What are Immunity Boosting Foods & Practices in Times of COVID-19 and Beyond

In our previous post, we attempted to draw linkages between COVID-19 and zoonotic diseases, in this post, we will focus on the energy of immunity boosting foods as a defense from the virus. Therefore, nutrition is an important factor in building immunity from the Coronavirus, in addition to self-protection in the form of social distancing, maintaining hygiene, and following all the rules of the lockdown. Most importantly, every action we take during this extraordinary time needs to come, not from a space of fear, but from a space of knowledge, wisdom, and compassion.

In this post, we will list the immunity building foods as explained by Dr. Neal Barnard, President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in his video titled, Immune-Boosting Foods. As we list the immunity foods, we will suggest the items that are easily available in India.

Dr. Barnard’s list is important for vegans as well because as a vegan, we need to be conscious about eliminating junk and processed foods. Pakodas, chips, etc. are enticing, but it is advisable to avoid them at this time and we shall see why.

COVID-19 is a good time to minimize or say goodbye to vegan junk. And, for those who are aspiring to be vegan, this is a good time to take the plunge into the vegan lifestyle.

But first, let’s understand what the immune system is and how it protects our bodies.

What is the immune system and how does it provide immunity from pathogens?

The Encyclopedia Britannica defines the immune system as:

the complex group of defense responses found in humans and other advanced vertebrates that helps repel disease-causing organisms (pathogens).

It further goes on to point out the two types of defense systems within the human body and each of their role. Note that the ‘specific immunity’ system is especially tasked with the job of repelling invaders or pathogens.

Immunity from disease is actually conferred by two cooperative defense systems, called nonspecific, innate immunity and specific, acquired immunity. Nonspecific protective mechanisms repel all microorganisms equally, while the specific immune responses are tailored to particular types of invaders. Both systems work together to thwart organisms from entering and proliferating within the body. These immune mechanisms also help eliminate abnormal cells of the body that can develop into cancer.

The US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), summarizes the main tasks of the immune system as:

- to fight disease-causing germs (pathogens) like bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi, and to remove them from the body,
- to recognize and neutralize harmful substances from the environment, and
- to fight disease-causing changes in the body, such as cancer cells.

And, here’s the final definition, which is from the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) in which you will find a hint of the components of the immune system. According to the NCI, the immune system is:

A complex network of cells, tissues, organs, and the substances they make that helps the body fight infections and other diseases. The immune system includes white blood cells and organs and tissues of the lymph system, such as the thymus, spleen, tonsils, lymph nodes, lymph vessels, and bone marrow.

These descriptions of the immune system clarify how critical it is for a healthy, robust life. A disturbed immune system will not be able to shield us from sources such as bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.

Does food help boost the immune system?

Yes, as say physicians working in the field of preventive medicine.

Therefore, let’s now see how we can harness the energy of nutrition to, in general, keep our immunity against viruses and other pathogens strong – today when the world is under lock down in response to COVID-19, and also beyond.

What are the immunity boosting foods and practices?

“… the white blood cells are your soldiers, they are your army. But like all soldiers, they do not necessarily get the best rations.”

Dr, Neal Barnard, President – Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)

So, how do we keep our white blood cells nourished? What do we avoid and what do we incorporate? Let’s look at the list provided by Dr. Barnard.

1) Avoid fatty foods

Researchers have found that a high fat diet reduces the efficiency of the immune system to fight infectious disease. Explaining this, Dr. Barnard says that normally, the white blood cells have the ability to digest viruses; however a greasy environment does not let them eliminate pathogens as effectively. The grease present in dairy, meat, fried foods, oily foods, including vegan junk, provides a perfect breeding ground for pathogens to thrive.

2) Add antioxidants – Beta carotene

The Healthine website explains antioxidants and their role in simple words:

Antioxidants are molecules that fight free radicals in your body. Free radicals are compounds that can cause harm if their levels become too high in your body. They’re linked to multiple illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Vegetables and fruits contain loads of antioxidants, especially the ones with the red-orange pigment called bete carotene. This is an immune booster working on the cell surface. Dr. Barnard advices to eat more of foods with beta carotene in them. Beta carotene-rich foods easily found in India are carrot, pumpkin, ripe papaya, orange – all of which are immune growing foods.

Hence, let’s be kind to our immune system and bring more fruits and vegetables on our plates!

3) Add antioxidants – Vitamin C

Most of us know that Vitamin C is touted as a cure for common cold and cough. Vitamins C is also an antioxidant that works in the watery part of the blood. It helps to destroy free radicals, therefore supporting the body’s natural immune response. Sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits such as orange, kinnow, lemon, mosambi, etc. Other sources of foods with more vitamin C than oranges easily found in India are: bell pepper, guava, papaya, broccoli, mango, pineapple, chilli peppers, cauliflower.

4) Add antioxidants – Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a powerful fat-soluble antioxidant present in fatty foods, such as nuts and seeds. However, Dr. Barnard advises not to go overboard with the quantity of nuts and seeds we consume since we want to minimize fat accumulation in the blood. He advises one ounce per day, which is roughly 30 grams. Vitamin E is present in many fresh fruits and vegetables as well.

5) Absorb vitamin D

According to NCBI, a deficiency in vitamin D is associated with an increased susceptibility to infection. In India, the best source of vitamin D is the sun! The question is, how long should one expose oneself to the sun?

SHARAN, the most comprehensive and authoritative website in India on preventive health and nutrition, recommends to spend 15 to 20 minutes a day in direct sunlight, 3 to 5 times a week. Do look up the hyperlinked article from SHARAN to learn more about the best practices of absorbing vitamin D from the sun.

And, here’s something interesting: did you know, one of the successful treatments done during the 1918 influenza pandemic was to subject patients to sunlight and fresh air. Read all about it in this article, Coronavirus and the Sun: a Lesson from the 1918 Influenza Pandemic.

6) Get adequate sleep

Our bodies need sleep to recover. Above all, inadequate sleep is linked to stress and suppressed immune function. The NCBI states that “sleep deprivation makes a living body susceptible to many infectious agents.” So, how long should we sleep for?

Based on research, Sleep Foundation recommends sleeping hours for different age ranges, which you can find in the hyperlink provided.   

Summary

Coronavirus COVID-19 is not our enemy. It would probably not have manifested had we not created conditions for it. Treating COVID-19 as our enemy makes us miss on the vital lessons that are waiting to be learned.

We can think of at least two key lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. The first is, let’s leave the animals alone. Let’s stop using them in any way for which they have to be farmed, slaughtered, chained, and displaced.

Two, let’s include going vegan as among the prominent aspects of self-care. And while we are vegan, let’s take the greatest care of our immune system.

This is a time for collective awakening.

_______________________________________

Want to go vegan? Enroll in the 21-day free online vegan kickstart programme by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) by clicking here.

_______________________________________

IMAGE CREDITS
Cover: Image by Vektor Kunst iXimus from Pixabay
Pumpkin: Image by anarosadebastiani from Pixabay
Rabbit, Carrot: Image by Dmitry Abramov from Pixabay
Papaya: Image by Maya A. P from Pixabay
Lemon: Image by Marta Cuesta from Pixabay
Nuts: Image by Annalise Batista from Pixabay
Sun: Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay
Sleep: Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay