[Voice of Hope April 23, 2024](Editor: Li Wenhan) COVID-19, influenza A, influenza B, mycoplasma pneumonia…how many colds have you had in recent years? For people who often catch colds, their lungs may have been severely damaged. How can they be repaired quickly?
The authoritative journal “Nutrients” published a paper recommending diet to repair lung damage. There are 4 kinds of foods that can not only repair lung damage but also improve immunity and prevent you from catching colds in the future.
To nourish the lungs, we must start with the intestinal flora. This is because the health of the intestinal flora will directly affect the health of the lungs. This relationship between the intestines and lung health is called the lung-gut axis. The lungs and large intestine share modern biological foundations such as embryological homology, common mucosal immune system, and secretory function. The intestinal flora not only regulates the function of the gastrointestinal tract, but also affects respiratory health and disease. According to the lung-gut axis theory, intestinal microecological regulation has achieved good results in preventing and treating various respiratory diseases such as respiratory infections and asthma.
So what should you eat to regulate your lungs by regulating the intestinal flora? It is recommended that everyone eat four kinds of food regularly.
1. Oligosaccharide foods
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS), also known as fructooligosaccharides or fructooligosaccharides, are a type of oligosaccharides. As a natural ingredient, they are found in onions, garlic, chicory and other foods. Its sweetness is 0.3~0.6 times that of sucrose, and its sweetness is refreshing than sucrose. It has a low caloric value of about 7.8kJ/g, and it is a small molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber.
What does fructooligosaccharide do?
Improve intestinal flora:Fructooligosaccharides can be utilized and fermented by bifidobacteria, lactic acid bacteria, etc. in the colon, thereby significantly stimulating the production of colonic probiotics and improving the intestinal microecological environment;
Relieve constipation:Fructooligosaccharides can absorb water, dilute feces, and ferment to produce short-chain fatty acids, lower colon pH, stimulate colon movement, thereby promoting defecation;
Assist in lowering blood lipids:This effect is thought to be due to fructooligosaccharides improving intestinal flora.
After oligosaccharides reach the large intestine, they are used as a nutrient source by large intestinal microorganisms. In particular, fructooligosaccharides, stachyose, and maltose-oligosaccharides are selectively utilized by bifidobacteria in our intestines. This can help Bifidobacteria form dominant flora in the intestines. We know that bifidobacteria are beneficial bacteria. The proliferation of bifidobacteria can not only inhibit harmful bacteria, but also promote intestinal peristalsis, prevent and treat constipation, resist pathogenic bacterial infections, inhibit the formation of putrefactive substances in the intestines, and decompose carcinogens. Substances, producing vitamins, amino acids, improving immunity, etc.
When used in infants and pregnant women, the total amount of fructooligosaccharides should not exceed 6.45%. The usage range of fructooligosaccharides in approved health foods is 4~30g/day.
What are the main food sources rich in fructooligosaccharides? Foods rich in fructooligosaccharides mainly include onions, chicory, garlic, bananas, barley, wheat, oats, etc.
2. Fermented foods
Fermented foods are no stranger to everyone. Soy sauce, wine, vinegar, bacon, and pickles that we often encounter in life are all fermented foods. But did you know that for nutrition and health needs, everyone needs to consciously consume 1-2 fermented foods every day. Why should we eat more fermented foods?
Fermented food will undergo two changes after the fermentation of microorganisms:
Becomes easier to absorb:It turns out that some nutrients in fermented foods have smaller molecular weights, making them easier for the body to absorb and utilize.
Produce specific nutritional factors:The microbial fermentation process will also produce many new metabolites, which are nutrients that were not contained in the food raw materials originally used for fermentation. These microbial metabolites will become specific nutritional factors. For example, glutamine provides energy to the small intestinal mucosa, short-chain fatty acids provides energy substances to the colon mucosa, as well as linoleic acid, arginine, etc.
These two changes make fermented foods an essential source of nutrients for the human body.
There are two types of people who need to supplement fermented foods regularly:
Patients who are recovering from illness: Contributes to patient recovery.
Elderly people and women with weak or disordered gastrointestinal function:Fermented foods that have been decomposed by microorganisms have low molecular weight and have very low requirements on gastrointestinal digestion and absorption functions. At the same time, they provide very rich nutrients and are very suitable for these groups.
What fermented foods should we supplement daily? There are many types of fermented foods, including beans, milk, starch, fruits and vegetables, meat and other fermented foods. Conscious intake every day can keep the body’s functions in a healthy, balanced and energetic state.
3. Crude fiber foods
A fiber-rich diet not only alters the composition of the lung and intestinal microbiota (e.g., by altering the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes) but also protects against allergic inflammation by increasing circulating levels of short-chain fatty acids.
What are some foods rich in fiber?
Grains:Including rice, barley, corn, oats, wheat, buckwheat, rye, barley, etc.
Legumes:Including soybeans, black beans, red beans, mung beans, etc. and their products
Rhizome:Sweet potato, potato, taro
Vegetables:Celery, pumpkin, sauerkraut, lettuce, cauliflower, bean sprouts, potatoes and legumes
Fruits:Oranges, grapes, plums, raisins, figs, cherries, persimmons, apples, strawberries
other:Jelly, konjac
Flavonoids are a class of plant secondary metabolites that have been proven to have various health benefits such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Research findings. Ingestion of major flavonoids, including isoflavones, anthocyanins, flavones, and flavonols, may relieve symptoms in patients with asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.
Foods with high flavonoid content include celery, onions, berries such as blueberries, black, green and oolong tea, bananas, all citrus fruits, ginkgo, red wine, sea buckthorn and dark chocolate (containing more than 70% is better).
Protect your lungs and nourish your intestines with a customized diet
In addition to supplementing the six types of food, you can also choose a lung-protecting and intestinal-protecting diet plan in your daily life to repair your lungs by regulating the intestines.
A customized diet plan to protect the lungs and intestines needs to follow the following three rules:
Commonly eaten:Vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, potatoes, whole grains, herbs, spices, fish, seafood and extra virgin olive oil
Eat in moderation:Poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt
Eat less: Red meat, sugary drinks, added sugar, processed meats, refined grains, refined oils, and other highly processed foods
You can start by following the customized one-week diet recipe for protecting lungs and nourishing intestines, and you will see results if you stick to it for three weeks.
Editor in charge: Li Zhi
This article or program was edited and produced by Voice of Hope. When reprinting, please indicate Voice of Hope and include the original title and link.
Tags: kinds foods recommended authoritative authorities Repair respiratory system improve immunity Oligosaccharide foods Fermented foods Crude fiber foods Flavonoid foods Repair respiratory system Improve immunity
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