Food and nutrition during self-quarantine: what to choose and how to eat healthily.

WHO/Europe has published a new guide on how to eat healthily during the COVID-19 self-quarantine. It contains valuable information about nutrition to help keep the immune system strong. It also has tips for a diet that supports good health while many of us are advised to stay at home and may have fewer opportunities to consume fresh foods and be physically active.


Today, while governments are taking stronger measures to tackle the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are being temporarily closed, and newswires are full of information about the disease. In some countries, restaurants and take-away offers are being limited and some items in supermarkets are becoming less available.

Limited access to fresh foods may lead to increased consumption of highly processed foods, which tend to be high in fats, sugars, and salt. Such changes in eating behavior could have a negative effect on the immune system, overall physical and mental health, and the well-being of individuals globally.
The newly published WHO/Europe nutrition guidance explains how to be strategic while buying and using ingredients, and how to follow safe food handling practices and limit salt, sugar and fat intake. The publication also includes a list of food items, including canned products, with a high nutritional value which are generally affordable, accessible and have a long shelf-life.

Nutrition is the only factor essential for staying healthy during self-quarantine.

15 Foods That Boost the Immune System

 1. Citrus fruits

Most people turn to vitamin C after they've caught a cold. That’s because it helps build up your immune system. Vitamin C is thought to increase the production of white blood cells. These are key to fighting infections.
Popular citrus fruits include: grapefruit, oranges,tangerines,lemons,limes,amla (gooseberry).
Because your body doesn't produce or store it, you need daily vitamin C for continued health. Almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C.

2. Red bell peppers

red bell peppers contain twice as much vitamin C as citrus. They’re also a rich source of beta carotene. Besides boosting your immune system, vitamin C may help maintain healthy skin. Beta carotene helps keep your eyes and skin healthy.

3. Broccoli

Broccoli is supercharged with vitamins and minerals. Packed with vitamins A, C, and E, as well as many other antioxidants and fiber, broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables.

4. Garlic

Garlic is found in almost every cuisine in the world. Early civilizations recognized their value in fighting infections. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative HealthTrusted Source, garlic may also help lower blood pressure and slow down the hardening of the arteries. Garlic’s immune-boosting properties seem to come from a heavy concentration of sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin.

5. Ginger

Ginger is another ingredient many turns to after getting sick. Ginger may help decrease inflammation, which can help reduce a sore throat and other inflammatory illnesses. Ginger may also help decrease nausea.
While it's used in many sweet desserts, ginger packs some heat in the form of gingerol, a relative of capsaicin. Ginger may help decrease chronic pain and may possess cholesterol-lowering properties.

6. Spinach

Spinach made our list not just because it's rich in vitamin C. It's also packed with numerous antioxidants and beta carotene, which may increase the infection-fighting ability of our immune systems. Similar to broccoli, spinach is healthiest when it’s cooked as little as possible so that it retains its nutrients. However, light cooking enhances its vitamin A and allows other nutrients to be released from oxalic acid.

7. Yogurt

Look for yogurts that have "live and active cultures" printed on the label, like Greek yogurt. These cultures may stimulate your immune system to help fight diseases. Yogurt can also be a great source of vitamin D, so try to select brands fortified with vitamin D. Vitamin D helps regulate the immune system and is thought to boost our body’s natural defenses against diseases.
8. Almonds
When it comes to preventing and fighting off colds, vitamin E tends to take a backseat to vitamin C. However, vitamin E is key to a healthy immune system. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it requires the presence of fat to be absorbed properly. Nuts, such as almonds, are packed with the vitamin and also have healthy fats.

9. Turmeric

You may know turmeric as a key ingredient in many curries. But this bright yellow, bitter spice has also been used for years as an anti-inflammatory in treating both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can also help to decrease exercise-induced muscle damage.

10. Green tea

Both green and black teas are packed with flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Where green tea really excels is in its levels of epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, another powerful antioxidant. EGCG has been shown to enhance immune function. Green tea, on the other hand, is steamed and not fermented, so the EGCG is preserved.Green tea is also a good source of the amino acid L-theanine. L-theanine may aid in the production of germ-fighting compounds in your T-cells.

11. Papaya

Papaya is another fruit loaded with vitamin C.  Papayas also has a digestive enzyme called papain that has anti-inflammatory effects.Papayas have decent amounts of potassium, B vitamins, and folate, all of which are beneficial to your overall health.

12. Kiwi

Like papayas, kiwis are naturally full of a ton of essential nutrients, including folate, potassium, vitamin K, and vitamin C. Vitamin C boosts white blood cells to fight infection, while kiwi’s other nutrients keep the rest of your body functioning properly.

13. Poultry

When you’re sick, chicken soup is more than just a feel-good food with a placebo effect. It helps improve symptoms of a cold and also helps protect you from getting sick in the first place. Poultry, such as chicken and turkey, is high in vitamin B-6.
Vitamin B-6 is an important player in many of the chemical reactions that happen in the body. It’s also vital to the formation of new and healthy red blood cells. Stock or broth made by boiling chicken bones contains gelatin, chondroitin, and other nutrients helpful for gut healing and immunity.

14. Sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds are full of nutrients, including phosphorous, magnesium, and vitamin B-6. They’re also incredibly high in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin E is important in regulating and maintaining immune system function. Other foods with high amounts of vitamin E include avocados and dark leafy greens.

15. Tulsi

This green leafy plant, also known as Ocimum sanctum L. and tulsi, is native to Southeast Asia. It has a history within Indian medicine as a treatment for many conditions, from eye diseases to ringworms.From the leaves to the seed, tulsi is considered a tonic for the body, mind, and spirit. Different parts of the plant are recommended for treating different conditions:

• Use its fresh flowers for bronchitis. 
• Use the leaves and seeds, with black pepper, for malaria. 
• Use the whole plant for diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.