INZ: Nutritionist's Advice for Maintaining and Strengthening Immunity in the Fight Against Coronavirus

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has officially confirmed that there is no evidence of the new coronavirus spreading through food. It is certainly recommended for people who come into contact with food, who prepare or serve food, to follow good hygiene practices, which include frequent hand washing, cleaning and disinfecting food preparation surfaces and objects that come into contact with food, and raw food requires good thermal processing, according to the Institute for Health and Food Safety Zenica.

More Vitamins and Minerals

Also, take care to disinfect the packaging of packaged food, and during food preparation, be sure not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. What we can achieve with stronger immunity is certainly to cope better with the symptoms that the disease causes and to overcome them more easily, states INZ nutritionist Maja Trifković.

General nutritional recommendations for strengthening immunity are that vitamins C, E, D, A, and some minerals (zinc, selenium, iron, copper) strengthen the body's defense or immune system, and their increased intake is desirable.

"Try to consume a varied and quality, nutritionally rich diet every day, and in this way, you will provide your body with all the necessary vitamins and minerals, because no single food is healthy on its own and does not contain all the necessary ingredients for strengthening immunity and improving health, which means that with a monotonous diet, even if it consists of 'healthy foods', you will not meet all the body's needs for essential nutrients," says Trifković.

If you have the opportunity, stock up on sufficient quantities of citrus fruits and generally fruits and vegetables of all colors, as they are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants, which will help you strengthen your immunity and defend your body against various infections.

Consume enough vegetables such as carrots, spinach, chard, broccoli, which are rich in beta-carotene, a pigment with antioxidant effects, and in the body, it is converted into vitamin A, which enhances the protective role of our leukocytes against harmful microorganisms and inflammation, and foods such as citrus fruits, cabbage, peppers, kale, tomatoes, etc., due to vitamin C, which plays a key role in strengthening immunity.

As sources of high-quality proteins, as well as iron and selenium, be sure to include lean meat and fish in your diet. In addition, include legumes, low-fat dairy products, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Vitamin E, which neutralizes the action of free radicals and is also crucial for strengthening immunity, is abundant in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, etc.

Vitamin D, a vitamin that is partly obtained from food (salmon, tuna, mackerel, cheeses, butter, cream,...), but is largely synthesized in our body through exposure to sunlight, and among other things, plays an important role in reducing inflammation and strengthening immunity.

How to Replace Sun Exposure?

"It is important to emphasize, especially at this time when it is recommended to limit your outdoor movement to a minimum and spend more time indoors, it would not be a bad idea to even consider vitamin D supplements, after consulting with a doctor or pharmacist," says nutritionist Trifković.

It is also necessary to ensure adequate hydration of the body, and if certain symptoms of illness have already developed, such as fever, pay attention to increased fluid intake due to its loss due to fever and sweating (in addition to water, unsweetened teas rich in antioxidants, e.g., green tea, also unsweetened squeezed citrus fruits, meat and vegetable soups and broths,...)

Additional tips include - Avoid exposure to toxins – primarily avoid alcohol and cigarettes, but also, for example, industrially processed products rich in various additives, flavor enhancers, preservatives, etc. Reduce stress to the minimum possible if feasible, because stress hormones affect the weakening of immunity if they are excessively secreted. Sleep and rest sufficiently, because insufficient sleep also impairs immunity, according to INZ.

This way of eating, enriched with important nutrients for our health, should be maintained throughout the year, not just during the season of virus danger, for continuous protection of the body and achieving optimal health. Follow the advice and recommendations of the competent authorities and crisis headquarters for the prevention of coronavirus infection and its further spread to your loved ones, as well as other citizens. Adhere to all preventive measures in order to preserve your own and others' health.