There is no doubt that there is a before and after Covid-19 when it comes to talking about infectious diseases, which currently represent a major health problem even though it was believed that they would go away at some point in the last decades to control.
"With the development of antimicrobials and immunotherapy, it was hinted at some point that control of these diseases would be achieved, but today they continue to affect millions of people, especially in countries with limited resources," says an article by scientists from the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, in Santander
Blueberries prevent kidney-related infections.
Blueberries prevent kidney-related infections Getty Images
This same work indicates that although fever "is considered a cardinal symptom of infection, it cannot always be found in an infectious disease and not all fever implies an infection" and highlights the main risk factors for suffering from them.
"No single food can guarantee that we will not get infected or that we will have milder infections.
Fatima Branco
Nutritionist
Among the epidemiological ones, we find from the intake of water or suspicious foods to the use of toxins, contact with animals, transfusions, contact with patients with communicable diseases, or travel to tropical areas with certain endemic diseases, among others. Among the general risk factors, we find underlying chronic diseases, extreme ages, alcoholism, the consumption of certain medications (such as immunosuppressants and antibiotics), or invasive procedures.
According to a recent study by the University of Texas, regular physical exercise is essential if we want to prevent infection. The research, published in the journal Nature, notes that exercise stimulates the production of immune cells in the bones, which fight infection.
The same thing happens with sleep, another factor that influences the state of our immune system. According to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, three nights without sleep are enough for the so-called T lymphocytes produced by the bone marrow to be affected, whose function is essential for the proper functioning of our defenses.
Natural food
Balanced diet Getty Images / iStockphoto
Regarding diet, it is true that a varied and balanced diet can help us improve our state of health and, therefore, prevent infections, but it is important to remember that in no case will it be a panacea or will shield us against the illness. "No food alone can guarantee that we will not become infected or that we will have milder infections," explains nutritionist Fátima Branco, a statement that can be applied to Covid-19, but also other types of infections.
The expert points out that diet is key to preventing some risk factors for certain infections, such as obesity and diabetes, and urges us to adopt a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and oil. olive as the fat of choice
For his part, the nutritionist of Alimentoría, in Tenerife, Santiago Díaz, encourages the incorporation of some foods and plants with great anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and antioxidant power into the diet, many of which have traditionally been used as curative remedies and that can contribute a plus of prevention against infections. Here are some of them:
1.Turmeric
" Turmeric, oregano, thyme, coriander, cloves, parsley, or black pepper are just some examples of spices that act as natural antibiotics and also have a large number of antioxidants that help improve the immune system, "explains Díaz.
2.Onion and garlic
Both contain quercetin, a natural antioxidant present in some fruits and vegetables with antifungal and antibacterial properties. "They are also rich in sulfur, which is a mineral responsible for strengthening our immune system and protecting us from diseases such as the flu, among others," says Díaz.
3. Blueberries
Rich in polyphenols, blueberries are suitable, according to the nutritionist, "to prevent infections related to the kidneys, such as urinary tract infections." Red fruits in general and blueberries, in particular, are very rich in antioxidants, which prevent cellular aging, and are very versatile when the weather is good, as they fit into many recipes.
4. Eggs
Whole eggs - "and more if they are free-range," says Díaz - are rich in minerals such as zinc and selenium, which help strengthen defenses and prevent infections. Even though, for a time, the consumption of eggs was associated with an increase in cardiovascular risk, several recent scientific investigations have shown that this belief is unfounded.
One of them, carried out by the EpidStat Institute in the United States and published in the European Journal of Nutrition, concluded that there is no relationship between the intake of eggs and increasing or decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. For Branco, "the egg is the perfect food, which contains a type of standard protein from which the rest are studied, in addition to having good quality lipids in the yolk."
5. Algae
"It is advisable to include seaweed in the diet at least a couple of times a week, from nori to kombu or whatever we like, since they are very versatile and can be incorporated into many dishes," explains Díaz, who recommends mashing them and add them to yogurts, salads and other recipes.
6. Spinach
Both spinach and green leafy vegetables, from arugula to chard, are sources of numerous nutrients. One of them is coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant that the body produces naturally and that cells use to maintain and grow. In addition to green leafy vegetables, many other foods are good sources of this nutrient, from meats to fish to nuts.
7. Tomatoes
Díaz points out that tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a carotenoid responsible for the red color of some fruits and vegetables, although they do not suit everyone. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, the same as other fruits and vegetables containing them, such as watermelon or pink grapefruit. It is effective for dermatological problems, such as blemishes, acne, or psoriasis
8. Seeds
Branco points out, for his part, that "the seed is the germ of the food, where all the nutrients are concentrated since the fruit grows from it," so it is interesting to include seeds in the diet, always in moderate quantities. Díaz also recommends incorporating foods such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds into the diet, "which contain, among other nutrients, large amounts of vitamin E and zinc.
9. Bee pollen
"It is very rich in nutrients that strengthen the immune system," says Díaz. Although, as in the case of any food, we cannot expect miraculous benefits, bee pollen is indeed a nutritionally very complete product: it is a source of folic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, vitamins D, E, K, and A, and minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, potassium, iodine, zinc, magnesium and selenium, among others.
10. Sardine
Various scientific studies support the direct relationship between vitamin D consumption and the immune system, so we must be especially rigorous in obtaining it. "Vitamin D is obtained mainly through the sun's rays, and approximately 90% of the population has a deficit", explains Branco.
Although they are not the main source of vitamin D, there are foods, such as oily fish, that contain it. "Sardines and other fatty fish such as mackerel, bonito, tuna, eel, herring, red mullet, and swordfish are good sources of vitamin D, since this vitamin, being fat-soluble - which means that it is dissolved in fat - it has more impact when we find it in these fish, "concludes Branco.
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