How being active and eating well alleviates the bird flu
Exercises and foods that can help keep your body strong during a sickly time.
It’s no surprise that many university students are sick right now. As many students are on campus every day and the weather is changing, students face the risk of catching various viruses.
Avian influenza, also known as the bird flu, is often found to infect birds and animals first before humans. While it is rare for humans to catch the bird flu, it’s not impossible. It may be hard for students to determine whether they have the bird flu because the symptoms parallel a normal cold: fever, sore throat, fatigue, cough, etc.
The bird flu
Cleveland Clinic clarifies that individuals can only be infected by the bird flu by coming in contact with infected birds or animals, their saliva, bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, or feces. However, it’s especially important that students walking through campus trails be careful around animal habitats as small dust particles may come in contact with their eyes, nose, or mouth and still cause an infection.
If someone has recently visited an animal habitat or feels that their flu symptoms are peculiar—for example, pink eyes, shortness of breath, diarrhea, or nausea and vomiting—it’s vital that they visit a doctor and conduct a swab test. Unlike a normal flu, avian influenza may result in brain swelling, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, and a few other detrimental health effects, which is why it’s crucial that students see a doctor urgently.
Exercise and diet
Although it’s difficult to take care of one’s body while infected with the bird flu, preemptive measures may help alleviate some of the symptoms, including proper exercise and a nutritional diet.
Exercise isn’t simply an act of staying fit. It’s proven to help quell many viruses. According to a research paper by Sports Medicine, physical activity aids the respiratory system to expel any inflammatory viruses. An article by The National Library of Medicine explains that by exercising, students activate a level of stress hormones that reduce excessive inflammation.
Exercise also increases the concentration of white blood cells, which are known to be at constant war in our bodies fighting against all illnesses and diseases. Strong immunity is vital to staying healthy, which is why physical activity is essential to maintaining high concentration levels of white blood cells.
Eating healthily is just as vital as exercising consistently. A failure to eat an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals may reduce the availability of important immune cells that help alleviate flu symptoms.
Foods rich in vitamin D, C, A, E, B6 and B12 are recommended for every meal. Fish, especially tuna and salmon, including egg yolk and fatty cheeses, are prime examples of vitamins D and A. On the other hand, cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and broccoli, kiwi, and citrus fruits are a few examples of foods enriched with vitamin C.
Using vegetable, olive, or sunflower oil when cooking and eating basil, hazelnuts, or avocados is a way for students to include vitamin E into their diet. Vitamin B6 can be found in whole grains and liver. Similarly, students can eat aged cheeses, fish, and milk to complete their B12 intake.
Berries, nuts and seeds, shellfish, eggs, yogurt, and cheese are all great ways of adding minerals to a diet. These suggestions are a few of the options available for students, but they are a first step for all students to ensure that their dietary needs are met.
When these needs are met, symptoms such as respiratory infections and inflammations are reduced. Furthermore, various immune cells strengthen, heightening their ability to combat virus cells. As the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada explains, an abundance of vitamins and minerals ensures that the body is nourished and hydrated, which is crucial during an illness when it may be difficult to consume food.
When students choose to exercise and eat nutritionally, not only are they enabling themselves to stay healthy, but they also ensure that their bodies are ready to combat any viruses roaming the air amid the flu season.
