Even before the pandemic, food or daily supplements have been covered at length on the news. Some come with claims of success in helping people fight against the coronavirus. Some have claimed that they’ve been specifically effective in helping people develop “immunity” against COVID-19.
These supplements always come with a reminder that they are not to be treated as medicines for a certain disease. This means that these are meant to support your daily nutrition, especially if your diet restricts you to certain types of food. Or if you are undergoing treatment or surgery that limits your daily food intake, then these are essential. For example, for people who are going to a health clinic and are taking treatments to lose fat, the doctor might prescribe some or more of these supplements so the fat cells will grow back at a slower rate and you could lose them quickly.
People should still remember that supplements are not medication. A magic pill that cures away the pandemic instantly may be nice, but there’s no such thing. Here is a look into how daily supplements can still help boost your immunity amid a raging pandemic.
Take Vitamins and Minerals
For the different vitamins and minerals, you should look at vitamin supplements containing these—vitamins A, B6, C, D3, E, iron, selenium, and zinc. These are micronutrients known to help your body’s immunity, and they can also aid in fighting off infections. High-dose vitamin C infusions, in particular, are even used by a few healthcare professionals in some COVID-19 cases.
Selenium is particularly noted because its antioxidant properties neutralize free radicals and help against cell damage. It can halt inflammation and also help the body’s immune system fight against pathogens.
Vitamin C is vital in preventing serious diseases like scurvy, and can help the immune system against viruses and bacteria. It also helps in processing collagen in the body, which improves skin health and prevents dullness.
Take Food Supplements
The food supplements you should take to help fight off the virus should be elderberry syrup, holy basil, oregano essential oil, probiotics, and turmeric. These are good at helping your immune system respond, aside from aiding in preventing infections.
Elderberry syrup is a common supplement to help treat flu symptoms and other sickness brought by it, like upper respiratory disease symptoms. Meanwhile, oregano is good at fighting off some pathogenic bacteria strains and does a pretty good job against it.
Probiotics, turmeric and holy basil are great in helping your immune system and fighting off or protecting against viral infections and allergies that come along with it, respectively.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
An added benefit of increased vitamin C intake is to increase blood levels of antibodies. It also helps the body differentiate lymphocytes, which the body can use to determine the protection needed for a certain attack from a virus. As for how much is needed, it is recommended that at least 200 milligrams of vitamin C should be present in the body. This can already have a slightly significant effect on fighting off cold symptoms.
If you want to get your vitamin C the natural way, go for citric fruits like oranges, other fruits like strawberries, and vegetables like broccoli. When combined in any which way, they can provide you with as much as 200 milligrams of vitamin C.
Reduce Stress
Food supplements and natural food can only help you so much. If you’re constantly stressed or on the verge of it, it can have serious impacts on your health. Too much stress can lead to loss of sleep and a drastic impact on your eating habits. It could lead you to an unhealthy diet, leading to you not eating properly to fight off the coronavirus.
Since you’re staying at home most of the time, it’s as good a time as any to work on getting better. Common advice to reducing stress is to focus on things that you can control. It will empower you enough to focus on improving yourself and not on stressing out because of the uncertain situation.
Exercise Regularly
Exercise has always been linked to a more effective immune system and an improved outlook on life in general. It can also help fight off stress. People that are fit and exercise regularly are also noticeably healthier than those who don’t. Most gyms and parks are closed during the pandemic. If you have lots of extra time at home, you can be creative and use household items as your weights, the stairs for your leg lifts, and your garden for some outdoor yoga.
While there is still no cure for the COVID virus, staying healthy and strong is still the best way to protect yourself. For best results, always see your doctor and ask for their advice before taking any supplement or medication.
