Tag: system

Coronavirus: we help our immune system with food – Italian Cuisine

Afraid of getting sick? Is there anything we can do to make our immune systems more responsive?

In the meantime, it should be remembered that a rested and un stressed body is stronger than that of those with rhythms of life that do not allow you to recover your energy.

The stress, in fact, it stimulates the production of cortisol, a hormone that, if it reaches excessive levels, can cause weight gain, insomnia and above all immune system malfunctions.

So the first tip is to try and reduce stress.

Then an excellent help to strengthen the body certainly comes from a healthy, correct and, in extraordinary cases, even a little targeted diet.

[Coronavirus: i 10 comportamenti importanti da tenere. Leggi il pezzo di Starbene]

A varied diet

First of all, for a correct prevention and a prompt recovery, the diet. More nutrition varies Possible is the first tool we have to stock up on all the elements necessary to preserve our health. Nutrition can support ours natural defenses and favor the intestinal well-being, organ on which the well-being of the whole organism depends.

Fill up on antioxidants

One of the most important elements in this regard are antioxidants.
There vitamin C (all foods rich in Vitaina C), as the Vitamin E, it is very important for our body.
In particular it is capable of strengthen us against viruses and bacteria. It is present in many foods, such as rucola, kiwi, oranges, broccoli, peppers.
Vitamin E, even if it accumulates in the body and therefore its supply should not be a problem, is very unstable, so it is easily dispersed. This is why we must take this into account, as we do not miss dried fruit, vegetable oils, wholemeal flours.

Minerals and fibers

Minerals and fibers are also essential.
Selenium is zinc they are two very useful minerals. If it is more difficult for selenium to identify the foods that contain it, because much depends on the soil, for it zinc instead we can say that legumes, cereals, dried fruit, fish and meat they are excellent sources of supply.
The fibers instead they feed ours good bacteria and contribute to the well-being of our intestines. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables must always be present in our diet because they improve the intestinal bacterial flora, or our health.

Use the oldest remedies

A simple and ancient cure (a bit like lemon) that proves to be very effective against the normal evils of the season, such as cough, cold is sinusitis, without side effects.
Are the suffumigi, also called garments, or inhalations of hot vapors, which give immediate relief in situations of stuffy nose or parainfluenza symptoms. The reason is simple; breathe in the vapors of boiling water in fact it facilitates fluidization nasal secretions e clears the respiratory tracteven more if essences or medicinal medicinal plants are mixed with hot water, which amplify its effects, creating effective synergies.

The best known and most widespread combination is that with baking soda or with coarse salt, why decongest the respiratory tract, "disinfecting”The nasal mucosa. Boil a pot full of water and add two tablespoons of baking soda, breathing in the hot vapors for about 10/15 minutes, covered with a towel to prevent heat loss.
However, depending on the prevalent symptoms, the choice of specific plants it can be functional to counteract the most annoying problem and improve general health.

For example, if the sensation of nasal closure prevails, the dense secretions, sinusitis, eucalyptus may prove to be one of the most effective essences. In fact, it has remarkable properties expectorant, balsamic is antibacterial. It can be found easily in the pharmacy, in the form of vials or effervescent tablets to be dissolved in boiling water, for inhalations, often accompanied by other balsamic essential oils, such as pine, rosemary.

If, on the other hand, the most annoying symptom isinflammation, it can help to use plants with proven results anti-inflammatory action, such as the mallow or soothing, like the chamomile. Flowers can be used, to be mixed directly in the water, or a few drops of essential oil, at one's discretion. Finally, if it is the cough that disturbs the most, the thymus can be the ideal choice. It is an excellent antiseptic and an effective remedy to calm the cough and relieve congestion in the respiratory tract.

The positive aspect of the suffixes is that they do not present particular contraindications or undesirable effects, although it is always better to ask your doctor during pregnancy and if other medications are taken at the same time. But one must arm oneself with patience, because it is a gentle therapy in which it is through constancy that results are obtained. Two / three suffumigi per day are essential to "unlock" the situation.

Elisa Nata
January 2019
updated in February 2020
by Barbara Roncarolo

what to eat to strengthen the immune system – Italian Cuisine

A healthy and balanced diet is an excellent ally of the immune system. Find out here which foods to consume to strengthen the body's defenses against the attack of viruses and other pathogens present in the environment

These days there is a lot of talk about Covid-19 coronavirus with tones that oscillate between justified alarms and alarmisms that create panic and confusion. From a food point of view, here is a list of correct behaviors to always keep at the table, beyond the current situation.
The immune system, in fact, plays a crucial role in the defense of our body from pathogens, including any viruses present in the environment. One of the most effective ways to strengthen the immune system is to pay attention to nutrition. «The first rule to have a strong immune system is to follow a healthy, balanced and complete daily diet. The daily menus should never be without vegetables and seasonal fruit. This allows to provide the body with minerals, antioxidants, vitamins useful for its correct functioning ", says the nutritionist Valentina Schirò, specializing in food science. «There are several micronutrients that play a crucial role for our immune system. The lack or lack of these substances in the daily diet can be responsible for the altered functioning of the body's defense mechanisms. As a result, it can predispose you to a greater possibility of attack by pathogens and a greater risk of encountering infections ", explains the expert who explains here which foods to prefer at the table to strengthen the immune system.

