Kimchi, tomato, garlic … 10 foods (and a tip) to strengthen your immune system now that you finally hit the streets

In addition to keep social distance, not touching your face, wearing a mask and washing your hands often, having well-honed defenses can help you escape from the occasional infection during the coronavirus de-escalation. Do you want to know how hone your defenses? Well follow proper habits (such as exercising) and fill your pantry food for deconfusion as kimchi, garlic, onions, tomatoes and watermelon, they will help you get it.

The best foods against stress and anxiety

Trick 1. Get (right now) to exercise

Practice exercise outdoors (Even if it's just brisk walking for half an hour) it helps strengthen defenses in multiple ways. One of them, very interesting at the moment, is that it is suspected that it can help remove bacteria from the lungs and airways. In addition, exercising regularly decreases the secretion of stress hormones, one of the risk factors that weaken the immune system.

Trick 2. Pamper your gut with kimchi and yogurt

Scientists of the Brown university They marked a direct line between the bacterial flora that lives in our intestines and our immune system and it is our responsibility that the most beneficial strains for health thrive within us and that the most harmful ones do not. How can we achieve this goal? Feeding the good bacteria what they like the most: foods rich in fiber (fruits, vegetables and legumes), water in sufficient quantity and a plus of probiotic foods. If you want to get exotic, try kimchi (a dish that uses the technique of fermenting vegetables such as salted turnip, cucumber, Chinese cabbage to which a sauce with garlic, ginger or chili is added) and if you don't want to complicate your life , buy a good natural yogurt (and forget to add sugar or honey).

Trick 3. Fill your pantry with garlic, leeks and onions: they are superfoods

Although we already know that no food has magical powers, some are much more beneficial to our immune system than others. And on that list are without a doubt garlic, onions and leeks, because they are rich in a plant compound called allicin. Numerous studies have verified that the organosulfur compounds that come from the Allium family (which is the family to which garlic, leeks and onion belong) possess beneficial effects on the immune system and inflammatory processes. And of all these compounds, allicin is the most studied and the one with the most evidence that it strengthens our defenses.

Trick 4. Take advantage of the power of sofrito: combine tomato and extra virgin olive oil

Yes combines the power of onion with that of cooked tomato and that of a splash of extra virgin olive oil, not only does you get a good base for your dishes to be delicious, it is a delight for your defenses. The tomato is rich in antioxidants that release all its power with the heat of cooking. Raw tomato is a vitamin C bomb, but when cooked it becomes the best ally of one of the most beneficial microbiotic strains of those that live in our intestine (Lactobacillus reuteri) and that translates into well-fed defenses.

Trick 5. Don't forget about vitamin C in summer: go for watermelon and melon

You think about vitamin C and you go crazy for oranges, tangerines, lemons … Well, your defenses need vitamin C all year round, not only when oranges are in season. An easy tip to follow because at last two must-haves of heat come into our lives melon and watermelon, rich in vitamin C. Use them as dessert in all your meals.

Trick 6. Use natural nuts to get vitamin E

All nuts have a good dose of vitamin E, but the champions are the almonds that provide 24 mg of this powerful antioxidant in just 1o0 g. If they are not your favorites you can choose as a healthy snack hazelnuts or pine nuts, yes, consume your nuts naturally, neither fried nor salty.