Strong immunity in winter
Enriching our diet with Vitamins C and D
“Winter”: Cold, warm clothes, fireplace, snuggling on the couch. But also: colds, viruses… And yet, we can protect ourselves from this second “group” of associations, if we take care to strengthen our body’s defenses in time and correctly. By incorporating a healthy diet, enriched with vitamins C and D, into our daily life, we automatically make a good start. And, as we know, the beginning is half the battle!
Why vitamin C
Vitamin C became widely established as an immune system booster after two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling published a series of books on its benefits for the body. Pauling noted in his books that regular intake of vitamin C can not only prevent the common cold, but also help prevent other diseases, such as heart disease.
However, the beneficial properties of vitamin C are not limited to strengthening the body’s defenses against colds.
At the same time, it has been proven that:
• It can reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. As it is a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C stimulates our immunity, making it a “preparatory war” against free radicals, which can cause oxidative stress, which in turn is linked to many chronic diseases.
• It can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, contributing to the management of hypertension and the reduction of triglycerides.
• It participates in the creation of collagen, keeping the skin healthy and shiny, but also speeding up the healing of wounds.
• Helps in better absorption of iron by the body, thus playing a role in the prevention of iron deficiency.
• And, of course, it contributes to the production of white blood cells, known as lymphocytes and phagocytes, which protect the body from all kinds of infections.
According to many studies, vitamin C supplements can reduce the duration of colds in the general population.
And even though vitamin C, by itself, cannot completely protect us against the new threat of the coronavirus, its intake significantly contributes to strengthening our immune system, thus indirectly playing an important role in this case.
The body can obtain vitamin C through the adoption of a balanced diet, enriched with many fruits and vegetables.
Why vitamin D
It is the well-known “sunshine vitamin”, as exposure to sunlight leads to the production of vitamin D by the body in a natural way.
The role of vitamin D in disease prevention has been a very popular topic of research for scientists, especially in recent years, often concluding that this vitamin should be considered an important factor in strengthening our immune system.
Among the many benefits of vitamin D, they include:
• The promotion of the smooth functioning of the immune system.
• Reducing the chances of getting the flu.
• The regulation of the absorption of calcium and phosphorus by the body.
• The contribution to maintaining strong bones and teeth.
• Protection against diseases such as osteoporosis.
• Reducing the risk of developing multiple sclerosis.
• Protection against the occurrence of heart disease.
• Its role in the prevention of type II diabetes.
• Its important contribution to improving mental health, as research has shown that it can improve the mood of people with depression, anxiety and increased stress.
• The contribution to weight loss.
• Η ρύθμιση της απορρόφησης του ασβεστίου και το φωσφόρου από τον οργανισμό.
• Η συμβολή στη διατήρηση γερών οστών και δοντιών.
• Η προστασία απέναντι σε ασθένειες όπως η οστεοπόρωση.
• Η μείωση του κινδύνου για εκδήλωση πολλαπλής σκλήρυνσης.
• Η προστασία απέναντι στην εμφάνιση καρδιοπαθειών.
• Ο ρόλος της στην πρόληψη εμφάνισης σακχαρώδη διαβήτη τύπου ΙΙ.
• Η σημαντική συμβολή της στη βελτίωση της ψυχικής υγείας, καθώς έρευνες έχουν δείξει ότι μπορεί να βελτιώσει τη διάθεση ατόμων με κατάθλιψη, άγχος και αυξημένο στρες.
• Η συμβολή στην απώλεια βάρους.
And, of course, as is true in the case of vitamin C, vitamin D strengthens the body’s defenses, putting its own stone in the armor of our immune system against viruses.
And although in Greece the sun… is in excess, the paradox of the frequent lack of vitamin D in a large part of the population is observed. After all, especially in winter, cloudiness can deprive us of the sun for days. This is also the reason why the additional strengthening of the body with vitamin D proves to be a key requirement for our good health, especially during the winter period.
And here nutrition comes to play its own role, as through a balanced diet, we can supply our body with vitamin D every day. This diet should include fish, meat, and cereals.
However, because even the diet does not always guarantee us sufficiency in vitamin D, the relevant food supplements prove to be particularly effective for young and old, when they come to supplement an already careful diet. Thus, they also contribute to the completion of the puzzle for the formation of a strong immune system, which this year, more than any other time, proves to be of critical importance.
