Drawing attention to the decrease in body resistance to diseases with the cooling of the weather in the winter months, experts recommend consuming food sources such as vitamins, fruits and Omega-3 to protect body resistance.
Stating that the stronghold of the immune system is the intestines, Dietitian Nurefşan Yıldız said, “With the cooling of the weather, there are issues that we should pay attention to in nutrition to strengthen immunity and protect the body. First of all, if we have a goal such as weight loss, you need to stay away from restricted diets. You need to follow more nutritious programs where you can fully meet the body's nutrients. However, we especially want half of our plate to be filled with vegetables. Green leafy vegetables such as parsley, lettuce, arugula and vegetables high in antioxidants such as cauliflower, broccoli and beetroot should be consumed in the diet. Another important issue is intestinal health. We call the intestines the fortress of immunity. Therefore, you should definitely include foods such as homemade pickles, yogurt and vinegar that feed the beneficial bacteria in the intestines and can also create a probiotic effect.”
Dietitian Yıldız stated that with the cooling of the weather in the winter months, people who diet with sports consume less water, but in fact, water consumption should be required both for diet and to prevent the body resistance from falling in the winter months, “We see serious decreases in water consumption with the cooling of the weather in the winter months. But our body always needs water, water is essential for us. Therefore, I recommend consuming 2-2.5 liters of water a day. In addition, we can support both fluid intake and immunity very well with herbal teas such as linden, sage tea and rosehip.”
Stating the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids in the winter months to activate metabolism and protect against diseases, Dietitian Yıldız said, “Another important issue is Omega-3 fatty acids. It is at the forefront with both its role in activating metabolism and its protective role against diseases. We know that the best sources are fish. I recommend consuming fish 1-2 times a week in the form of grilled, baked and steamed fish. In addition, it will be very useful to include other Omega-3 sources such as flax seeds, chia seeds and walnuts.”
Noting that decreased exposure to sunlight during the winter months may cause a decrease in vitamin D levels, Dietitian Yıldız made the following recommendations:
“Vitamin D is the most essential vitamin for immunity. Especially in the winter months, we can see very serious decreases. The first thing we need to do is to have a blood test to check vitamin D levels. Then, if any deficiency or insufficiency is seen, it should be to use supplements regularly with the doctor's recommendation. Another vitamin is vitamin C. It is abundant in fruits such as oranges, pomegranates and kiwi especially in winter. We can take care to consume these fruits in 2-3 servings a day. Stating that anti-inflammatory spices should be used to increase body resistance in winter, Dietitian Yıldız said, “Spices such as turmeric, ginger and black pepper have a lot of roles in increasing body resistance thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, we need to add them to our diet. So how can we add them? I have a recipe that we call 'Golden Milk' with my clients. We add 1 teaspoon of turmeric, black pepper and cinnamon powder to 1 glass of milk. We cook them over low heat and remove them from the stove. After it is warm, we add honey and mix it. You can consume one glass of this mixture a day.
İHA Haber Kodu: 20241101AW320096