Eating like this will make you sick! 6 bad eating habits that will "eat away" your immunity...

The last week of April every year is World Immunization Week. Do you know about immunity? It is the "fighting power" of the human body against diseases.

As the first line of defense against viruses, 70% of the immune system's work needs to be done in the intestines. Some of your usual eating habits not only harm your gastrointestinal health, but may also damage your immunity.

01

6 bad eating habits

"Eat" your immunity

1. Eating too little protein

Protein is an important component of immune cells. If the intake is insufficient, immune cells cannot be repaired and proliferated in time, which will lead to low immunity.

suggestion:

Under normal circumstances, the daily protein intake of adults should be: 65 grams for men and 55 grams for women.

Elderly people with decreased digestion and absorption function, people who are losing weight, patients after surgery, etc. can appropriately increase their intake of high-quality protein.

Such as: lean meat, eggs, milk, and soy products.

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2. Eating too little staple food

Carbohydrate-rich staple foods are the main source of energy for the body and have the function of protecting protein.

If you eat too little staple food, a large amount of protein will be burned like firewood to provide energy. Over time, it will cause problems such as hair loss, poor skin condition, and decreased immunity.

suggestion:

Adults should consume 200 to 300 grams of cereals (including 50 to 150 grams of whole grains) and 50 to 100 grams of potatoes every day.

You can replace some staple foods with potatoes such as yam, taro, and sweet potato , which are rich in immune-active mucin and help improve immunity.

3. Drinking too little water

Adequate water intake helps to excrete metabolic waste, while dehydration can lead to low immunity.

suggestion:

Under mild climatic conditions, for healthy adults, the total amount of water consumed per day should be between 1500 ml and 1700 ml. It is recommended to drink small amounts frequently, about 200 ml of water each time, with boiled water being the first choice.

Notice:

People with glaucoma, heart disease, abnormal kidney function, etc. need to follow the doctor's advice on how to drink water.

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4. Eating too much salt

In addition to being detrimental to blood pressure control, eating too much salt can also disrupt intestinal flora, significantly reduce the ability of neutrophils (a type of immune cell) to kill bacteria, and reduce the production of neutrophils, thereby reducing the body's immune function.

suggestion:

The daily salt intake of adults should not exceed 5 grams, and that of patients with hypertension should be controlled within 2 to 3 grams.

5. Eating too much sugar

Excessive intake of added sugars can cause the immune system to function abnormally and reduce the ability to fight infection.

suggestion:

Adults should not consume more than 50 grams of added sugar per day, and it is best to keep it below 25 grams.

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6. Drinking too much

Excessive drinking can damage the liver, consume a large amount of B vitamins, and lead to a decrease in immunity.

suggestion:

The safest amount of alcohol consumed is 0, and it is best not to drink at all.

In addition to the above dietary factors, in order to maintain good immunity, we also need to maintain regular sleep, reasonable exercise and a good mood, which can help our immunity maintain a normal level.

02

These 5 symptoms appear

Emphasis on immunity

1. Wounds recover slowly and are prone to inflammation

After being accidentally scratched, the immune system in an average person's body will react quickly, promoting blood coagulation and white blood cell aggregation to fight against pathogens outside the human body and avoid inflammation.

However, for people with poor immunity, the wound may heal more slowly, with no scabs forming after two or three days, and symptoms such as inflammation and ulceration may also appear.

2. Prone to unexplained sweating

Compared with others, people who sweat easily regardless of the weather may have weaker immunity. Moreover, such people may sweat easily when sleeping and always feel uneasy when sleeping.

3. Prone to diarrhea and gastrointestinal discomfort

The human gastrointestinal mucosa is also a line of defense for the immune system.

When the immune system is weak, it is very likely that pathogens will have the opportunity to enter the human body.

For example, when going out to eat, the food may indeed be unhygienic, and some people may be fine after eating it, but others may suffer from vomiting and diarrhea.

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4. Frequent illness, recurring

If you catch a cold, have a fever, or have a sore throat every now and then, and may not recover for a long time after being sick, it may also mean that your immunity may be poor.

5. Feeling listless and tired all the time

When the human immune system is not healthy enough, it may also cause chronic fatigue problems.

People easily feel weak and tired, and they don’t have the energy to move around even a little. This is also a sign of weak immunity.

03

Too strong immunity

It can also cause disease

Immunity is equivalent to the human body's "fighting power" in fighting against disease.

If the immunity is too low, the ability to resist disease becomes weaker, bacteria and viruses are more likely to infect the human body, and corresponding diseases are more likely to occur: such as colds, chills, influenza, infectious diseases, etc.

However, overly strong immunity can also cause disease.

The immune system works by relying on the body's immune response. If the immunity is too strong, the immune response will be stronger and the damage to cells will be greater.

For example, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid disease, and common allergies are actually related to excessive immunity.

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Therefore, if the body's immunity is too strong, it will not necessarily bring health. Instead, it may easily cause disease. Only when the body's immunity is at a stable and normal level can it better protect health.

04

Protect your immunity

Men and women have different priorities

The strength of an individual's immunity is determined by many factors. Based on the differences in immunity between men and women, in addition to factors such as diet, sleep, and exercise, it is recommended to make up for the deficiencies in a targeted manner from the following aspects.

Women: Pay attention to special periods and don’t take estrogen supplements randomly

Although estrogen helps maintain youthfulness and add "femininity", it is not recommended for individuals to supplement it at will.

Men: Get rid of bad habits and enhance health awareness

Men's immunity is inherently weak in some aspects, so they should start by improving their daily behavior, quitting bad habits such as smoking, drinking, staying up late, and increasing exercise appropriately.

We must take precautions against various infectious diseases and never hold the wrong idea that “if I’m in good health, I can get over it.”

Author: Shen Hui, Chief Physician, Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University

Review: Li Nannan Director of Hunan Science Writers Association Deputy Director of Research and Publicity Department of Hunan Science and Technology Association Second-level Researcher Chinese Science Writer (Medical)

Source: CCTV Life Circle

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