Healthy Living Guide

In these first months of 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect every aspect of our lives. During this health crisis, many of us have faced numerous problems, from access to healthy food to economic difficulties and emotional stress.

Although no dietary factors that specifically reduce the risk of COVID-19 have yet been identified, it is clear that maintaining a healthy lifestyle keeps our immune system strong. Beyond immunity, research has shown that people with 5 golden habits live at least 10 years longer and healthier than others.

So what are these 5 golden habits?

• A healthy diet
• Regular exercise
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Avoiding excessive alcohol consumption
• Not smoking

People with these lifestyle habits have been found to remain free of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer for many years.

Although it is usually much easier said than done, we have prepared this guide with some very important strategies to give you a few tips. In the difficult times we are going through, we invite you to maintain a healthy lifestyle and discover things you will enjoy (such as taking up a hobby).

NUTRITION AND IMMUNITY

During flu season or when illnesses are on the rise, people look for certain special foods and vitamins to strengthen the immune system. Popular examples include taking vitamin C, eating citrus fruits and drinking linden tea with honey. Our immune system is an extremely complex structure and is influenced not only by diet but by many factors. Immunity cannot be reduced to consuming a single food or product. That said, a balanced diet with adequate vitamins and minerals, enough sleep, exercise and lower stress levels greatly influence the body's ability to fight all diseases and infections.

In daily life, we are exposed to many microbes of every kind. As a complex and dynamic structure, our immune system protects us from harmful microbes and certain diseases. Foreign organisms such as bacteria, viruses and parasites are recognized immediately and a defense against them begins. There are two types of immunity in the human body: innate immunity and acquired immunity.
Innate immunity consists of the protective barriers that form the first line of defense against pathogens trying to enter the body. These include our skin, which keeps many pathogens outside the body; the mucus layer, which forms a protective shield; stomach acid, which kills pathogens; antibacterial enzymes in sweat and tears; and the immune system, which attacks all foreign cells entering the body.

Acquired immunity, on the other hand, refers to a system that learns about and recognizes a pathogen. This system consists of certain specialized cells and organs such as the spleen, thymus, bone marrow and lymph nodes. When a foreign substance enters the body, these cells multiply, and through the antibodies they produce, a response is mounted against the harmful substance and the harmful agents are destroyed. Our immune system then adapts to remember this foreign substance and mounts a much stronger and faster response when the same agent enters the body again.

OTHER CONDITIONS THAT TRIGGER AN IMMUNE RESPONSE
Substances that the body identifies as foreign and harmful (antigens) trigger the immune system. Allergens are just one type of antigen and can include things such as grass, dust, foods or animal dander. People's responses to these antigens vary. For example, a mold allergy may cause breathing difficulty and coughing in one person but no symptoms at all in another.

Inflammation is also an important step in the body's innate immunity. When an infectious agent attacks healthy cells and tissues, a group of cells called mast cells launch a counterattack and release a substance called histamine, which causes inflammation. Inflammation leads to pain, swelling and a buildup of fluid aimed at clearing the infectious agents. The histamine mentioned here also sends the body the signals needed to produce more white blood cells. Prolonged inflammation can result in tissue damage.

In autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or type 1 diabetes, genetic predisposition is an important factor. In these conditions, the immune system attacks and destroys healthy cells.

Immunodeficiency disorders suppress the immune system or eliminate it entirely. These diseases may also be genetic or acquired.

Examples of acquired forms: AIDS and cancers such as leukemia and multiple myeloma. In these diseases, the immune system is so weakened that microbes entering the body are more likely to cause infection.

WHAT FACTORS WEAKEN OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM?

Advanced Age:
As we age, the capacity of the organs active in immunity decreases. Age-related nutritional problems also weaken immunity.

Advanced Age: As we age, the capacity of the organs active in immunity decreases.

Environmental toxins:
Examples include cigarette smoke, air pollution and excessive alcohol consumption. These factors also reduce the normal activity of immune cells.

Weight gain:
Obesity itself is associated with low-grade inflammation. Certain substances produced in fat tissue, called adipocytokines, affect inflammatory processes. Recent studies have found that obesity is an independent risk factor for infections caused by the influenza virus.

