Avoid

ByClaudiaSanchez-Bustamante

MHS Communications

In the same way that wearing personal protective equipment like gloves, goggles and masks can minimize your exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuriesandillnesses,personalprotectivenutrition and lifestyle practices can do the same toboostyourimmunity

This is especially relevant this season, when a “tripledemic” collision of respiratory syncytial virus—known as RSV, the flu, and COVID-19 are affecting the populationandoverwhelminghospitalsacrossthe

UnitedStates

“Personal protective nutrition and personal protective lifestyle are evidencebased strategies to boost your immune response to reduce the risk of severe illness associated with COVID-19 and other infectiousdiseases,”saidU.S.AirForceCol.(Dr.)

MaryAnneKiel chairoftheAirForceMedicalReadinessAgency’sLifestyleandPerformance Medicine Working Group “They are additional measures that we can take to improveourresilienceandoptimizemilitary readinessandperformance.”

PPN includes optimizing your nutrition by eating mostly unprocessed foods from plant sources, she explained This means drinking enough water to stay hydrated and aiming to get most vitamins and essentialnutrientsfromwholefoodsources thus beingselectiveaboutwhichtypesofsupplementstotake.

“PPLincludesgettingseven-to-ninenightly hours of restorative sleep, learning tools to managestress,stayingphysicallyactiveevery day, maintaining positive social connections, spending time in nature practicing mindfulness and avoiding risky substances like tobaccoandalcohol,”addedKiel

Taste the Rainbow

“Eating a healthy diet is one of the most profound ways that we can have a positive impactonourhealthandwell-being,includingourimmunesystem,”saidKiel

Consideringthat“eatingissomethingwe typically do two-to-six times per day, being selectiveaboutthetypesoffoodswefuelour body with can significantly boost our abilitytofendoffandfightinfectionswhenour immunesystemencountersthem,”saidKiel

Consuming a wide variety of types and colorsoffruitsandvegetableshelpsusmaximize the nutrients our immune system has to build a protective response, including phytochemicals vitamins minerals and fiber.

“It gives our immune system the best building blocks to create a defense against infectionsandothernon-infectiouschronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, and others,” said the expert.

Personal Protective Nutrition (PPN)

Eatawell-balanceddiettooptimizeyour immunity:

„ Drinkplentyofwater Divideyourbody weight(inpounds)bytwo,andaimtodrink thatmanyouncesofwateraday.

„ Buildapowerplate Fill your plate with 50%veggies 25%wholegrains and25%lean protein.VisitMyPlate.govtolearnmore

„ Eat high-fiber and protein. Consume a varietyofveggies,legumes(beansandpeas), grains, and fruits for fullness Try plantbasedproteinstoo

„ Go anti-inflammatory Use fresh herbs andspices,eathealthyfats(olive,sunflower, or avocado oils), avoid foods with added sugar andminimizefriedorprocessedfoods.

„ Eattherainbow Foodsrichincolorhave high amounts of antioxidants so eat your berries,greens,andothercolorfulfoods

„ Protectyourgut Eatgrains(brownrice couscous orquinoa),veggies andfermented foods (yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut) for betterdigestion. „ Getthescooponsupplements Askyour healthcare provide about supplement such as vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, andomega-3.

What the Research Shows

There is ample research to support the benefits of a healthy diet in warding off disease.

For example, studies show that about 70%-80% of our immunity resides within the cells of our gastrointestinal tract, said Kiel.

Given that the foods we eat “impact the compositionofthebacteriaandfungiliving withinourgastrointestinaltract,”thisiskey forourimmunehealth.

The American Gut Study “found that people who included more than 30 different types of plant foods in their diets each week—including fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes,nuts,andseeds—hadamuchmore diversemicrobiomeintheirintestinaltract,” shesaid.

Specifically regarding COVID-19 a study bytheNationalInstitutesofHealthpublished in 2021 concluded that a high-quality diet consisting primarily of healthy plant-based foods, was associated with decreased risk andseverityofCOVID-19.

Another 2021 NIH study found that the micronutrients consumed in a diet that containsadiversityofplantsplayimportant rolesinsupportingtheresponsetoCOVID19vaccination

And a study published in the nutrition journalBMJNutrition,Prevention&Health, “showed that people who self-reported following plant-based diets and pescatariandiets[meaningtheyconsumefishbutno othermeats]hadsignificantlyloweroddsof experiencing moderate-to-severe COVID19,”saidKiel.