Meat, eggs and fish

"Zinc is one of the micronutrients directly involved in the development and activation of the immune system. It has an antioxidant action. It also plays a central role in the growth and differentiation of immune cells. It helps maintain the integrity of the skin and mucous membranes which are real defense barriers against pathogens ", explains Valentina Schirò. Excellent sources are «beef, eggs, milk and its derivatives. This mineral is also present in fish, seafood and whole grains .

Sardines and milk

They ensure vitamin D. "This vitamin stimulates the proliferation of immune cells. Helps protect against infections caused by pathogens. It is also found in salmon, cod liver oil and egg yolk. To fill up on this vitamin, you must then go to the sun for at least half an hour a day, "advises the expert.

Seasonal fruit and vegetables

Orange vegetables and fruits are a mine of vitamin A. "This vitamin helps maintain the structural and functional integrity of the cells of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. This vitamin is also essential for the normal functioning of immune cells, "says nutritionist Schirò. The liver and eggs are good sources too. Vitamin B6 is also an excellent ally of our body's defenses. "It has an important role in the proliferation, differentiation and maturation of lymphocytes, the cells of the immune system as well as in the production of antibodies. It is found in legumes, potatoes, yeast and flour and whole grains, meat, fish and fruit, with the exception of citrus fruits .

Seeds and dried fruit

They are both good sources of copper. «This mineral has antimicrobial action in the proliferation of T cells and in the production of antibodies. Another good source of this mineral is fish. " An excellent ally for the proper functioning of the immune system is iron. «It is a component of the structure of enzymes essential for the functioning of immune cells. It is found in meat, legumes, whole grains and nuts. Some dark green varieties of leafy vegetables such as kale are also good sources, "concludes nutritionist Valentina Schirò.

Recipes to strengthen the immune system – Italian Cuisine

Can we try to stem the side effects of the typical flu viruses at the beginning of autumn? Of course: here are four recipes to strengthen the immune system that are easy to prepare even at home

The danger of seasonal ills can be averted by strengthening the immune system and try to stem the flu viruses even at the table? The answer is absolutely positive: just fill up with vitamin C, flavonoids and of many other useful substances for our well-being, contained in different ingredients to combine together, such as the four recipes to strengthen the immune system that we propose. Without giving up taste, of course.

Tomato and turmeric soup

We start by finely chopping one onion, from the known properties antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and above all antibacterial, and it is made to dry in a saucepan together with a clove of garlic and extra-virgin olive oil. When the onion becomes transparent, the garlic is eliminated and half a kilo of is added tomatoes cut in half, along with four teaspoons of turmeric powder. Mix everything well and blend with a drop of vinegar of Apple. Then add the tomato puree and a couple of ladles of vegetable broth and cook everything until the tomatoes become tender. Finally, add salt and pepper, a basil is added chopped with your hands and the dish is completed with gods flax seed toasted bread, some sliced almonds and toasted bread.

Chicory and broccoli soup

The chicory roots help the spleen to produce antibodies, while broccoli contains important amounts of vitamin C. Using them for a regenerating soup that can strengthen the immune system is highly recommended. For this recipe, you must first start by preparing a liter of vegetable broth along with a carrot, a stalk of celery, a potato and two small onions. In the meantime, a kilo of chicory is salted and boiled in salted water, doing the same with a medium-sized broccoli, cutting the tops and removing the core and leaves. The important thing is to boil chicory and broccoli separately, in order not to lose its properties. Another onion is cut in round slices, to be withered over a low heat in a pan with oil and a piece of ginger (a real panacea in such situations not only in the form of decoction) reduced to slices. When the chicory is ready, it is passed in the pan with the onion, adding two ladles of vegetable broth. Add the broccoli tops and continue to cook everything, adding more broth if necessary. Finally, all that remains is to pour the soup in deep plates, perhaps even accompanying it in this case with toasted bread and a little oil.

Veal beat with ginger

In addition to classic soups, there are many other suitable recipes to prevent flu. For the veal beat with ginger, it is first necessary to finely chop a 400g fillet, cut into two slices fennel and three carrots and then peel and cut into wedges three radishes. At this point, peel a fresh ginger and finely chop it, then place it in a bowl with four tablespoons of oil, the juice of half a lemon, a pinch of salt and the green of the chopped fennel. Mix until you get one Vinaigrette, to be used to season meat and vegetables. Here is an easy and tasty idea to keep the flu away.

Scallops with orange and avocado sauce

First you need to eliminate the corals of six scallops, rich in potassium, magnesium and phosphorus, and cut his nuts into slices. Then you need to lightly tap between two sheets of baking paper and season them with lemon juice and salt. After doing marinate in the fridge for two hours the scallops, peel a ripe avocado and crush it with lemon juice, salt, pepper, a tuft of parsley minced, oil and three washers of shallot. At this point all that remains is to compose the dish with the marinated scallops, a little red fillet radicchio (which contains the fibers right for the regulation of intestinal balance) and an orange reduced to cubes.