What Should Be The Nutrition During COVID-19 And During The Recovery Period

Proper nutrition is certainly an important aspect of a favorable course of the disease and a speedy recovery, but it must be remembered that it will not replace drug therapy prescribed by a doctor.

The main tasks of good nutrition during COVID-19

The main task of proper nutrition during coronavirus is to help resolve the infectious process, namely:

1. Providing the body with all the necessary resources to fight the virus.

2. Improving immune properties and overall body resistance.

3. Bowel support during antibiotic therapy.

4. Liver and detox support.

5. Decreased neurological manifestations.

6. Lung support.

Local inflammation against the background of intensive reproduction of the virus contributes to the disruption of the intestinal barrier function. The function of intestinal detoxification will also be impaired. Against the background of general hypoxia of the body, intestinal hypoxia will lead to a change in the functions and composition of the microflora. And the gut microflora produces specific molecules that help divide and differentiate regulatory T cells that play an important role in controlling inflammation. Antibiotics also used during coronavirus adversely affect the microflora, which is the internal “factory” of B vitamins.

A large load during the virus falls on the liver. It must filter the metabolites of viruses, and if this function is impaired or does not work well enough, then the course of the disease will be longer, and the risk of complications will also increase. Drug therapy during the disease is also an external burden on the liver.

The lungs and bronchial tree are lined from the inside with a surfactant - an active substance that prevents the walls of the alveoli from sticking together during breathing. It consists predominantly of phospholipids, so fatty foods must be present during illness in order to ensure good lung ventilation. Coronavirus infection is often accompanied by pneumonia. This is accompanied by edema - the alveoli are filled with fluid and cannot supply the body with oxygen. If there is not enough surfactant, the situation worsens.

One of the features of the coronavirus is the defeat of the cardiovascular system, the impact on the regulation of blood pressure. Therefore, vascular support is another priority area that can be influenced by proper nutrition.

Diet during coronavirus: what foods to add to the diet

Coronavirus is an RNA virus, so it is necessary to add to the diet precisely those nutrients that will work to suppress this particular type of virus, as well as products to support the liver, intestines, and lungs.

* interferons - proteins produced by the cells of the body during the invasion of the virus to fight it

* Cytokines - protein molecules secreted by the cells of the body in response to the invasion of the virus

* cathelicidin - antimicrobial protein

* acetylcholine - a neurotransmitter involved in the transmission of nerve impulses in the brain

During the course of the virus, the body spends a lot of resources on recovery, so the sick person should have a sparing diet: make meals small in volume and consist of easily digestible foods. The diet can be as follows: breakfast, lunch, dinner. The following percentage of energy intake per meal is preferred:

1. breakfast – 30%

2. lunch - 40%

3. dinner - 30%

Recommended cooking methods are steaming, stewing at low temperatures, boiling in water, baking in the oven, cooking in a slow cooker. For salad dressings, it is preferable to use vegetable unrefined oils. It is necessary to monitor the intake of salt - the norm per day is 3 g in pure form.

Diet during coronavirus: what foods should be avoided

During illness, the following foods should be excluded from the diet:

• sugar and products containing it (jam, fruit drinks, jams, yoghurts, sauces, curds, muesli);
• sweeteners and products containing them (products labeled "sugar-free" should be treated more carefully, as a rule, they contain sweeteners);
• flour and rich products;
• semi-finished products;
• fast food;
• gluten-containing products (products from wheat, barley, bulgur, durum, barley, couscous, semolina);
• milk products;
• refined oils;
• processed, refined foods (pasta, chips, polished cereals);
• coffee and black tea;
• alcohol.

Restrict:

• fruits with a high glycemic index, such as bananas, mangoes, persimmons, dried fruits (replace with berries);
• mucus-forming foods: bananas, melon, pumpkin, mushrooms, pork.

All of these foods are pro-inflammatory and overburden the body during illness.

Fruits contain a lot of fructose, which burdens the liver, so they should also be limited. Alcohol increases the toxic load. Coffee and tea contain tannins - tannins - which interfere with the absorption of nutrients from food, and also contribute to dehydration.

Proper handling of products is also very important. For the duration of the illness, it is better to exclude fried meat, raw vegetables - these products will be difficult to digest, unnecessarily burdening the gastrointestinal tract.

