Did you know that viruses thrive best in 33-35 degrees – and that high temperatures, such as fever, cause viruses to die? But for those who do not want or have the opportunity to live in the sauna, there are other ways. How to protect yourself against viruses.
Too little sleep, too much exercise, too much stress and a nutrient-poor diet that leads to nutritional deficiencies. All are the things that make us more susceptible to infections. This is because they help to lower our immune system. Many people already know this. But there are some tricks to make the body more resilient.
Vitamin D
Many people, at least in countries with not have vitamin D deficiency without knowing it. Deficiency can have negative consequences for public health. Vitamin D does a lot, not least it regulates our immune system and helps us maintain a stable nervous system. Intake of 50-75 µg vitamin D daily during the winter season has been shown in studies to provide very good protection against colds and flu.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps us to avoid sickness, shorten it and relieve symptoms. Vitamin C is one of the vitamins that the body really needs for the immune system to function.
It is needed for the body to be able to activate and stimulate the formation of white blood cells, stimulate the production of antibodies and to kill the virus.
By taking at least 500 milligrams of vitamin C (preferably 1000-3000 milligrams) daily, we help the body keep infections away.
Zinc
A heat-resistant mineral and with its virus-killing properties important for our virus protection. It has been found that zinc deficiency is very common in the case of prolonged respiratory tract infections and colds, which are often caused by viruses.
After reviewing several scientific studies of zinc, the Cochrane Institute has lifted zinc as the most promising treatment to date for colds, both in the short and long term, as well as in preventive and acute conditions. Among other things, it was noted that when zinc is taken at the first sign of a cold, the cold becomes both shorter and milder.
Beta-glucan
A natural substance extracted from bakery yeast, which can be taken every day without side effects, has been shown in studies to activate the immune system and reduce the risk of getting sick due to virus infection.
Beta-glucan is absorbed by the intestinal mucosa and binds to the receptors on the surface of a kind of immune cells, macrophages. These break down the beta-glucans into smaller constituents, which in turn are absorbed by so-called neutrophils, which are the body’s most common immune cells.
When the beta-glucan is bound to the neutrophils, they are activated to be on guard against intruders and thus react much faster when threats occur.
Athletes particularly receptive
After a maximized sporting performance, you usually have an impaired immune system for 2-6 hours – which is usually called the “open window” – the immune system then slowly recovers for 24 hours. During this time, one is more susceptible to infections. However, studies show that the beta-glucon extract Wellmune closes this window.
Facts
Viruses are part of our natural flora of microorganisms and are called viruses. The virus begins to form rapidly after birth and continues during the first years of life.
Different parts of the body all have their own composition of viruses. Most viruses do not cause disease but most are so-called bacteriophages. Bacteriophages are viruses that only infect bacteria and not human cells. In our microflora there is a constant interaction between bacteria and viruses.
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