Nutrition expert Tim Spector has highlighted the important role our diet plays in fighting viruses and potentially preventing serious illnesses such as long-term illness. Covid. King’s College London professor and health app pioneer Zoe highlighted the intimate connection between our immune system and gut health, noting that inflammation can lead to major problems.

He highlighted the importance of a healthy gut microbiome for robust viral defense mechanisms and to prevent excessive immune responses associated with viruses in the long term. Covid complications. He said: “We now know that most of our immune system is in our gut and the way it receives its signals, and it understands what’s going on around it, is through the gut. The microbes are healthier, your gut microbes. »

“The more diverse they are, the better you will be able to control your immune system. And this means that it will react appropriately to, for example, a covid virus. He will try to kill him, but without overreacting and killing you. »

Professor Spector sounded the alarm about the dangers of poor diet, pointing out that “people who eat junk food are going to have an inflamed gut microbiome that is trying to put out fires everywhere. And so, when a real virus appears, it’s I can’t pin it down. So if you want to have the best immune system, you need to make sure your gut health is in the best way possible. I can’t stress plant diversity enough. food, and that means also avoid consuming ultra-processed foods and consume a lot of fiber there.

He warned that with pandemics becoming more frequent and severe, it is crucial that people think about their diet in anticipation of future outbreaks. The nutrition expert urged the public to cut certain foods from their diet, especially as the UK is now “Europe’s leader in the consumption of ultra-processed foods, with a staggering 57%.” of our daily food intake from these products.

Tim Spector described ultra-processed foods as “edible, food-like substances” created by removing beneficial components like fiber from real foods. “They take essential extracts from foods and combine them in different ways,” he said.

“They have to add glues, chemicals and additives to stick things together and make them look like food again.”

Professor Spector has stressed the importance of dietary diversity, recommending that individuals eat a variety of 30 plants per week and is a strong supporter of fermented foods like kefir for gut health. He noted that the benefits of these fermented choices are numerous: “In particular, they seem to support your immune system, which is so vital for fighting allergies, infections, cancer and aging, through their interaction with your bacteria resident intestinal tract. »

However, he warns against excessive consumption of processed versions: “But unfortunately, you can’t just have a pot of sugary, additive-rich yogurt once a week to get these benefits. You should choose good quality products and preferably eat them in the form of yogurt. small amounts several times a day. A clinical study in the United States found that people who ate four to five small servings of fermented foods each day had significant improvement in blood markers of inflammation and immune function after just two weeks. two servings per day will likely benefit you as well.