Why there is no appetite and what to do?

Lack of appetite during illness is a normal reaction of the body. Resources are focused on recovery, and they are not enough for full digestion. In addition, with coronavirus, smell and taste often disappear. You don't have to force-feed yourself. In this case, an excellent option would be broth - bone, vegetable, chicken.

What to drink in case of illness and how much?

Compliance with the drinking regimen is an important factor in recovery. Temperatures lose a lot of moisture and in order to avoid dehydration, as well as to support detoxification systems and the elimination of drugs used, it is important to drink enough fluids. It could be:

• Pure water.
• Decoctions of herbs - chamomile, echinacea, elderberry, sage, yarrow, tea with raspberry and currant leaves, as well as various ready-made collections.
• Rosehip infusion is an excellent source of vitamin C, only it is important to brew it correctly - in the evening pour rosehip into a thermos with a glass flask (do not use metal thermoses and spoons, as vitamin C is very easily destroyed by contact with metal) with hot water (not boiling, so as temperature also destroys vitamin C) and leave overnight. In the morning, the concentration of vitamin C will be the highest.
• Ginger tea with lemon - pour 1 teaspoon of dry ginger with a glass of boiling water and leave for about 20 minutes, add lemon juice to the slightly cooled one.
• Cranberry, lingonberry, sea buckthorn juice without sugar.

With viral diseases, it is necessary to eat a balanced diet, fill the diet with vitamins and minerals, dietary fiber. Do not force feed yourself, but maintain a sparing diet: food should be easily digestible, since the body spends a large amount of resources on recovery, you should not overload it with complex dishes. You should give up pro-inflammatory foods, sugar and alcohol and follow the drinking regimen. Since the sense of smell often disappears with coronavirus, you need to carefully monitor the freshness of products.

1. Follow the rules of healthy sleep, because during sleep (namely, in the deep sleep phase), the immune system is actively working and immunological memory for infections is produced. The immune response is enhanced during sleep. You should go to bed no later than 22:30-23:00, sleep in complete darkness and silence, in a damp and cool ventilated room.

2. Limit gadgets during the day so as not to negatively affect sleep.

3. Use an aroma diffuser or aroma lamp with eucalyptus or tea tree essential oil - they have an antimicrobial effect.

Factors that increase the viral load in the body

A viral disease is influenced by various factors that aggravate its course, as well as increase the risks of its occurrence in principle. Doctors name several such factors:

1. infection dose;

2. diabetes;

3. cardiovascular pathologies;

4. chronic kidney disease;

5. deficiency states;

6. genetic predisposition.

The more closely a person came into contact with a carrier of the virus, the greater the dose of pathogens he received. Accordingly, the load on the body increases and the course of the disease can be more severe. Therefore, the use of masks as a means of protection against infection is absolutely justified.

The mortality rate from coronavirus among diabetics is 7.3%, while the mortality rate for people without diabetes is 2.3%. This is explained by the fact that with an increased level of glucose, the first level of the innate immunity of the lungs is disturbed and favorable conditions are created for the virus to enter, as well as blood clotting increases and hyperinflammation is provoked.

The presence of pre-existing cardiovascular disease and/or the development of acute cardiac injury is associated with a significantly worse disease outcome.

Mortality in people with these diseases with coronavirus is increasing.

Vitamin K and D deficiencies increase the risk of severe COVID-19 by 15% and increase the risk of mortality.

Due to the mutation of various genes, some people may be more susceptible to viruses. The strength of macrophages, which are the first to fight the virus, is also important, and it is also genetically determined.

Top 15 Anti-Inflammatory Nutraceuticals

To support the body during the coronavirus, anti-inflammatory nutraceuticals with proven effectiveness can be dated:

Nutrition During COVID-19 Recovery

In the recovery period, the diet is no longer as limited as in the acute one. You can add tea and coffee in small amounts to the diet, meat products as a source of protein. But still, it is not worth returning to the usual diet. In the recovery period, do not overload the diet with complex dishes, sweets and alcohol, as the body is not yet ready for such a load.

