Do Your Part: Eat Smart!

In all of the pandemonium of this pandemic, a key part of the plan for health has been missing from the mainstream narrative: Diet. We’ve been told to avoid friends and family, close our businesses and schools, and wait for a vaccine. But where is the reminder that taking care of our health is the most important thing we can all do to minimize the effects of this virus, or any virus, on our health and our health care systems? We all have at least some control over the way our bodies react to certain illnesses, and the data on COVID-19 clearly supports this. 94% of those who have actually died from this virus have at least two other factors that went into their deaths. The most common factors being atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, and obesity; all diet-preventable diseases.

Doing your part means taking care of your health. Why? Because we as a collective community are only as healthy as we are individually. Your personal health decisions do affect your family, your neighborhood, and the world as a whole.

But how do we do that? What is the quickest way to ensure you’re on a path to decreasing your chances of complications from any illness? Some things are “easy” like getting fresh air and direct sunshine, maintaining good relationships, and getting enough sleep. But others require a little more knowledge on nutrition. How does one boost their immune system and make sure they’re not a vessel for chronic inflammation? These are two intertwined factors that can make a difference if (and when) you get sick. Inflammation is the body’s natural response against harm, such as cutting yourself or getting an infection. Chronic inflammation occurs when the body fails to shut off this response, leaving the body in a continual state of distress. What you eat has a major effect on inflammation, and in turn, the immune system.

Here are 6 ways you can do your part and Eat Smart:

Avoid refined sugar:

Sugar interferes with your absorption of vitamin C, a crucial nutrient for the immune system. It’s also a contributing factor in diabetes and obesity. The chronic inflammation caused by Type 2 diabetes can disrupt the immune response and allow pathogens to spread without control. Skip the processed poison and have a piece of vitamin-C rich fruit for dessert! Oranges, peaches, and berries are all excellent sources of Vitamin C.

Avoid polyunsaturated fatty acids and hydrogenated vegetable oils:

These lead to inflammation-the root cause of nearly every illness and a complicating factor when it comes to COVID-19. These are found in seed oils such as canola oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil and vegetable oil. You’ll find these in processed snacks like crackers, granola bars, and cookies, as well as salad dressings, margarines, Crisco, potato chips, and fried food.

Support your Microbiome:

By eating a diet rich in fermented foods, we can support our digestive system and in turn, our immune system. The microbiome is also a key player in our defense against pathogens and therefore key to keeping us healthy. Probiotic rich foods (such as those found in naturally fermented yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso) ensure the microbiome maintains the correct balance of “good vs. bad” bacteria.

Eat a Whole Foods Diet

A whole foods diet is about the only thing all nutritionists can agree on when it comes to healthy eating. Whether your vegetarian, vegan, paleo, or keto, your diet can and should consist of whole, unprocessed foods. Unfortunately, the Western Diet is anything but, and this is linked to chronic inflammation and the diseases related to inflammation (such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and cancer). Studies show that the Western diet of processed food impairs the immune system. When you eat whole foods and avoid packages, you’re also ensuring that you’re avoiding added sugars and unstable vegetables oils, as discussed above.

Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods:

Eating a whole foods diet is a no-brainer, but there are some foods that go above and beyond when it comes to decreasing inflammation in the body. These include roots like ginger and turmeric which can be added to curries, soups, salad dressings, and even smoothies. Spices such as cinnamon and cayenne are helpful too! Including Omega-3 rich foods like salmon, flaxseeds, and walnuts can also help decrease excess inflammation in the body.

Eat Organic:

Widespread use of pesticides on our food, and on the food of the animals we eat, have been shown to cause inflammation that can lead to obesity. With over 40% of the adult population classified as obese in the U.S., perhaps this is one reason that COVID-19 has been so rampant in that country. Eating food that’s been sprayed with poison cannot be a recipe for health. Flooding our air and waterways with pesticides cannot be a recipe for the health of our planet. Pesticides need to go! Grow your own food, eat seasonally, and demand organic from your stores.

If the vast majority of those who are hospitalized or dying from COVID-19 have a pre-existing inflammation-related illness, the answer to this dilemma will never be as simple as masks and lockdowns. If we are to help curb the deaths from COVID-19, the seasonal flu, cancer, or any other illness that comes our way, we need to look within ourselves and do our part as individuals. Society cannot simply wait for a vaccine. In fact, some would argue, a vaccine may do much more harm. This is not going to be the last virus that affects humans on a pandemic level, so making ourselves as healthy and un-inflamed as possible is truly our best bet.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, immunologist, or virologist. This information is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any illness or disease. See Sources for additional information, keep doing your research, and keep asking questions!

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