✓ The diet to strengthen the immune system: tips for young and old

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The diet to strengthen the immune system: tips for young and old

With autumn comes the chestnuts, walks in the gardens to observe the spectacle of red and orange leaves and unfortunately also a series of annoying seasonal ailments. Bad good habits food can they help us? Is there a diet, a diet to strengthen the immune system? We asked for family-friendly advice a Romina Cervigni, nutritionist and scientific director of the Valter Longo Foundation.

The diet to strengthen the immune system: five nutrition tips for the whole family
The diet to strengthen the immune system: 5 tips for children
The diet to strengthen the immune system: advice for mom and dad
Are there any natural remedies to strengthen the immune system?
Are probiotics suitable for strengthening the immune system?

The diet to strengthen the immune system: five nutrition tips for the whole family

Doctor, let's start with five nutrition tips that can be applied immediately to strengthen the immune system of young and old.

Give space to the macronutrients. "Proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the right quantities and of the right quality. Avoid restrictive and unbalanced diets always, but especially in the flu season, from October to February".
Not just macros, but also micronutrients. "The vitamins and minerals with the most scientific evidence to support their immune system support function are vitamins C and D, zinc, iron, copper and selenium. Each has a specific function, but together they help us have an immune system. efficient.
Omega 3. "The diet must never lack the anti-inflammatory par excellence found in fish, extra virgin olive oil and nuts".
Never neglect the ephysical exercise. "It is important to stay active, even with outdoor games, to fill up on vitamin D even in winter".
Try to always keep a padequate eso: "In the adipose tissue, and especially in the abdominal one, there is a huge number of immune cells that can give rise to inflammatory processes, even chronic".

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The diet to strengthen the immune system: 5 tips for children

Would you give us 5 child-friendly tips to strengthen the immune system?

"The period of childhood is characterized by an increase in growth and, consequently, needs increase", explains Dr. Cervigni.

Vary the protein. "In this regard, it is important to take an adequate protein intake, which must not be in excess and must instead be very varied and derive both from animal sources, as proteins are taken better, and from vegetables so that proteins are enriched with fibers , vitamins and minerals and allow the little ones to get used to the variety ".
Neuronal development friendly foods. "Omega 3 fatty acids (also called EPA and DHA) are essential for neuronal development, maximum in childhood, and are found in foods such as fish, nuts and oil seeds."
A correct division of daily calories. "During the day, the daily calories should be divided as follows: 15% breakfast, 5% snack, 40% lunch, 10% snack and 30% dinner. In particular, it is very important to accustom the child to having breakfast, as in the long term it reduces the risk of obesity and cardiovascular diseases and improves mental clarity. An overnight fast of 10-12 hours is recommended ".
Breakfast for champions. "Breakfast should consist of a protein source (for example milk), a carbohydrate source (for example bread, rusks or biscuits) and a fat source (for example nuts). To vary, you can replace cow's milk with goat milk, yogurt (low-fat, goat or vegetable) and vegetable milk (making sure it is sugar-free and enriched with vitamin D and calcium). Biscuits or plain bread can be substituted with their wholemeal versions, or with a mix of whole grains. As for fats, it is important that they are "healthy", therefore we recommend the use of dried fruit (also through spreads with a high content of dried fruit) or extra virgin olive oil, limiting the saturated fats and sugars ".

Fighting the metabolic syndrome. "Physical activity in childhood is essential for the correct development of the child in order to prevent the metabolic syndrome, to ensure proper development of lean mass and correct bone growth. In addition to having an important role in physical growth, it has it is also very important for strengthening the immune system and for the cognitive development of the child ".

Read also: Longevity diet for pregnancy and while breastfeeding

The diet to strengthen the immune system: advice for mom and dad

And how to strengthen the immune system in adults with nutrition? Are there any specific tips?

"The daily diet must provide the immune system with all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and to carry out normal physiological functions. Energy needs are different according to the age group and the physical activity performed: they can vary from 1790 kcal to 4000 kcal per day ".

Don't cut out sugars completely. "Sugars must be less than 15% of total daily energy, but they must not be totally excluded as it could be important to have adequate blood sugar levels to support the immune system. In fact, although there are still few scientific studies on this subject. , it is possible that severe chronic calorie restriction may lead to deficiencies in the immune system, especially in old age ".
Make way for the fibers. "It is important to take 25 g of fiber per day through the consumption of vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fruit to maintain a rich and efficient intestinal flora, capable of helping to attack external pathogens".
The micronutrients not to forget: Vitamin C. "The micronutrients with the most scientific evidence to support their function of supporting the immune system are vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc. Starting with vitamins, it is advisable to consume foods rich in vitamin C such as peppers, tomatoes, citrus fruits, kiwis. , strawberries, red cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, rocket, currants. It is important that these foods are eaten raw because the vitamin C is thermolabile, which means that it is lost with cooking ".
Vitamin D ally against Covid. It has been seen that in cases of vitamin D deficiency there is an increase in the incidence or mortality from COVID-19 so it is essential to take it through the diet, it is abundant in fish such as herring, horse mackerel, sea bass, anchovies, mackerel, mullet , mushrooms and eggs and moderate exposure to sunlight.
Zinc. "Returning to minerals, zinc is found mainly in fish, cereals, legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas), nuts (almonds, pine nuts, cashews), seeds (pumpkin, sesame and sunflower), mushrooms and in cocoa ".

Are there any natural remedies to strengthen the immune system?

Are there any natural remedies to strengthen the immune system?

"Lvaried diet, rich in seasonal foods, preferably of biological origin, provides all the essential nutrients for a strong immune system. If necessary, omega 3 can be supplemented to reduce the concentration of proinflammatory cytokines, reducing inflammation. The use of aged garlic it seems to improve the activity of the cells of the immune system in order to reduce the severity of flu symptoms. Various biocompounds present in fruit and vegetables (flavonoids, polyphenols, sulfur, quercetin, allium, stilbene, etc.) seem to have numerous benefits against atherosclerosis, both consumed as whole fruit and vegetables and as supplements. Also for the caffeine it has been shown to play a role in strengthening the immune system: if you do not suffer from tachycardia, it can be drunk to the extent of 2-3 cups a day at the most ".

Read also: What to eat in September? Tips for eating at your best for back to school

Are probiotics suitable for strengthening the immune system?

"Probiotics restore the microbiota in the case of, boost the immune system and improve the response to vaccinations. As reiterated before, the intake of fiber with vegetables, legumes, fruit and whole grains also helps to enrich the bacterial populations and not only that we have in the intestine ".

The interviewee

Romina Inès Cervigni, nutritionist biologist of the Valter Longo Onlus Foundation, has to his credit a PhD at the Open University in the United Kingdom obtained by focusing his studies in the oncology field. You have also collaborated with the National Research Committee (CNR) of Madrid and with the VitaSalute San Raffaele University of our city, dealing with neurodegenerative diseases. Thanks to his studies in Nutrition and Dietetics, with a second level Master's degree at the Polytechnic University of Marche, he integrates pharmacological therapies for various pathologies through a dietary therapy. You have collaborated with the Valter Longo Onlus Foundation since its creation and assist patients with various pathologies from all over the world on a daily basis.

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