How to boost your immunity from COVID-19

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has the world in a panic, at the time of writing this article most countries are in lockdown. This lockdown will help slow the spread but it will not eliminate COVID-19 completely. Staying home, using hand sanitizer and wearing a mask are some of the best ways you can protect yourself and your loved ones, but there is still a risk you will be exposed. If you are it will pay to have a healthy immune system to help you fight off the virus. Being locked indoors might make getting fresh air and exercise difficult so in this article we outline some other ways you can help boost your immune system.

WHAT IS COVID-19?

Corona viruses are family of viruses that cause diseases in animals. They often leave us with cold and flu like symptoms.

Corona viruses spread via droplets, which are extinguished from the body when a person sneezes, coughs, sweats, or even talks or breathes. If you are standing close to an infected person, you may ingest such micro droplets directly by breathing them in. Alternatively, the droplets can land on a surface that you touch. The virus can then be transferred from your hands into your body when you touch your mouth, nose or eyes with your infected hands. That is why it’s important to keep track of your hygiene and often wash your hands with sanitizers or soap.

With COVID-19 approximately 80 percent of cases have mild infection and for the first days many people carrying the disease may display no symptoms at all – which makes the spread a lot harder to control.

WHY IS social distancing IMPORTANT?

We are often told to stay at home and practice social distancing. Why is that so important?

The virus needs a host (living body) in order to replicate itself. If there are no living cells, the spreading of the virus will stop. But it is worth mentioning that viruses can still last on different kinds of surfaces for some time before dying off. We still don’t know for how long exactly, one study has shown that virus can remain in the air for up to 3 hours, on copper up to 4 hours, on cardboard up to 24 hours and on plastic and stainless steel up to 72 hours (1) (2). Another study has shown that COVID-19 is very similar to other human coronaviruses and can stay on metal, glass or plastic for up to nine days (3).

It also allows us to make sure the most vulnerable people are not exposed to the virus. This includes people with pre-existing conditions (chronic diseases, heart disease, cancer), elderly people with respiratory problems or weakened immune systems.

Viruses like COVID-19 are able to hijack some of the replication functions of our cells in order to copy themselves and spread. In other words: they enter our cell’s and use our cell’s own materials to replicate themselves. This can weaken our immune system and for people with pre-existing conditions and/or respiratory issues – it can even lead to death.

As most people recover from the virus within a few weeks theoretically if everyone isolated for several weeks, most people would recover and the virus would not be able to find a new host to continue replicating and subsequently it would die.

WHAT ARE 5 WAYS TO BOOST OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM AGAINST CORONA VIRUS?

Boosting your immune system is especially important while there is the possibility you may be exposed to a corona virus. Below are some daily habits you can try to include in your lifestyle.

1. EAT A HEALTHY & BALANCED DIET

Mushrooms

They contain high levels of selenium and B vitamins like riboflavin and niacin. They also contain beta-flucan that have been shown to activate leukocytes – these are small little cells that are part of our body’s immune system. They help the body fight infection and other diseases.

Agaricus bisporus – “The Common Mushroom” is widely distributed in North America and Europe and it has been shown to stimulate body’s immune response (4).

Vitamin C

Make sure to get your daily source of vitamin C because this vitamin is soluble in water and gets washed out of our body very quickly. Foods rich in vitamin C include; broccoli, kiwi, cantaloupe, papaya, red, green or yellow pepper, sweet potato, tomatoes, strawberries and cauliflower.

Vitamin C deficiency results in a reduced resistance against certain pathogens. With regard to the common cold different studies have shown that intake of vitamin C may slightly reduce duration of the illness in healthy persons (5).

Elderberry

Some studies have suggested elderberry extract works for flu infections by reducing the duration of the flu. This may mean it can help your immune system against COVID-19.

Probiotics - low fat probiotic yogurt

Probiotics are bacteria and yeasts with a lot of healthy benefits for our body – they can be found in foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, pickles, traditional buttermilk. It has been studied that probiotics are potentially effective in combating respiratory diseases such as common cold (6).

Patients that want to decrease the number of days they are ill with a common cold might benefit from the long-term use of probiotics (that contain strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) (7).

Eat fruit and vegetables

A diet that is rich in fruit and vegetables may provide protection against cardiovascular disease, cancers and other chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, carotenoids, flavonoids – components that have been shown to enhance our immune response.

Fruit and vegetables intake is often low in older people which has been associated with increased chronic disease risk (8). In times like these it is important to remind ourselves (and especially elderlies) to eat a variety of fruit and vegetables.

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that keeps the immune system strong, helps heal wounds, and supports normal growth. People who are deficient in zinc are more susceptible to cold, flu and other viruses (10). Taking zinc in the form of supplements can be a great way to consume your daily recommended intake, especially for the elderly (9).

Low-carb diet

A rise in blood sugar may increase the risk of infections and other complications (10). So you may want to limit processed sugars and cut down on carbs.

2. GET SOME SUNLIGHT AND FRESH AIR

People who spend a lot of time indoors often lack vitamin D3. Deficiency in vitamin D has been associated with increased susceptibility to infection (11).

Taking Vitamin D supplement seemed to have a mild protective effect against respiratory-tract infections. Patients that were deficient in vitamin D benefited even more from protective effects (12).

It may be hard to get outdoors if you are on lockdown but if you have a backyard, or a balcony the use them. Otherwise try opening a window to get your daily sunlight. You can also take vitamin D supplements if you are unable to get natural sunlight.

3. REGULAR EXERCISE

Studies have shown that those who exercise tend to suffer fewer infections than those who do not (13). It is not recommended to use shared gym equipment (like weights) because they may be surfaces that are infected with virus, however there are many home-exercise routines you can find on YouTube which are suitable for self-isolation and social distancing.

4. GET PLENTY OF SLEEP

During sleep your brain recharges and cleans itself from all the inflammatory toxic waste of the day (14). There are plenty of studies that support the belief that sleep is very important for health in general. A study from 2017 has shown that people with insomnia had, in average, less immune response to the influenza vaccine (15).

5. STRESS MANAGEMENT

Chronic stressors likely diminish immune function (16). Stop worrying about things you have little control over such as your stocks, or the virus epidemic - because it will only lead to unnecessary stress.

There are good habits that you can develop that will lead to less stress such as meditation, exercise, and short walks.

6. LIMIT SMOKING AND ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

In times of stress, people may drink or smoke more as a coping mechanism. Quitting both of these habits would be ideal but if you are unlikely to quit then “moderation is key”.

Smokers and heavy drinkers have increased risk of catching infections and suffering severe complications from infections like COVID-19 (17) (18).

Lastly don’t forget about good hand hygiene and social distancing. If you don’t get sick that’s great! But if you do, at least you can say you are prepared for it.