COVID:See the best food to boost your immune system and safeguard against the virus

    

A nutritious diet and an optimally functioning immune system can never fail you. If you have a healthy immune system, your body can protect you from any disease, even the novel corona virus or COVID-19. While as at now, there is neither any vaccine available nor proven home remedy to safeguard you from the COVID-19, there are certain vitamins and foods that you may inculcate in your diet to enjoy a strong immune system and in turn, fight the infectious disease.

Clinical Nutritionist Lovneet Batra shares a list of immunity-boosting foods:

     

Yogurt: To ensure hand hygiene, experts and doctors recommend washing hands with soapsuds or using an alcohol-based rub, frequently. While hand sanitisers do kick away germs, they take care of good bacteria essential in building immunity, as well.

"Yogurt is a natural probiotic and helps in the formation of good bacteria in our body. Note that, it has to be freshly made. If you have sore throat regardless of the cause, yogurt may worsen it but for better immunity, you need probiotics to allow you resort to supplements",

 

Turmeric: The precious spice turmeric is known for its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin, the compound present in turmeric is a very potent agent and helps in healing of wounds and infections. This is the reason, it is often advised to take turmeric milk.

'Most people take turmeric in the wrong way. If you are having haldi (turmeric), don't have it in water, instead, boil it in the milk and get the popular turmeric milk. You can also take it with coconut oil and black pepper', explains Ms Batra. 

Natural Anti-virus Foods: Tulsi leaves, star anise (a spice), garlic, and ginger are some of the natural anti-virus food items which can provide protection from seasonal flu as well. For boosting immunity and flushing out toxins, Ms Batra suggests a Tulsi drink which can simply be prepare by boiling three to four leaves in water.

'You can also use three to four pieces of star anise, boil it two to three times and have it warm. You can prepare ginger and amla juice. You can also use garlic; take one garlic clove, mash it, and expose it to air for five minutes so that its compound called allicin which has potent medicinal properties gets activated and then take it', says Ms Batra.     

Vitamins: Among all kinds of Vitamins, Vitamin C and Vitamin D play a major role in boosting one's immunity. For the same, one should use more citrus fruits and vegetables such as Amla, Lemon, Orange and others. Also, egg yolks and mushrooms are  important sources of Vitamin D.

'People who have been infected with the COVID-19 are being given Vitamin C through IV (Intravenous therapy) - that supplies fluids directly into a vein', indicates Ms Batra.

Ms Batra recommends drinking fresh amla juice (30ml), every day.       

Zinc: It is another nutrient that aids your immune system and metabolism function. An individual can either have Zinc supplements or include it in their diet through cashews, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, among others.