What to eat during the coronavirus quarantine?

The nutritionist highlighted that cucumber mint water is a good option to reduce anxiety during quarantine

By  Patricia Carranza Alva

The coronavirus pandemic has affected thousands of people in various countries and one of the measures that has been implemented to prevent more infections is to stay home. For this reason, the nutritionist, graphologist and diabetes educator, Bonitzu Coria explained to Publimetro what foods you can consume during this season to strengthen the immune system and avoid gaining weight due to boredom and anxiety.

The nutritionist Bonitzu Coria, who was part of the board of the Mexican Academy for the study of Obesity and in the research group of the biochemical unit of the National Medical Center Siglo XXI explained that people who are in a deficient state of Nutrients have a high degree of contracting infections, so eating healthy leads to activating the immune system.

” You must consume the proper vitamins and minerals, since they have a specific function in our body, which are essential for the immune system to function properly. “, Mentioned the specialist.

Foods that are recommended to consume

Bonitzu Coria highlighted that foods such as oats, garlic, onions, prickly pear, rice, beans and bulgaros should be kept in the pantry during this season, as they are part of the group of macronutrients, which have the capacity to increase the immune response. ” Carbohydrates are very important for the immune system, since in this group we can find antioxidants, fibers and live bacteria that are going to help strengthen the immune system ,” she explained.

The proteins are another food group that must constantly consume this season.

” They are going to help us increase the lymphocyte count, that is, they are going to increase the white blood cell cells, which are what are going to help us protect ourselves from infections, and that is if they decrease in our diet because there is no good consumption will start to decrease the amount of muscle we have in our body and will not help repair tissues, “she said.

So he pointed out that the consumption of eggs, chicken, beef and pork is important but always in lean cuts, which do not have fat. Lipids such as olive oil, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds and cheap blue water fish are also important, for example: sardines, dogfish, tuna, horse mackerel, trout , as they are rich in omega 3 fats that the body needs.

The nutritionist also stressed that the body also needs micronutrients, which are small amounts to cope with infections such as carotenoids, for example: papaya, mango, bell pepper, carrot, tomato, corn .

Vitamin C is also needed , as it helps maintain natural barriers against infection. “Vitamin C has been scientifically proven to be paramount because it helps protect the lungs from lung infections,” he said. So it is essential to consume lemon, orange, guava, pineapple, grapefruit, and chili.

Coria also pointed out that foods rich in  vitamin E ensure that the body has the necessary antibodies to face infections, for example: avocado, almonds, spinach, broccoli .

While  vitamin D helps to inhibit infections from proliferating, for example: cheese, preferably low-fat milk, plain yogurt . The B complex helps the antibodies that we really have to be optimal: wheat germ, eggplant, potato, chard .

Zinc, selenium, iron, magnesium and copper are also important because they will make the immune system work properly and fight infections, for example: green tomato, liver, lentils, parsley, coconut, pistachios .

Proposal for breakfast, lunch and dinner

The nutritionist recommended the following dishes:

Breakfast

  • Panela cheese quesadilla with spinach and avocado
  • Chamomile tea with lemon grass

Food 

  • Vegetable soup
  • Meatless: rice with beans and avocado
  • With meat: roasted dogfish with steamed broccoli
  • Another option: tomato fish with nopales

Dinner

  • Avocado salad
  • 1 yogurt

Snacks 

  • Peanuts
  • Almonds
  • Walnuts
  • Carrot
  • Jicama
  • Esquites with lemon

How to decrease anxiety?

Bonitzu Coria recommended exercising and meditating to avoid calming our emotions with food but also stated that an option to avoid anxiety is mint. “They can make cucumber mint water and drink it throughout the day,” she said.

Source: publimetro.com.mx

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