COVID – 19 Advisory – Diet & Wellness Tips

Rajan Mahendra is on the Advisory Board of Anvayaa and he is also Founder of aarogyahaar.com. promoting therapeutic nutrition for reversal of diseases. He has clinically practiced food as medicine for 6 years now, treating over 15000 patients worldwide helping them reverse over 75 diseases - metabolic, autoimmune etc.

We are passing on his advice to all our members’ through our website as below.

Covid 19 - (Corona Virus infectious disease 2019). Corona virus is a SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus, which means it causes respiratory distress by binding to ACE 2 receptors in the lungs.

People at risk are those older than 70, and/or those having pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, COPD and other immune compromised situations and those who may have been exposed to infected patients. HTN patients who are on ACE inhibitors may be better off taking alternatives till the infection risk is mitigated.

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Commonly known tips

Smoking and alcohol to be avoided.
We should avoid touching our face frequently.
Check our ability to inhale and hold breath for 30 to 60 seconds. (Do this test 3 to 4 times everyday if you are in high risk zone and at least once every day if you are in less risk zone).
Social distancing is essential to prevent and flatten the curve of infection spreading.
Wash hands frequently with soap water. Soap will dissolve the lipid layer of the virus and make it incapable of transmission.

Other tips that will help

Inhaling Steam and drinking hot water and beverages 3 to 4 times a day is useful. The virus is also susceptible to high temperatures (presumably 56 degrees Celsius).
Finely chopped garlic in 1 tsp of honey will improve lung capacity.

It is extremely important to have good immunity that can make Virus incapable of damaging us. Unarguably the most important thing is to improve immunity. How do we do that?

Vitamins: Vitamin A, vitamin D, Vitamin C, Zinc are the most important nutrients from an infection perspective. Foods rich in these nutrients and sunlight are our best friends at this time.
Gut healing foods: fiber, ghee, coconut oil, fermented foods such as curd, pickles etc. Gut microbiome plays an important role in the immune system; hence we need to maintain a healthy microbiome.
Traditional Indian Herbs: Neem, Tulsi, Amla, Ginger, Cinnamon, Pepper, Haldi. These work as antibiotics and antivirals.
Relaxation & Sleep: Absolutely important. Meditation or Mindfulness are excellent strategies to adopt. 🡪 Sleep is activated by melatonin, (low in aged people so no wonder they are at high risk) which in turn is activated by serotonin (the feel good hormone - importance of relaxation) and tryptophan rich foods.
Avoid Refined Carbohydrates & Sugars: These are enemies because sugar competes with Vitamin C for absorption and renders it ineffective. They also activate stress hormone cortisol.

More about our immune system – It is the defence force of our body fighting invading pathogens and neutralising toxins. There are three types of forces

Innate Immunity (which has in built defence mechanism against pathogens present from birth)
Adaptive Immunity (which responds to pathogens that are exposed to in our lifetime) and
Complement System (Proteins present in our blood that form complexes to destroy pathogens).

“Now let us see the arsenal that we can provide to our immune system to undertake their defence activity and list the foods that provide these nutrients”

Vitamin C (Citrus fruits, Amla, Papaya, Pineapple, Bell peppers etc)

Used in the synthesis of collagen - structural barrier for protection of tissues and cells
Promotes production, function and movement of WBCs
Increases the complement proteins
Antioxidant that prevents damage due to free radicals created by metabolic processes and immune activity
Activates other antioxidants such as Glutathione and Vitamin E
Involved in self-destruction of damaged cells and clearance of the debris that arises in the defence mechanisms.
Increases antibodies

Vitamin D (sunlight between 10 am to 2 pm – expose bare skin till warm)

Helps in working of innate immune cells
Helps in conversion of monocytes to macrophages which are responsible for removal of the infectious debris
Helps in proliferation of immune cells and production of cytokines (the ammunition)
Regulates the antimicrobial proteins

Vitamin A (Orange and yellow coloured vegetables and fruits – Carrot, Mango, Cow milk etc)

Helps in maintaining structural integrity of mucosal cells of innate barriers such as skin, respiratory tract etc
Necessary for functioning of T and B cells for antibody response against the pathogens
Involved in development of helper T cells

Vitamin E (Nuts and Dry fruits)

Fat soluble antioxidant
Protects integrity of cell membrane from damage caused by free radicals
Enhances IL- 2 production and enhances NK cell activity
Enhances T cell activity and proliferation of WBC’s

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxal 5 Phosphate) (free range Eggs, Poultry)

Regulates inflammation, cytokine production and NK cell activity and antibodies production
Involved in synthesis of amino acids

Vitamin B12 (methyl cobalaamine) Fermented foods like kanji etc)

Helps in NK cell functioning
Facilitates production of T cells
Involved in carbohydrate metabolism preventing cell death of immune system

Folate (Green leafy vegetables)

Maintains NK cells
Important for antibody response and T helper cells response

Zinc (Seeds, Nuts, Free range eggs, Grass fed Meat)

Antioxidant
Modulates cytokine release
Helps maintain mucosal membrane integrity
Supports T helper cells response

Iron (Green Leafy, Dates, Jaggery, Poha, Murmura, Pumpkin seeds, Grass fed Meat)

Involved in regulation and of cytokine production and action
Component of enzyme critical for functioning of immune cells
Involved in generation of free radicals that kill pathogens

Copper (Cashews, Liver, Mushrooms, Dark chocolate)

Important for production and action of IL-2
Free radical scavenger
Has role in T cell proliferation and antibody production

Selenium (Brazil nut)

Regulates free radicals
Effects leukocytes and NK cell function
Has role in immunoglobulin production

Tyrptophan (Milk, Spinach, Seeds, Nuts, Dark chocolate, Banana etc)

Regulates production of serotonin and melatonin
Relaxation and distressing

The best approach to improve immunity is to take up fasting. Intermittently fast – once a week, twice a week, time restricted eating within 8 hrs in a day etc

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