As the seasons change, the H1N1 influenza virus has become the dominant virus among influenza viruses. In addition to developing good hygiene habits, ensuring adequate sleep, and exercising regularly, "diet" is also an important means of improving the body's immunity.
Tea and Yogurt: Hydrating and Antiviral
When it comes to foods around us that can prevent the H1N1 flu, tea and yogurt top the list. In the dry autumn and winter, drinking more tea and yogurt not only replenishes fluids and maintains the normal secretion of respiratory mucous membranes, alleviating autumn dryness symptoms such as a sore throat and chapped lips, but also fights viruses and resists influenza.
Plums and Garlic: Preventing H1N1 Complications
Among the foods that resist the H1N1 flu, plums and garlic act as sterilization pioneers. They can prevent pneumonia, a complication of H1N1. After contracting H1N1, acute respiratory diseases can occur, which are largely related to excessive inflammation. The H1N1 virus invades the human body through the respiratory mucous membrane. At this point, if the inflammation exceeds a certain limit, after the virus recedes, the lungs can be attacked by a second wave of inflammation, leading to acute respiratory failure. Plums and garlic are rich in plant sterols, a substance that can reduce excessive inflammation in the body. If consumed in advance, it can prevent the worsening of inflammation.
Fruits, Vegetables, and Whole Grains: None Can Be Left Out
Experts recommend that eating more whole grains rich in high fiber and cellulose can also enhance resistance. Recently, 9 foods for fighting the flu introduced by the American MSNBC news network included high-fiber sweet potatoes, oats, and barley.
In addition, chicken soup, which can reduce phlegm and coughing; mushrooms, which promote white blood cells' resistance to infection; and fish and shellfish, which supplement selenium to help the blood produce antiviral cells, are all excellent foods for enhancing the body's immunity and preventing the flu.
Foreign Remedies for Fighting Disease
South Korea's "Chosun Ilbo" reported that data shows that kimchi has an excellent preventive effect against the H1N1 flu, the reason being that fermented foods contain bacteria that have a certain resistance to the H1N1 bacteria. Kimchi has also traveled across the ocean to become a popular food choice for Americans to prevent the flu. The American "Chicago Sun-Times" suggests that people have a bowl of kimchi soup with their meals every day, and even masks printed with "Napa Cabbage Kimchi" patterns have become a popular accessory on the streets of the U.S., which is mired in the H1N1 crisis. In addition to kimchi, red ginseng is also one of the secret weapons.