“Viruses and bacteria try to enter into the body, which has its own defensive system, but it needs to be trained, because it is not easy for it to be in top shape if we do not do something for it, and diet is fundamental for it”, states doctor Antonio Escribano, professor of Sport Nutrition of UCAM Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia, specialist in Endocrinology, Nutrition and Sport Medicine. An adequate diet is always fundamental for our health, but even more at a moment like this, due to the crisis provoked by the COVID19 Coronavirus pandemic.

“It is primordial to eat probiotic food such as yoghurt and some cold meats, since the microbiota acts a lot by facilitating a part of the defence mechanism”. Vitamin C is also a key element, that “lubricates” the defensive system, “but since we do not produce it, we must obtain it, basically by eating fruits and vegetables, such as oranges, kiwis and red pepper”, explains doctor Escribano. He also recommends vitamin B, which is “a modulator of the immune system and can be found in whole milk, fish (especially oily fish), eggs, mushrooms, avocado, wheat germ, tomato and spinach.

Zinc “is an extraordinary mineral, because it intervenes against the infections of the respiratory infections as a prevention, so consuming it is very important, and it can be found in meat, cheese, egg yolk, oat flakes, in certain types of seafood, brown rice, peanut and dark chocolate”. Selenium is also important to face respiratory diseases, and it can be found in salmon, lamb meat, eggs, vegetables and nuts”, says Escribano.