Those with lingering health issues after catching Covid should avoid caffeine, alcohol, sugar and 'hard-to-digest' foods in order to restore gut health, a nutritionist has revealed.
Australia clinical nutritionist Lee Holmes from Supercharged Food said the gut is the body's 'Epic Center to health' which can become severely impacted after catching the virus Ms Holmes advised giving your gut a break from certain foods, sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages, allowing for repair of the gut lining and inflammation It's also just as important to keep the body hydrated by drinking at least two liters of water every day.
' Stay hydrated as hydration is required to move things through the body and also keep your gut clean with things like earth or folic humid minerals that help seal the junctions of the gut in conditions such as leaky gut,' Ms Holmes said.
Drinking the recommended amount of water every day will also hydrate the kidneys, improve digestion and gut health, rejuvenate the skin and avoid feeling fatigued.
Ms Holmes further recommends eating at a 'gut friendly diet' filled with nutritious foods high in protein that aren't difficult to digest.
Her top ingredient ideas include steamed, sautéed, stewed or roasted vegetables, bone broths, fiber rich foods and gluten-free grains.
Incorporating these foods into your diet will not only make it easier for your gut to digest but will make you feel lighter and possibly less fatigued.
Generally speaking, Ms Holmes said your diet should consist of omega-3 fatty acids, fruits, vegetables, soups and smoothies.
' Your gut friendly shopping list must-haves could include turmeric, gelatin, bone, fish and vegetable broths, aloe vera, slippery elm and Love Your Gut Symbiotic Powder,' she said.
COVID-19 has led to limited food budgets, and shelter-in-place adds a layer of complexity to buying and planning meals. At the same time, we're bombarded with ads shouting "Take this supplement to boost your immunity!" So, what's a person to do?
- Many people give in to the pressure of panic-buying. Along with toilet paper, we stock up on foods we might not usually buy, such as:
- Canned vegetables
- Shelf-stable basics, like bulk dry beans
- Excessive produce
- Dry grains like oats and rice
- Canned meat or fish (like anchovies…)
Filling your cart with the basics might make you feel secure in the short term. But as Dr. Chu found, it's a different ballgame when you get these items home. Can you make healthy meals with shelf-stable foods? Will the family eat your creation? And does food really boost our immunity? Yes, yes, and yes – over time.
I field questions like these often as director of UT Southwestern’s Culinary Medicine Program. We help people transform food preparation and eating into a healthier part of their daily lives. The program focuses on creating budget-friendly meals with shelf-stable ingredients, as well as mindful eating practices.
The COVID-19 quarantine is the perfect time to build a healthier relationship with food and discover ways to make easy, affordable, nutritious, and delicious meals with shelf-stable products at home.
But first, we need to clear up a common misperception about "boosting immunity."
Following this eating pattern gives us adequate amounts of micronutrients that are linked with immune system health, such as:
- Zinc: Important for wound healing. Found in lean meats, seafood, milk, whole grains, beans, seeds, and nuts
- Iron: Aids in non-specific immunity, the body’s first line of defense. Found in lentils, spinach, tofu, and white beans
- Vitamin A: Helps regulate our immune response. Found in sweet potatoes, carrots, red bell pepper, spinach, black-eye peas, and mango
- Vitamin C: Helps protect cells from oxidative stress, which is a product of infection or chronic inflammation. Found in broccoli, cantaloupe, kale, oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, guava, and lychee
- Vitamin E: Also helps defend against oxidative stress. Found in nuts, seeds, wheat germ, green leafy vegetables, avocado, and shrimp
- Vitamin B6: Supports more efficient reactions between different parts of our immune system. Found in green vegetables, chickpeas, and cold-water fish such as tuna or salmon
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