In the first DGA released at the time of a global pandemic, you would think that COVID-19 would get some broadcast time. Unfortunately, he only got one phrase. I know most of us are ready to see coronavirus in our rearview mirrors, but it’s not history (yet).
The past 10 months have made us discover in real time, linking preventable nutritional issues (e.g., vitamin D deficiency) with COVID-19. And considering immunity is a top priority, I think it’s a miss Diet management he did not take the opportunity to tell Americans about the links between nutrition and immune function. The single reference in the DGA explains, “people living with diet-related illnesses and diseases are at increased risk of serious illness from modern coronavirus.”
I do understand, however, that the DGAC (remember, they wrote the 835-page Scientific Report to inform the DGA much more succinctly) adds more color to the issue, calling the out of two parallel pandemics in our country: “These parallel pandemics, one non-infectious (obesity and diet-related harmful diseases) and one infectious (COVID-19), appear to be. ”
Schneeman explains that the committee had a timely, timely challenge: “The COVID-19 pandemic emerged as the committee moved into the final stages of operation.” She added, “As a committee, we have been struck by the vulnerability of those with diet-related breast diseases (eg obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease) to the worst outcomes from diseases associated with diabetes. virus. In addition, the complications caused by the pandemic have caused food insecurity and hunger, increasing the challenges of making healthy diet choices. ”
DGAC member Regan Bailey, Ph.D., MPH, RD, builds on this paradox, saying that while “nutrition is essential for the protection and fight against pathogens, both malnutrition and malnutrition can adversely affect immune activity. ” (Bailey is a Professor in the Department of Nutritional Science at Purdue University, as well as the Director of the Purdue Diet Assessment Center.)
At mindbodygreen, we recently studied malnutrition in the complex problem of food insecurity, as well as nutritional overload (and unhealthy nutritional patterns) in the interaction between metabolic health and immunity.
Based on these insights, I believe that adopting healthy nutrition patterns, supporting food security initiatives, addressing nutritional gaps, and increasing other lifestyle factors (e.g., activity physical, sleep, etc.) are powerful tools that we can choose to pull to improve metabolic health, and thus our immune system.
Indeed, DGAC member Linda Van Horn, Ph.D., RDN, LD, Professor of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University, and Head of the Department of Nutrition at Feinberg School of Medicine, confirms that, “now more than It has always been, as important as it is Healthy eating, weight control, and prevention of both cardiometabolic and infectious diseases is a worldwide recognized goal. ”
Ultimately, dive deeper into the nutritional / immune system relationship in the Diet management was taken to the next round (2025-2030). Meanwhile, Donovan shares that vision of action: “a healthy immune system relies on adequate intake of nutrients, proteins, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (especially omega-3s) , vitamins (eg, vitamin C and the soluble fat. vitamins A, D and E), and minerals (eg, iron and zinc). ”
In addition to these macro- and micronutrients, Donovan explains, “it is from whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables, that they provide dietary fiber and phytonutrients that are beneficial to the gut gut. and protective action. ”