The most common consequences of COVID-19:

• fatigue, bouts of weakness;
• difficulty concentrating;
• headaches, dizziness;
• residual sore throat, cough;
• soreness of the lymph nodes;
• myalgia;
• pain in the joints;
• fever;
• confusion;
• sleep disturbance - loss of the “deep phase”, only the “fast phase” remains;
• skin allergic reactions;
• weight loss - the virus uses the body's resources to synthesize its own proteins;
• tachycardia;
• asthenia;
• anosmia (lack of smell), hyposmia (decreased sense of smell), parosmia (altered sense of smell due to impaired odor identification).

Directions of anti-inflammatory therapy in the post-COVID period:

• protection of the blood-brain barrier and brain from inflammation;
• replenishment of vitamin and mineral deficiencies;
• prevention of thrombosis;
• prevention of neuroinflammation;
• normalization of sleep;
• daily calorie restriction.

Protecting the blood-brain barrier and brain from inflammation:

You should eat foods that maintain an adequate state of cell membranes - sources of lecithin: egg yolks, fish caviar, beef liver

Replenishment of vitamin and mineral deficiencies:

During illness, vitamin C, D, zinc, iron are depleted, it is necessary to add fresh herbs, pumpkin seeds, oily fish, offal to the diet

Prevention of thrombus formation:

Coronavirus severely affects the cardiovascular system and affects blood pressure, therefore, it is necessary to add sources of bioflavonoids and potassium to the diet, and these are berries, citrus fruits, broccoli, avocados, beets, leafy vegetables.

Prevention of neuroinflammation:

The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil will work great.

Sleep normalization:

We add to the diet a source of tryptophan, magnesium, vitamin B6. These are spirulina, turkey, sesame, pine nuts, sea buckthorn.

Daily calorie restriction:

It is important not to overeat either during the illness or during the recovery period so that the immune system can easily fight the infection. In the post-COVID period, a Mediterranean diet with plenty of the right fats, proteins, and fiber works well. The average calorie content of the diet should be 1600-1800 kcal for women, 1800-2100 kcal for men. The intake of protein is at least 1 gram per kilogram of recommended weight, fat is 1.5 grams per kilogram of recommended weight.

1. Eat a nutritious diet of good quality whole foods.

2. Don't overeat.

3. Give preference to complex carbohydrates, give up sugar and sweets, limit the consumption of fruits and dried fruits, alcohol.

4. Fill the diet with easily digestible and complete protein, since antibodies to the virus are of a protein nature (if you are a vegetarian or vegan, be sure to monitor the amino acid composition of vegetable protein in your diet, combine different types, such as cereals and legumes).

5. There is a sufficient amount of healthy fats and fiber.

6. Observe the hygiene of healthy sleep and drinking regimen.

Principles of correction of intestinal dysbiosis as a consequence of coronavirus infection

Against the background of the virus, intestinal functions are disrupted, the composition of the microflora changes. Correction of colon dysbiosis involves the use of pro-, pre- and synbiotics.

Probiotics are food products and preparations containing microorganisms that are friendly to our microflora, namely lacto- and bifidobacteria. They populate the intestines, contribute to the production of vitamins, the fight against opportunistic and pathogenic microorganisms, nutrition, and the absorption of nutrients from food.

Probiotic preparations can be single-component (containing one strain of bacteria) or multi-component (containing several strains of bacteria that reinforce each other). The most effective are multicomponent preparations.

Prebiotics are foods and drugs that stimulate the growth and development of the gut microbiota and are only fermented by bacteria in the lower gastrointestinal tract. They are divided into types:

1. Monomeric - have an effect in the oral cavity.

2. Dimeric - work in the stomach and small intestine.

3. Oligomeric - act in the upper sections of the large intestine.

4. Polymer - work in the entire colon.

For best results, it is recommended to use different types of prebiotics. This is necessary in order for the bacteria to “eat in a variety of ways”.

The most widely used are lactulose, inulin, cellulose, lectins, algae extracts.

Synbiotics - a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics, they contribute to better survival and survival of individual microbial supplements.

Currently, the Covid-19 pandemic is the leading problem worldwide. Coronavirus is an unpredictable disease that can occur both asymptomatically and with severe complications and consequences. To fight the virus, you need to achieve and maintain a good nutritional status.

Proper nutrition is an excellent tool for concomitant therapy with proven effectiveness.