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Strong immunity in such circumstances becomes the last and most important line of defense in the fight against disease-causing viruses and bacteria. Dietitian Vaida Kurpienė exceeds the 5 substances necessary for each person, which help to ensure well-being and are necessary to maintain immune function.
Vitamin C, not just in lemons
Many have probably heard of the benefits of vitamin C from a young age. However, residents do not always ensure that they are getting enough of this important trace mineral from food. According to V. Kurpienė, adults should receive at least 90 mg of vitamin C per day and women, 75 mg of vitamin C. However, to ensure well-being and strong immunity, these doses should be significantly increased and given 250 mg or more vitamin C per day. Which products are the best to use?
“Although many people seem to associate lemon with vitamin C in the first place (100 g – 53 mg vitamin C), it is certainly not the only and not necessarily the best source of this vitamin. In the cold season, you can get enough vitamin C eating bell peppers (100 g – 128 mg of vitamin C), cabbage vegetables such as broccoli (100 g – 89.2 mg of vitamin C), as well as various seasonal fruits. A particularly helpful source of vitamin C is sauerkraut , in which this substance is well preserved. After eating 100 g of sauerkraut, you can get 30 mg of vitamin C, and the same amount of fresh cabbage contains 51 mg of this substance, “says V. Kurpienė.
In addition, according to the dietitian, other pickled vegetables are rich in easily absorbed vitamin C. As a result, pickled beets, zucchini or cauliflower can not only diversify the diet and bring new winds in the kitchen, but also enrich the body with one of the most important elements of immunity. prebiotics and probiotics and other beneficial substances that improve the condition.
The exclusive source of iodine is water.
According to V. Kurpienė, another essential trace element for the body’s defensive functions is iodine, which helps regulate the immune system and fight infections. Unfortunately, but like many other important trace elements, the body cannot produce iodine, so it is necessary to obtain these substances with food or water.
“Iodine is important for many bodily functions, from proper metabolism, nervous system function, cognitive functions, and the production of thyroid hormones. It is recommended that people over the age of 14 receive approximately 150 mcg of iodine per day. Recommended daily intake of iodine for pregnant and lactating women is even higher and exceeds 220 mcg, ”says V. Kurpienė.
The dietitian distinguishes 4 main groups of foods, the products of which the body can absorb more iodine.
“To get enough iodine, you must first eat fish and shellfish. Fish such as flounder, cod, and redfish and herring contain the highest amount of iodine. Iodine is also abundant in shrimp. It is also worth distinguishing between the two. algae, where the iodine concentration is probably higher, but it varies according to the species and the region of origin ”, emphasizes V. Kurpienė.
According to the dietitian, iodine can also be added to the body by eating dairy products such as milk, yogurt or cheese. For example, both cheddar cheese and cottage cheese contain a lot of iodine. Certain fruits and vegetables, for example, broccoli, peas, grains, leafy vegetables …
“Finally, another source of iodine is water, which contains it naturally. We can be glad that Lithuania is probably the only one in Europe that has a well of naturally saturated iodine, which is found in Dzūkija. Produce Uniqa, a natural mineral water that contains iodine. I myself regularly try to practice a kind of iodine therapy, when I replace my usual drinking water with a mineral that contains iodine for a certain period of time, “says V. Kurpienė in a press release .
Zinc sources: from meat to seeds
V. Kurpienė also attributes zinc to substances that are extremely important for the body and its resistance to disease. This mineral increases the body’s resistance to bacterial, viral, or fungal infections, making it especially important when the weather is cold and viruses are rampant.
“Zinc is often lacking in the elderly, as well as pregnant and lactating women and adolescents. However, products containing zinc should be included in everyone’s diet. Red meat contains the highest amount of zinc, but its consumption should be limited, so it is useful to look for other sources of zinc.
To get more zinc, it is worth including shrimp, mussels, or mollusks in your diet, which are rich not only in zinc but also in protein. Legumes also contain a lot of zinc, but due to their phytates, this trace mineral can be more difficult to absorb. However, it is possible to improve the zinc absorption of vegetables through proper processing: germination, soaking in water, fermentation and boiling, ”says V. Kurpienė.
It is also possible to increase the amount of zinc in the body, according to the dietitian, using pumpkin, sesame or hemp seeds. For example, 30g of cannabis seeds is up to one third of the recommended daily allowance for zinc. The seeds can be sprinkled on cereal dishes, sprinkled with a sandwich, poured into salads, yogurt, or eaten alone as a snack.
Vitamin D is especially important for Nordics
According to V. Kurpienė, vitamin D should not be forgotten either. Recent scientific research confirms the importance of vitamin D in the fight against various viruses, including respiratory infections. Vitamin D not only strengthens the body’s immune response, it also inhibits inflammatory reactions. Unfortunately, 9 out of 10 Lithuanians are claimed to be deficient in vitamin D.
“Vitamin D is the only one that we can only get in a relatively small portion from food, about 10-20%. The rest must be produced by the body, but this requires a lot of sunlight to reach the skin. She, Like people in other northern countries, we are unfortunately not pampered during the cold season. Therefore, it is important to make sure we absorb at least as much vitamin D as we can get from food. This requires eating more fatty fish and dairy products There is also some vitamin D in egg yolks, “says V. Kurpienė.
The dietitian also emphasizes that vitamin D is better absorbed along with other vitamins, especially A and E. This makes mackerel or herring rich in vitamin D, for example, it is worth eating them with potatoes, tomatoes, green lettuces or carrots It is these vegetables that are high in vitamins A and E.
Omega-3 is a fundamental weapon in the fight against viruses
Omega-3 fatty acids are another pillar of our body’s immunity, whose beneficial effects are well known. According to V. Kurpienė, omega-3 has anti-inflammatory properties, and the latest ones available show that the influence of this substance on immune function is even more significant than previously thought.
Omega-3s have a positive effect on immune cells like white blood cells. Additionally, researchers believe that omega-3 fatty acids may also play the role of signaling molecules to help activate immune cells and target the body’s immune response to threatening foreign bodies.
“The most important source of omega-3s are fatty fish: mackerel, salmon, herring. These necessary substances can also be obtained from algae, but in Lithuania they are still not such a common part of the population’s diet. Although flaxseeds or Spanish sage are often mentioned as a source of omega-3s, the omega-3 fatty acid they contain is of a slightly different type. The omega-3 ALR in these seeds is converted into other necessary elements in the body, but it cannot contribute so significantly to the protection against viruses and bacteria ”, says V. Kurpienė.
The dietitian emphasizes that a balanced and varied diet is necessary to provide your body with all the necessary substances that help strengthen immunity and protect against viruses. Thus, during the cold season, V. Kurpienė recommends consuming as many vegetables as possible during lunch and dinner, drinking water and including various products mentioned in this article that contain substances useful for the body in your diet.
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