How can we take care of ourselves naturally during this period of confinement? An article inspired by Dr Jean-Paul Curtay, nutritherapist and passionate about food and its close links with health.
Get moving!
This content is part of the guide Blooness, the guide to the ideal human diet, the summary of which you can find here 🌱🥑
Today, I'd like to introduce you to the first major rule of healthy living to be implemented during this long period of health insecurity, which is essential to the survival of our health capital.
We're all on the lookout for the slightest sneeze or a poorly positioned mask. Instead, we need to think about the best way to strengthen our body's immune defences. It starts with physical fitness!
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What kind of sportsman are you?
Don't use confinement as an excuse to give up fitness!
I don't want any self-justification for not going for a run or doing a few sets of abs! Whatever your level or ability, it's important to maintain your muscles.
Yes, very important because you may not know it, but they are the reservoirs of our white blood cells. These famous immune cells that stand up to external aggression (pollutants, viruses, bacteria, etc.). And, of course, against the SARS COv2 virus, the cause of the Covid-19 epidemic.
Your muscles contain an amino acid called "glutamine" which, together with white blood cells, fights infection. As you can see, the more you build up your muscles, the greater your reservoir of immune defenses.
This explains why people suffering from inflammatory or infectious pathologies lose muscle mass: apart from the fact that it melts away because they obviously can't do sport when they're ill, they also use it to defend yourself.
As a result, when a new intruder appears on the scene, the body finds itself depleted of glutamine and white blood cells. Similarly, the elderly, who let their muscles melt away, are left with weakened defenses.
The power of mitochondria
In addition to strengthening muscles, physical activity leads to the multiplication of mitochondria! What are they? our cells' mini power plants. There are thousands of them in every cell.
Among other functions, they supply the energy needed to multiplication of antibodies and white blood cells. This creates a real bulwark against inflammation.
The importance of breathing
Getting the most out of our respiratory capacity is hyper-important when practicing a sport. Yet all too often, we under-exploit it. As a result, our breathing accelerates, reducing the quality of gaseous exchanges.
Reduced oxygen uptake reduces white blood cell production. That's why it's so important to work on your breathing during physical effort.
Oxygenation is essential in our fight against the virus. Remember: sport is the official supplier of immune energy.
In a nutshell, exercise combined with good oxygenation stimulates the formation and activity of mitochondria, increasing the chances of fighting inflammation. Push-ups and squats are just around the corner, and the covid has better things to do!
Good to know. Several studies have shown that a walk in the woods develops a certain category of white blood cells, the Natural Killer! They owe their nickname to their great efficiency in killing retroviruses such as HIV and coronavirus. And thus SARS COv-2. So, if you can, go and do your squats in the forest!
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