to make all the cells needed for a strong immune system.”
In addition to the balanced diet you can also lead a healthy lifestyle:
• Aim to be physically active for at least 150 minutes per week.
• Take steps to quit smoking as you need strong and healthy lungs to fight coronavirus.
• Use strategies to reduce stress, exercise is great for that.
• Try to get adequate sleep, about seven or eight hours per night.
“The bottom line is that a healthy diet and lifestyle habits are the best you can do to help your body fight off infections. There is no one food or nutrient, supplement or herb that will protect you from the COVID-19 virus.”
Food sources of some vitamins that support the immune system:
| Vitamin that supports immune system | Vitamin function in immune system | Food sources to include daily |
| Vitamin C | Protects you from infections by keeping your immune system healthy. | Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits and their juices.
Kiwi, strawberries, mangoes, papaya Red, yellow and green peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, raw dark leafy vegetables, potatoes |
| Vitamin A | Protects you from infections by keeping skin and other body parts healthy. | Vitamin A fortified milk or soy beverage
Meats, especially liver Eggs Salmon, mackerel, herring, oysters Cod liver oil |
| Carotenoids: alpha, betacarotene and betacryptoxanthin | Carotenoids are not vitamins but some types can turn into vitamin A in the body. Acts as an antioxidant, which protects your body from damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals. | Orange and yellow vegetables and fruit like carrots, sweet potato, cantaloupe, pink grapefruit, peaches and mango’s.
Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, beet greens, Swiss chard. |
| Vitamin D | Protects against infections by keeping your immune system healthy. | Fortified milk and soy and rice beverages
Fortified margarine Some fish like salmon, snapper, trout and halibut. Eggs Organ meats Fish liver oils |
| Vitamin E | Helps to maintain a healthy immune system.
Protects cells from damage by acting as an antioxidant. |
Vegetable oils like olive, sunflower and canola. Avocados
Leafy green vegetables like spinach, Swiss chard and turnip greens. Eggs Some fish like halibut, herring and sardines. Nuts and seeds like peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts and sunflower seeds. |