Effects of Processed Foods

Processed foods—food that is altered from its natural state—can negatively affect our health and ability to prevent infection, explainedKiel. Theseprocessesrefertoanyalterationin thewayafoodiscookedorpackaged including adding preservatives, flavors nutrients salts sugars,orfats.

“By their nature, processed foods often havesignificantlylessfiberandmuchmore salt, oil, sugar and fat compared to whole foods,”saidKiel.

Yet also, “highly processed foods such as microwave meals, bagged snacks, sweets, processed meats, and sweetened beverages all increase inflammation and are best avoided,”saidU.S.AirForceCol.(Dr.)Sarah Vick, a family and preventive medicine physician at the Defense Health Agency’s ArmedForcesHealthSurveillanceDivision.

“Everything from runny noses to fevers to body aches can be traced to the immune system’sinflammatoryresponse,”sheadded.

As a result, consuming processed foods causesthebodytoabsorbfewerwholenutrients, potentially triggering “inflammatory responses and disease associations such as autoimmune diseases and perhaps other chronic inflammatory diseases and metabolicdisorders, saidKiel

Not Just Food

Consuming a healthy diet is important but it’s just one tool to boost your health and immunity Living a stressful life without enough rest, activity, or healthy social connectionscanalsobedetrimentaltoyour health.

“Just as eating a variety of plants and engaginginmoderateexercisecandecrease inflammation and susceptibility to infections, a poor diet, poor sleep, and being sedentary can increase inflammation and susceptibilitytoinfections,”addedVick

And even though stress is unavoidable, “learning how to respond to stress in a healthy and positive way can be the difference in our ability to thrive and maintain resilience in challenging situations,” said Kiel.

Toolsforrespondingtostressfulsituations include prioritizing self-care and making timetolaugh,saysthewellnessexpert

It “can help us destress and improve performance, in addition to strengthening ourimmunesystem.”

For example “engaging in self-care activities helps reduce cortisol [our stress hormone] and boosts other positive hormones such as dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin,andendorphinstoreduceinflammation in our bodies, promote a strong immune system, and reduce our risk of developingchronicdisease,”sheadded

These hormones have key roles: Dopamine is the body’s the feel-good hormone serotonin regulates our moods and other functions, oxytocin plays a role in social bondingandreproduction,andendorphins triggerpositivefeelings

Personal Protective Lifestyle (PPL)

Engage in activities that boost your immune resilience and optimize performance.

„ GetyourZzzs Resetyourbrainwith7—9 hoursofrestorativesleepnightlyandstickto consistentsleepandwaketimes

„ Practice mindfulness and STOP Stop, Take a breath, Observe your thoughts and feelings,andProceedwithhope

„ Reflectonwhat’sgood.Developaresilient mindset by seeking the good in situations.Findopportunitiestolearn,grow and beinnovative.Andifyouneedhelp askforit.

„ Movemore.Performaatleast30minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity 5—7 daysaweek

„ Connect with others Share meals, walks,andworkouts.Prioritizerelationships thatnurtureyou.

„ Spend time in nature. Take regular breaks from technology and go outside for 15—20minutesinthefreshair

In addition “getting high quality screenfreesleepallowsthebodytimeandresources torepairitself, saidVick

“Sleep is a critical facet for boosting our immune resilience and optimizing performance,”saidKiel.

Shehighlightedthatimprovedsleepdurationandqualitycanproducealmostinstantaneousresultsforimprovedmentalhealth, painlevels andriskforinfectiousdisease

“Infact,studieshaveshownthatsleeping atleasteighthoursdailyonaconsistentbasis is linked to fewer colds, by a factor of three tofour-fold,”shesaid.

During sleep, our brain works to remove toxins that have built up during the day and allows our mind and body to recharge, repair,andreenergize,sheadded.

Physicalactivityisalsokey.

“Movingthebodylubricatesmusclesand joints, preventing stiffness and pain caused byinflammation, shesaid.“Moderatephysicalexercisegivestheaddedbonusoframping up the immune system with elements thatfightvirusesincludingRSV,COVID-19, andinfluenza.”

To learn more about PPN and PPL practices to help you remain healthy, strong and better able to avoid viruses and illness contactyourhealthcareprovider.