In winter and spring, our diet plays a key role in the fight against germs and infections. It is important to eat healthy and balanced foods regularly, get enough sleep, and avoid stress. Many people also include in their diet foods that most effectively stimulate the immune system and stimulate the production of lymphocytes. Unfortunately, all efforts can be destroyed by products that quickly and dramatically reduce immunity. Check which foods are best excluded from your diet and which ones should be limited.
Sweets
Sweets, or rather a large amount of sugar in them, are the main enemy of our immunity. According to American scientists, they can reduce it to 50%. Sugar is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria in our gut, which begin to fight off good bacterial flora. And it is the intestine that is 90% responsible for the immune system and “sends” a signal to the immune system about the need to combat harmful microbes. Excessive sugar intake is also a burden for the whole body and contributes to the growth of diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis and even cancer.
Alcohol
Scientists have proven that alcohol has a very negative effect on our body. And although sometimes a drunk glass of wine supports the circulatory system, excessive alcohol consumption pacifies the immune system. First, it weakens the activity of lymphocytes and slows down their reaction to harmful pathogens. The risk is both chronic alcohol abuse (for example, daily for a longer period), and an accidental excess of the recommended doses (20 g of pure alcohol per day in men and 10 g in women).
Mouse experiments have confirmed that alcohol dehydrates the body and leaches proteins that are involved in the fight against bacteria and viruses. The substances contained in alcohol weaken the entire body and also contribute to inflammation. The main thing is that the weakness of the body can persist even within 24 hours after drinking too much alcohol. According to the study, people who regularly drink alcohol are much more likely to fight infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and viral pneumonia.
Meat and sausages
Eating too often can increase the production of the hormone IGF-1, which is responsible for cell division. According to the researchers, there are signs that this hormone can also adversely affect the immune system. Excess protein also acidifies the body and prevents its detoxification. Meat, in turn, is a highly processed product. We find in them a lot of salt, flavor enhancers, preservatives and other artificial substances. They can cause inflammation in the body and contribute to irritation of the intestinal mucosa. This harms the beneficial bacterial flora and weakens the body.
Flour products
White flour contains much less valuable nutritional value than whole grain flour. During the production process, it is purified, inter alia, from fiber, certain minerals and vitamins. That is why white bread, pasta or buns satisfy the appetite and entail an instant spurt in blood glucose levels. After his fall, we feel tired and weak. These types of products also contain many artificial substances – preservatives and scarifies, which negatively affect the immune system. That is why a varied diet is important and, for example, eating white and whole grain bread.
Highly processed foods
In the flu season, they should completely exclude from the diet, first, instant products, ready-to-heat dishes in the microwave, colorful drinks, salty snacks or batch foods. They contain a large amount of sugar, as well as harmful squanders that burden the liver and intestines. In this type of food, we also find a lot of salt, which in turn damages the kidneys and raises blood pressure. And the load on the organs and systems guilty of detoxification greatly affects the entire body, including the immune system. When we consume highly processed foods, we also eat less natural and healthy foods and therefore do not provide the optimal amount of vitamins and minerals.
