Must-eat foods to improve immunity and reduce illness

Dark fresh fruits and vegetables, high-quality animal protein, low-salt fermented foods, supplements can only be used as supplements when dietary intake is insufficient, and there is no need to treat them as daily needs.

After recovering from COVID-19 last year, many friends around me stocked up on a bunch of immune globulin tablets and high-concentration vitamin C effervescent tablets. As a result, the flu came one after another in the spring, and they were infected one by one. On the contrary, the elder sister in our department who brought green leafy vegetables and a hard-boiled egg every day for every meal did not even catch a cold during the whole winter and spring. To put it bluntly, eating right is better than anything else.

Let’s start with the dark-colored fruits and vegetables that are most easily ignored by everyone, such as purple cabbage, spinach, blueberries, and red pitaya. The vitamin C, flavonoids, and beta-carotene in them are, to put it bluntly, the “energy package” for immune cells, which can help immune cells identify invading viruses and bacteria faster. There is also a controversial point here: Many people think it is more convenient to take vitamin C supplements directly. Does this mean they don’t have to work hard to eat vegetables? According to the 2022 Dietary Guidelines of the Chinese Nutrition Society, a daily intake of 100mg of vitamin C is enough for healthy adults. As long as they eat 300g of dark vegetables + 200g of low-sugar fruits, this amount can fully meet the standard. Taking too many supplements will increase the metabolic burden on the kidneys, and may even cause stones in severe cases. I had pharyngitis when the seasons changed for the past two years. Then I threw in half a piece of purple cabbage and four or five strawberries when I made fruit and vegetable juice every morning. I drank it for half a year. This spring, I didn’t even have a sore throat. The effect was really visible.

However, energy packs alone are not enough. Immune cells must have sufficient raw materials to synthesize "weapons" such as antibodies and immunoglobulins, which are high-quality animal proteins. In order to lose weight or for fear of high cholesterol, many people eat boiled vegetables instead of meat or egg yolks. In fact, it is really unnecessary. Take eggs for example. In the past, it was always said that egg yolks with high cholesterol were not good to eat. Now the latest dietary guidelines have long corrected this statement: healthy people eating 1-2 whole eggs a day will not affect blood lipids at all. Even people with abnormal blood lipids can eat one whole egg every other day. I used to have a fitness friend who only ate egg whites and boiled vegetables for three months in order to reduce body fat. As a result, when the flu came last year, he was the first to have a fever of 39 degrees. Later, he followed the advice of a nutritionist and added a piece of about 100g of fried cod at noon every day. Afterwards, several people in the office got influenza A and he was not infected, and his immunity was significantly improved.

What many people don’t know is that 70% of the body’s immune cells are concentrated in the intestines. If the intestinal flora is disordered, the immunity will definitely not be improved. At this time, you can eat some low-salt fermented foods appropriately. For example, sugar-free yogurt, low-salt Sichuan kimchi, Northeastern sauerkraut, natto and fermented bean curd are all included. The probiotics and metabolites in these foods can help stabilize the balance of intestinal flora, which is equivalent to guarding the "rear area" of the immune defense line. Of course, there are different voices here: Many people say that fermented food has a lot of salt and nitrites, making it unhealthy to eat. This is true. Everything should be done in quantity. When choosing, try to choose low-salt food. Just eat half a plate at a time. It will not be a burden at all. I drink half a box of sugar-free yogurt after meals every day. Not to mention that I used to be constipated. Whenever there is an epidemic, I can always catch up. Not only have my bowel movements become regular in the past two years, but last time someone in the office got Norovirus, I had a meal with him and we were not infected. It is really amazing.

By the way, there are still many people chasing "superfoods" such as acai berries, chia seeds, and quinoa. A small box sells for tens or hundreds. In fact, it is really unnecessary. The antioxidants you consume by eating 100g of acai berries are not much different from eating 100g of ordinary blueberries. The protein content of quinoa is not higher than that of lean beef. The extra money spent is basically to pay for marketing.

Of course, it does not mean that you will not get sick 100% if you eat these. Immunity is a comprehensive thing. Staying up late and being stressed will also hinder your progress. Eating is just the easiest part of it. In fact, eating doesn’t really need to be that complicated. You don’t need to use a scale to count grams every time. As long as you choose more dark-colored vegetables when buying vegetables, leave some room for eggs or meat at each meal, and occasionally add fermented pickles, it will be much more useful than spending thousands on health care products. If you often go on business trips or eat takeout and just can’t get enough of these ingredients, you can also find a regular nutritionist or doctor to recommend suitable supplements based on your physical condition. After all, everyone’s physique is different, and the one that suits you is the best.