Ways to Keep the Immune System Strong Against Diseases

In addition to the pandemic, we need to keep our immunity strong in order not to experience health problems in winter days when we feel the effects of epidemics intensely. Drawing attention to the importance of nutrition for a strong immunity, DoctorTakvimi.com experts Dyt. Merve Ölmez offers valuable suggestions.

Epidemic diseases we experience during the winter months can lower our immunity. Spending most of our time indoors during the winter months and using less sunlight makes it easier for us to catch infections. Stating that many factors such as intense stress level, obesity, insomnia, nutrition as well as indoor environments affect our immunity, Dyt, one of the experts of DoktorTakvimi.com. Merve Ölmez underlines that our shield against all these negative factors is a strong immunity.

dit. Merve Ölmez lists the golden rules for a strong immunity as follows:

1. Let your table be colorful and diverse. Adequate and balanced intake of each of the foods such as milk group, meat group, bread group, vegetable and fruit group is important for a healthy body.
2. Take advantage of the spices. Foods such as ginger, red pepper, turmeric, curry, allspice, and black pepper will add both flavor to your meals and health to you. You can also use it in yogurts, soups, salads.
3. Consume onions and garlic. Onion and garlic, whose benefits have not been counted for centuries, act as natural antibiotics when consumed raw or cooked. Therefore, do not miss onions and garlic from your table.
4. Pay attention to water consumption. Although water consumption decreases in winter, the amount of water that should be taken into the body should not be reduced. At least 2-2,5 L of water should be consumed. You can add a slice of lemon to your water to facilitate water consumption and also to get vitamin C.
5. Get enough vitamin C. Fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, and tangerines are among the first to come to mind when it comes to vitamin C. In addition to these citrus fruits, green pepper, kiwi, parsley, arugula are also foods high in vitamin C.
6. Meet your daily vitamin D value. Since we cannot benefit from the sun, which is the main source of vitamin D, during the winter months, our vitamin D value decreases, so our immunity weakens. Let's take care to consume dietary sources of vitamin D (such as fish oil, liver, egg yolk, cheese, potatoes). If it is not enough, reinforcement should be taken under the control of a specialist.
7. Pay attention to exercise. While regular exercise improves sleep quality, it also increases our immune functions. Recent research shows that a prolonged moderate-intensity exercise program can reduce the risk of flu and colds in postmenopausal women.
8. Maintain your ideal weight. Recent studies mention the negative effects of excess adipose tissue on the immune system.
9. Get enough and quality sleep. Avoiding alcohol and caffeine before going to bed and a suitable room temperature will make you rest.
10. Prioritize probiotic and prebiotic sources. We can increase the number of beneficial bacteria in our intestines and strengthen our immunity by giving priority to probiotics such as yogurt, kefir, ayran and foods that increase the power of probiotics (such as homemade pickles, fermented foods, boza).
11. Consume healthy fats such as nuts in between meals. Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds provide benefits in terms of both minerals and healthy fatty acids.
12. Avoid consumption of tobacco and alcohol, white flour, white sugar, acidic beverages. It weakens your immune system by lowering your body resistance.
13. Include fatty fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, avocados, flax seeds in your diet.
14. Use vitamin D, zinc, vitamin C, omega-3, alpha lipoic acid, beta glucan, elderberry and propolis supplements, which are used to strengthen our immunity, in consultation with a specialist.
15. Consume linden, sage, dandelion, chamomile, echinacea, ginger, hibiscus and rosehip tea. These teas both accelerate your metabolism and strengthen your immune system against upper respiratory tract infections.