You can protect yourself from coronavirus by keeping your microbiota strong

Dietician Damla Tatan said that it is important to maintain the balance of the intestinal flora and stated that the intestinal flora (microbiota) should be kept strong to protect against coronavirus.

In 2019, a new type of coronavirus (CoV), COVID-19, was detected in Wuhan, China, and the virus started in China and spread all over the world. The epidemic was brought under control in Wuhan, where it emerged, but it continues to affect Italy, Spain, the USA, France, Iran, China, Turkey and many other countries.

It is important to maintain the balance of intestinal flora

With the emergence and continuation of the epidemic, a handbook for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 was published by Chinese scientists. Dietician Damla Tatan stated that attention was also drawn to the intestinal flora in the published handbook and said, “Some COVID-19 patients experience gastrointestinal symptoms, namely abdominal pain and diarrhea, due to direct viral infection of the intestinal mucosa or antiviral and anti-infective drugs. It is reported that the intestinal microecological balance is disrupted in COVID-19 patients and there is a significant decrease in intestinal probiotics such as lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. “Intestinal microecological imbalance can lead to bacterial translocation and secondary infection, so it is important to maintain the balance of intestinal flora with microecological modulators and nutritional support.”

It is important to make the intestinal flora healthy before symptoms appear.

Tatan drew attention to the importance of following the rules regarding what to do in hospitals after the disease occurs. Tatan said that it is very important to make the intestinal flora (microbiota) healthy before any symptoms appear in people.

Refined carbohydrates and sugar negatively affect intestinal flora

Explaining what needs to be done to strengthen the intestinal flora (microbiota), Tatan said: “Increasing the nutritional diversity in the diet also increases the number of bacterial species. Fibrous foods create a growth area for beneficial bacteria in the intestines. The foods richest in fiber are fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Garlic, yams, bananas, apples, blueberries and chickpeas feed beneficial types of bacteria such as bifidobacteria. On the contrary, especially refined carbohydrates and sugar negatively affect the intestinal flora.”

Yogurt, pickles and kefir help maintain the balance of the intestinal microbiota.

Stating that fermented foods such as yoghurt, pickles and kefir maintain the balance, integrity and diversity of the intestinal microbiota, Tatan said, “Diets containing high protein and low carbohydrates negatively affect the microbiota. For this reason, the amount of protein in the diet should be regulated so that it does not exceed the requirement. “Foods such as beans, chickpeas, green lentils and quinoa, which are sources of vegetable protein, should definitely be included in the diet because their fiber content is suitable for fermentation,” he said.

Olive oil is microbiota friendly

Pointing out that high amounts of saturated fat consumption reduces the number and diversity of beneficial bacteria in the intestines, Tatan said, “Consumption of butter, tail fat and other animal-derived foods with high saturated fat content should be limited. “Olive oil is known as a type of oil that is friendly to microbiota,” he said.  

Healthy body weight also makes the microbiota healthy

Stating that studies have shown that the intestinal microbiota of obese individuals contains a higher amount of harmful bacteria compared to thin individuals, Tatan noted that being at a healthy body weight also makes the microbiota healthy.

Smoothie recipe from dietitian Tatan

Dietitian Damla Tatan also gave a recipe for an intestinal-friendly, immune-boosting smoothie (a sweet and frozen drink made from fresh fruit or fruit juice). The recipe given by Tatan is as follows: “2 tablespoons of yoghurt, one tablespoon of oatmeal, 3-4 celery stalks, one teaspoon of bee pollen, one small Jerusalem artichoke, one coin-sized piece of ginger root… Put all the ingredients in the blender. You can use it as a snack. “It will benefit our intestinal friends with its prebiotic content.”

Kaynak: http://www.ticarihayat.com.tr/haber/Mikrobiyotanizi-guclu-tutarak-koronavirusten-korunabilirsiniz/60886