Poor nutrition:
Malnutrition or nutritional deficiencies affect the immune system and the production of immune cells.

Chronic diseases:
Autoimmune diseases and immunodeficiency disorders affect the response to microbes.

Stress:
A stressful life suppresses immunity by triggering the release of certain hormones such as cortisol.

Insufficient sleep:
Sleep is your body's process of renewing itself. In addition, substances that are important in fighting infections are released during sleep.

IS THERE A DIET THAT BOOSTS IMMUNITY?

Getting adequate nutrients from your diet every day is necessary for the health and function of all cells. Certain types of diet are effective in preparing the body for microbial attacks, but no single food can be said to provide special protection. Every stage of immunity in the body depends on the presence of many substances. Examples of factors that are very important for the immune system include vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, selenium, iron and amino acids such as glutamine. These components are found in many plant and animal foods.

Processed foods in particular are poor in these components, and the immune system will be negatively affected as a result. A diet high in refined sugar and red meat and low in vegetables and fruit will adversely affect the bacteria in the gut, leading to chronic inflammation and suppression of the immune system.
The bacteria in the body are as numerous as the population of a huge metropolis, and they are found mainly in the intestines. Their key role in immunity is still being researched. The foods we eat are among the most important factors determining which bacteria live in our intestines. A diet rich in fiber, with plenty of vegetables, fruit and grains, is especially important for sustaining beneficial microbes. These fiber-rich foods are also called prebiotics because they feed the bacteria. That is why it is very beneficial to have eating habits that include both prebiotics and probiotics. Probiotics are foods that contain beneficial bacteria.

Probiotic foods: Foods such as kefir, yogurt and pickles.
Prebiotic foods: Foods such as garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus and bananas. As a general rule, a balanced mix of vegetables, fruit and grains makes a good prebiotic combination.

ARE VITAMINS AND HERBAL REMEDIES BENEFICIAL?
A deficiency of certain nutrients will impair the body's immune response. Various studies have shown that deficiencies of zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid and vitamins A, B6, C, D and E weaken the immune system. These substances support immunity through their antioxidant effects, by stimulating growth and by strengthening the defense system. People who do not eat a balanced, healthy diet are prone to bacterial, viral and all other infections.

Deficiencies of these substances can be prevented with a healthy diet. However, people who do not or cannot eat these foods may need supplements. In such cases, vitamin and mineral supplements will be beneficial. For example, older adults and people with geriatric conditions, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and newborns are groups with a greater need.

Older adults are an important high-risk group. The immune response declines with age, so acute and chronic illnesses in older people follow a more severe course. One-third of the elderly population in developed countries has inadequate nutrition, due to factors such as poor appetite, chronic illnesses, depression and loneliness.
A multivitamin/mineral supplement may be used in these patients. Taking very high-dose supplements (unless recommended by your doctor) is not advisable and can sometimes be harmful; it may even suppress your immune system. Remember that no vitamin supplement is a substitute for a healthy diet, and no supplement contains all the beneficial components found in healthy foods.

HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS

There is evidence that some herbal supplements support immunity.

Echinacea: Although cell studies have shown that echinacea inactivates the influenza virus, research in humans has not yet been concluded. There is no evidence that taking echinacea during a cold shortens the illness. Taking it while healthy may reduce the risk of catching a cold.

Garlic: Certain substances in garlic are thought to have antiviral and antibacterial effects, particularly against the common cold. Although eating garlic may lead to fewer illnesses, it does not affect the duration of a cold once you have caught one. Studies on this subject are ongoing.

8 STEPS TO A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM
1) A balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, grains, protein and plenty of water. The best example of this is the Mediterranean diet.
2) Taking multivitamin/mineral supplements if you cannot eat a balanced and adequate diet.
3) Not smoking (quitting if you do).
4) Limiting alcohol consumption.
5) Exercising regularly.
6) A high-quality sleep routine of 7–9 hours a night. It is very important to establish a routine in which you go to sleep at the same time every day.
7) Learning to manage stress; regular exercise, meditation, taking up a hobby and talking to a friend you trust are very effective options. Another option is practicing proper breathing exercises, especially when you are feeling stressed.
8) Paying attention to hand hygiene