To spice up the immune system against influenza-like illnesses (ILI), which have seen a spike in some areas of the country, it is necessary to get enough sleep and take supplements like vitamin C, in accordance with an Emmy Award–winning host and naturopathic doctor.
“Sleep is the best way we give our immune system a probability to fight back,” Dr. James Rouse, an American award-winning host, producer, and naturopathic doctor, told reporters throughout the Healthy Options Philippines forum on Tuesday in Manila.
“Sleep is where every little thing involves life, particularly your natural killer cells. Your natural killer cells are what fight viruses and bacteria,” Mr. Rouse said.
At the very least seven hours of quality sleep is the really helpful duration for everybody, no matter age, in accordance with Harvard Medical School. This enables the body to completely recuperate and helps prevent high-risk diseases resembling diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.
Nonetheless, most Filipinos (56%) sleep a median of only six and a half hours a day, making the country essentially the most sleep-deprived in Asia and the fourth most on the planet, in accordance with a 2023 study by consumer research and data analytics company Milieu Insight.
Given Filipino’s lack of sleep, Mr. Rouse really helpful reducing sugar intake, noting that it paralyzes the body’s natural killer cells — the body’s first line of defense against infections.
“Consider it this fashion, the front line of your army is your natural killer cells,” Mr. Rouse said.
“If you’ve a variety of sugar in your food plan, those soldiers are asleep, and viruses and bacteria can just run over you. So, it’s very necessary to cut back sugar,” he added.
Mr. Rouse also really helpful taking an adequate amount of vitamin C, either through food or complement intake, to spice up the body’s immune system against diseases like ILI.
The Department of Health said ILIs are severe infections brought on by viruses resembling Influenza A and B, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and Rhinovirus.
The country’s total cases of ILI reached 6,547 from Sept. 28 to Oct. 11, a 25% decrease from 8,628 in the identical period last 12 months, in accordance with an announcement from the DOH.
Some areas, resembling Quezon Province, reported a 149% spike in cases, with 2,887 recorded from January 1 to October 20 this 12 months, in comparison with 1,157 in the identical period last 12 months, in accordance with the province’s health office.
Nonetheless, the DOH clarified that there is no such thing as a outbreak, and the country is just experiencing the flu season.
Despite lower cases, strict preventive measures, resembling handwashing and wearing a face mask when symptomatic, are still essential to avoid illness. — Edg Adrian A. Eva