The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director-General shared five tips to look after your physical and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The suggestions may not only protect your health in the long-term but could also help you fight COVID-19 if you become ill.
In a
media briefing held March 20, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus gave advice for individuals around the world who are “adjusting to a new reality” during various levels of quarantine imposed to slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
“During this difficult time, it’s important to continue looking after your physical and mental health. This will not only help you in the long-term, but it will also help you fight
COVID-19 if you get it,” Ghebreyesus said, before offering five solid steps that virtually everyone can take to boost immunity and stay healthy not only during this pandemic but also after it ends.
1. Eat a Healthy and Nutritious Diet
This
helps your immune system to function properly, Ghebreyesus noted. Indeed, whole foods are a powerful force to boost your
immune function, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and other phytochemicals.
Fermented foods and beverages, such as yogurt and kefir, are also beneficial. Consuming a probiotic drink has been found to reduce the
incidence of influenza in children while eating yogurt fermented with Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus augmented natural killer cell activity and reduced the risk of catching a common cold among the
elderly.
Specific superfoods, like
turmeric and its active ingredient
curcumin, garlic, and
mushrooms, can further support your immune system health.
2. Limit Your Alcohol Consumption and Avoid Sugary Drinks
Excess
alcohol consumption affects booth innate and adaptive immunity, leading to a significant weakening of your defenses and
heightening the risk of infections.
Fresh lime can also help to cut cravings, while acupuncture, self-massage, essential oils, (including
black pepper essential oil) and mindfulness training can help with smoking cessation.
4. Exercise
WHO recommends 30 minutes of physical activity a day for adults and one hour a day for children. “If your local or national guidelines allow it, go outside for a walk, a run or a ride, and keep a safe distance from others. If you can’t leave the house, find an
exercise video online, dance to music, do some yoga, or walk up and down the stairs,” Ghebreyesus said.
Exercise boosts your immune system in multiple ways, including causing white blood cells, which fight disease, to circulate more rapidly, allowing them to detect illnesses sooner.
The rise in body temperature that occurs when you break a sweat during your workout could also help your body fight off infections, similar to t
he effects of a fever. In a review published in Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, it’s further noted:
“[M]oderate intensity exercise reduces inflammation and improves the immune response to respiratory viral infections.
“
We hypothesize that acute and chronic moderate exercise induces a level of stress hormones that down-regulates excessive inflammation within the respiratory tract and aids in activating innate anti-viral immunity … “
In addition to regular exercise, you'll also want to be sure you’re not sitting too much. “If you’re working at home, make sure you don’t sit in the same position for long periods. Get up and take a 3-minute break every 30 minutes,” Ghebreyesus advised.
Indeed,
excess sitting is a
risk factor for disease in its own right and has even been linked to an increased risk of death from all causes.
5. Look After Your Mental Health
If you’re feeling excessively
stressed or anxious over COVID-19, the blow this stress delivers to your immune system may increase your risk of infection. So Ghebreyesus’ advice to protect your mental health is wise.
“It’s normal to feel
stressed, confused and scared during a crisis. Talking to people you know and trust can help. Supporting other people in your community can help you as much as it does them.
“Check in on neighbors, family, and friends. Compassion is medicine. Listen to music, read a book or play a game. And try not to read or watch too much news if it makes you anxious. Get your information from reliable sources once or twice a day,” he said.
These tips are especially pertinent during a pandemic, but remember that supporting your immune health is something that can be done year-round. The more you lead a healthy lifestyle, the better prepared your body will be—on a physical, mental and emotional level—to deal with external stressors or pathogens.
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