Fighting a war against the SARS CoV-2 ? Wondering how to improve & strengthen your defense mechanism ?
In this article we will learn about Food supplements that have the potential not only to improve your immunity, but also to strengthen your health, overall.
Getting right into the point, here are those 7 supplements to add into your diet.

1. Iron rich plant based foods

A diet which has less/too little content of iron can lead to anemia & weaken the immune system at the base level. Hence, including iron rich supplements in the diet plays a significant role in strengthening the immune functions.

These are some major iron rich foods ,that can supplement your diet from today.

1. Lentils
2. Green leafy vegetables.
3. Nuts & Raisins.
4. Soya beans.
5. Fortified rice & wheat.

2. Vitamin B rich food supplements.

As the name itself portrays, it’s Vital. Irrespective of whether a person is fighting against covid-19 or any other disease, Vitamin B plays a very necessary role in improving your overall health condition.

Vitamin B complex Vector cartoon food border

Basically Vitamin B is a complex of several vitamins together. The most essential ones are ; Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12. Though these vitamins share a similar name , their Chemical composition are much different. Since these often coexist in the same foods, the dietary supplements containing all eight are referred to as Vitamin B complex.

However, the much needed vitamin B complexes that help us fight off the Novel corona virus are as follows.

1. Vitamin B6 for better digestion & reducing inflammation. Most common sources are;

1. • Masoor Dal
   • Whole moong.
   • Garlic.
   • Ginger.
   • Brown rice.
   • Methi seeds.
2. Vitamin B9 to improve metabolism. main sources are;

1. • Soya bean.
   • Rajma.
   • Beetroot.
   • Capsicum.
   • Lentils.
   • Fresh peas.
2. Vitamin B in general to improve the nervous & immune system. here are some good sources of Vitamin B;

• • Walnuts.
  • Ragi.
  • Arhar.
  • Groundnuts.
  • Banana.
  • Fortified wheat flour. 

3. Vitamin C.

Vitamin C isn’t just an essential Nutrient but also a very powerful anti-oxidant. As our body cannot store this nutrient naturally, it is required to intake daily to maintain adequate levels.

What exactly is the role of Vitamin C in a case of Covid-19 ?

The novel Corona virus is known to affect the lungs than any other organs. In severe cases , the extensive damage to the lungs is found mostly due to oxidative stress & excessive free radicals released by the dysfunctional immune mechanism in an effort to kill the virus.

Vitamin C protects the immune cells from the oxidative damage they are prone to under go while trying to clear out the pathogen. thereby, boosting the strength of the immune system.

It is for this important reason , Vitamin C tablets are prescribed by default if you are suffering from Covid-19. However, here are some natural sources of Vitamin C to consider including in the diet from a broad perspective.

• • Oranges.
  • Amla.
  • Papaya.
  • Capsicum.
  • Guava.
  • Lemon.

4. Zinc supplements.

It’s a renowned fact that Zinc (Zn) possess a variety of antiviral properties, both direct & indirect. Zn supplements have the potential to enhance antiviral immunity, both innate  & humoral, and to restore the depleted immune cell function.

When Zn is administered along with anti-viral therapy , it may act in a synergistic manner, increasing the effectiveness of anti-viral drugs. Hence, Zn tablets are also usually prescribed when a person is tested positive for Covid-19.

The natural sources of Zn that should be supplemented to the diet are as follows;

• • Legumes like chikpeas, beans & lentils.
  • Seeds like flax, pumpkin,squash, sesame & hemp seeds.
  • Nuts like cashews, almonds, pine nuts, peanuts
  • Dairy food like milk & cheese.
  • Eggs.
  • Whole grains like wheat, oats & rice.

5.Vitamin D supplements.

Though Vitamin D is dormant in regulating calcium & phosphorous homeostasis and bone metabolism, it also has other significant roles like immune modulation, cardio-vascular function & cell proliferation.

Vitamin D as an immuno-modulator plays a vital role in body’s defense mechanism against any viral infection. It supports the innate immune system by amplifying the local synthesis of anti-microbial peptides such as cathelicidins, IL-37 & defensins. These peptides induce microbial killing by affecting their cell membranes as well as neutralizing the endo-toxin activity. Vitamin D modulates the acquired immune system by suppressing the release of inflammatory cytokines & chemokines like IL-2, Tumor necrosing factor-α & interferon-ɣ, and thereby suppressing the responses mediated by T helper cells type 1. 

Hence, Vitamin D helps in reducing the cytokine storm seen in the Covid-19 cases, which is the patho-physiologic process responsible for Systemic immune response syndrome(SIRS) & Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

The sunshine vitamin is obtained by the body by means of endogenous chemical process triggered by exposure to Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation in the sun rays, or exogenously by consumption of Vitamin-D rich foods like ;

• • Animal food sources like Fatty fishes (salmon, mackerel & tuna) , cod liver oil, milk, egg-yolk, cheese.
  • Vegetable sources like UV-B exposed mushrooms & cereals.

6. Spices.

Certain spices are well known to boost the immune response of the body. Its not just that, they also help in control of Morbidities such as diabetes & cardio-vascular diseases, which is of most importance if you’re suffering from Covid-19. They also provide some symptomatic relief.

Here are some spices that can provide that extra help in fighting of the disease. Regular & adequate use of these spices are known for their own benefits.

• • Cinnamon to keep the blood sugar in check !
  • Turmeric to reduce inflammation.
  • Ginger to relieve Nausea.
  • Garlic to boost Cardio-vascular health.
  • Cayenne( a type of chili pepper) to help ease the pain.

7. Herbal teas.

There are various types of herbal teas that, when added into the diet will provide benefits that are specific to each type. A cup of herbal tea can be a great way to boost up the defense mechanism of the body. Many types of teas also have Anti-viral & Anti-microbial properties.Also, they give a good dose of anti-oxidants at the cost of very less calories. As a bonus, a hot cup of herbal tea can soothe the upper-respiratory tract keeping it clear from any pathogen.

Adding 3 to 5 cups of herbal tea in a day, will help the body detox & some of these teas are also known to improve mental well-being.

• • Turmeric tea.
  • Ginger tea.
  • Green tea.
  • Black tea.
  • Lemon grass tea.
  • Peppermint tea.
  • Chamomile tea.
  • Hibiscus tea.
  • Licorice root tea.

That said, Inclusion of these 7 types of food supplements in the diet along with regular medications will help in fighting off the Novel corona virus seamlessly.