For a good protective effect, it should be consumed before the infection!
DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational purposes only. Kindly consult with your physician beforehand.
Winter is coming to many countries around the world, bringing with it the season of colds and viral diseases.
We already know that vaccination reduces the risk of severe and fatal cases of influenza and Covid, while a large study published in Nature Medicine, found that vaccinated people were only about 15% less likely to develop Long COVID than their unvaccinated, which has a very negative impact on the well-being and working capacity of a large segment of the population.
However, it’s worth mentioning that vaccinated patients have a reduced incidence of lung abnormalities and blood clotting (thrombosis) during Long Covid compared to unvaccinated people.
A recent Scottish study found that 42 percent of citizens recovered only partially within 6 to 18 months after infection. And 1 in 20 didn’t feel any improvement at all since the beginning of the disease.
The good news is that asymptomatic patients are less likely to have Long Covid symptoms than those who have had the mild to severe form of the disease.
But still, some asymptomatic Covid patients experience some or other symptoms of long Covid!
Lifestyle factors have a direct impact on the severity of viral diseases, particularly Covid:
- duration and quality of sleep
- unhealthy habits (smoking, alcohol abuse)
- diseases (prior respiratory diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, prediabetes, etc.)
- nutritional quality
- physical activity
In this article, I want to focus on the ability of certain foods to enhance the strength of our immune system.
I want to share with you the great findings provided by Mau Bhattacharyya and colleagues, which shows the ability of raw garlic to increase immune proteins called interferons by 5 times!
And here’s why it’s a very useful finding
Another study has shown that elevated levels of interferon type I in early stage of coronavirus infection limit disease progression by limiting SARS-CoV-2 in the host.
Interferons are proteins released by the body when a virus enters it to prevent the virus from entering and multiplying in the cells of the body.
I highlighted the phrase “in the early stages” of the disease for a reason.
Interferons are essentially immune guards that protect our body from the entry of viruses into the lower respiratory tracts ( the larynx, trachea, and bronchi).
If the number of this immune army is low before viruses invade, then the risk of getting sick with symptomatic forms of infection is very high.
Another good thing about garlic is that it helps to increase the number of endogenous immune proteins, that is, those produced by the body itself, which cuts down the risk of side effects.
Garlic is also one of the most effective natural sources of prebiotics, thanks to its high content of inulin.
Prebiotics are food substances that selectively stimulate the growth and biological activity of protective intestinal microflora.
Scientists are finding more and more evidence that there is a direct link between gut microflora and lung immunity.
Additionally, prebiotics themselves have a very positive effect on the immune system that is independent of gut microflora.
Although you can get garlic inulin from cooked foods such as soup, you can get the immune interferon booster only from raw garlic.
This is not an option for those who have digestive problems (consult your doctor about this).
The good news is that according to scientists for a healthy person, it is enough to eat only 2 grams of raw garlic to increase the level of interferons by 5 times.
This effect lasted at least 4 hours.
“The chronic eating of garlic was found to maintain IFN-alpha at high levels for at least 7 days”.
You can also combine raw and cooked garlic, thereby strengthening the immune system on different levels, from the mucous lining of the upper respiratory tract to the lungs and intestines.
Conclusion
The potential of this available vegetable is astounding and needs to be further studied.
Regular consumption of just 2 grams of raw garlic can increase human endogenous interferon levels by 500%, thereby increasing the immune system’s resistance to viral diseases.
However, eating garlic is not enough for maximum protection against viral diseases. It will not save you from getting infected. But its regular consumption before infection can increase the protective function of your immune system in the fight against the disease!
Nevertheless, for maximum protection against viral infection, you should also strive to follow the other aspects, such as wearing masks in public places, vaccinations, sufficient ventilation, treatment of related diseases, and others.
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