Immunity-boosting dietary recommendations

If you want to rely on diet to steadily improve your immunity, the core is not as mysterious as what is said on the Internet - you don't need to stock up on expensive cordyceps and spore powder, and you don't need to eat bland boiled vegetables. The essence is to prioritize the three types of core nutrients of "high-quality protein + key micronutrients + sufficient dietary fiber" in your daily diet, while avoiding the three clear immunity killers of high sugar, over-processed food, and alcoholism. This can already exceed 80% of people.

A while ago, I was doing public nutrition consultation in the community. I met an aunt who said that her meals were light, less oil and less salt, but she still got colds and coughs when the seasons changed. After checking her food records for a week, she found that the total meat and eggs she ate in a week was less than half a kilogram, her protein intake was nearly half less than the recommended amount, and her immune cells did not have enough raw materials to synthesize, so of course they could not withstand the virus. There has been a lot of controversy about the choice of protein. Vegetarian groups insist that plant protein is enough to meet their needs, while omnivores believe that animal protein is more efficiently absorbed. In fact, both opinions are correct: if you don’t eat meat, eggs, and milk, as long as you eat 300g of northern tofu + 50g of quinoa every day, plus some mushrooms, you can still get enough essential amino acids. ； If there were no dietary restrictions, two eggs, 300ml of pure milk, and a palm-sized piece of lean meat or fish and shrimp every day, the amino acid pattern would be more consistent with the needs of the human body, and it would be easier to absorb. I would maintain this intake all year round when I am working out, and I will not even come to my doorstep for seasonal colds that I would have suffered in previous years.

Don’t think that you have to buy a big bottle of multivitamins to supplement your nutrition. In fact, as long as you eat a variety of vegetables, most of the key micronutrients can be obtained from daily food. Take the most familiar vitamin C as an example. Many people gnaw on oranges and drink vitamin C effervescent tablets when they catch a cold. In fact, the vitamin C content of winter dates and raw bell peppers is 3-5 times that of oranges. A while ago, my sister had a sore throat and showed signs of a cold. I stuffed her with two winter dates and half a piece of raw bell pepper. It was enough to replenish the vitamin C for the day. It is much more comfortable than drinking sweet effervescent tablets. Oh, by the way, the academic community has been arguing about the dosage of vitamin C for many years. One group says that high-dose supplements can prevent colds, while the other group says that it is completely useless. The current consensus is that a regular dose of 100 mg per day is enough. More than 1,000 mg may irritate the gastrointestinal tract. It is really hard to follow the trend and buy those vitamin C drinks with a lot of sugar added. There is also vitamin D, which is easily overlooked. Some people say that 15 minutes of sunshine a day is enough, while others say that office workers cannot get any sun at all and must take supplements. Many of my physician friends will take some vitamin D drops in winter, especially in the northern part of the country where there is heavy haze in winter and it is difficult to get too much sunlight at noon. Yang time is less than 10 minutes, so supplementing with some vitamin D can indeed help regulate immunity. As for trace elements such as zinc and selenium, just grab a handful of plain walnuts and almonds every day, or occasionally eat oysters. It is completely enough, and you can’t afford to buy trace element supplements that often cost hundreds.

Many people don’t know that more than 70% of our body’s immune cells are concentrated in the intestines. If the intestinal homeostasis is broken, no matter how many supplements we take, it will be in vain. Dietary fiber is the favorite "ration" of intestinal beneficial bacteria. I used to have a friend who was constipated all year round and spent thousands to buy imported probiotics to no avail. Later, he changed his breakfast porridge to oatmeal and 5g of chia seeds. He ate half a pound more green leafy vegetables every day. Within half a month, his constipation was gone, and even the allergic rhinitis that he always suffered every spring was much less severe. Of course, some people say that eating too much dietary fiber can lead to flatulence and indigestion. This is true. Friends who have gastroenteritis should not increase the amount all at once. You can start by adding 10g of oats a day, and then add more as you get used to it. Don’t just eat brown rice and half a pound of celery all at once, which will put a burden on the stomach.

After all, many people have been supplementing their nutrition for a long time to no avail, because they have stepped into a trap and they don’t even know it. Previous studies have confirmed that if you consume more than 50g of free sugar at one time, the phagocytic ability of white blood cells will decrease for 4-5 hours. I personally tested it myself. After drinking milk tea and eating small cakes for three days, herpes immediately appeared on the corners of my mouth. This is because the weakened immunity allows the latent herpes virus to take advantage of the loopholes. There are also those sausages and puffed foods that are ready to eat out of the bag. If you eat too much trans fatty acids and excessive additives in them, it is equivalent to messing up the immune system. This does not mean that you cannot eat them at all. It is okay to satisfy your craving once in a while, but don’t just eat them every day. As for wine, it goes without saying. Don’t believe the saying that “drinking red wine softens blood vessels and improves immunity.” As long as you consume alcohol, no matter how much or how little, it will increase the burden on the liver and immune system. Drink less if you can, and it is best not to drink at all.

I have been working in the public nutrition industry for almost 8 years, and I have seen too many people spend a lot of money on various health products that are called "immune miracle drugs", and then still eat in a mess. In fact, it is really unnecessary. If you happen to be busy with projects or preparing for exams during this period, and you really don’t have the time to get enough nutrition all at once, it’s perfectly fine to take some regular brand multivitamins. Don’t think that taking supplements is “unnatural”. It’s better than taking time off because you’re not keeping up with nutrition, your immunity is broken, and you have a fever. Of course, diet is only one part of improving immunity. Sleeping for 7 hours a day and taking time to exercise two or three times a week are much more effective than eating alone.