With the relaxing of restrictions this week, doctors fear that the number of cases will severely spike again to levels achieved in early February, leading to around 12,000 new cases everyday to start off March despite a roll-out of 6,500,000 vaccines across the UK.What can Londeners do to help reduce the spread of coronavirus between loved ones? Here are 3 Top Tips.
Tip 1: Lots of water and hot liquids
Water boosts the immune response of the body by providing necessary supplements for cells to fight against pathogens. Water also helps to excrete waste products, getting rid of toxic chemicals in the body.
Hot liquids like tea and coffee are preferred as it creates an uncomfortable atmosphere for bacteria, soothing the throat and nose (when inhaled as a vapour) to reduce the pain from sore throats and runny noses as shown in this study of 30 people. This is due to the liquid acting as a lubricator to promote salivation in the passageways.
Tip 2: Fruits and Vegetables
There are various fruits and vegetables that can aid your immune defensive response because they contain minerals and vitamins capable of defending the body. Research has shown that citrus fruits like lemons and kiwis are rich in Vitamin C and anthocyanin, a flavonoid, improving the functions of the body and its ability to respond to infection. In addition to this, other fruits such as mangoes, pineapples and grapes all contain vital antioxidants and minerals (magnesium, potassium, mangiferin, zinc) which boost the overall performance of the body so you feel more positive when infected.
One easy way these fruits are taken into the body is a smoothie. Although the amount of natural sugars present in the body increases, the amount of beneficial nutrients are easily fed into the body for efficient immune defence against the coronavirus strains.
Tip 3: Alligator Pepper and Bitter Kola
Alligator pepper is a West African spice made from the seeds and seed pods of the plant Afromomum danielli (a member of the ginger family). It was an effective ingredient used by the Igbo tribe in Biafra during the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2021 as a remedy for coronavirus as it had a high concentration of antioxidants and immune-boosting substances that increases the concentration of white blood cells in the blood by 39%, making the body less prone to infection.
Kola nut (or bitter kola) was another plant commonly grown and used in Central and West Africa, containing vitamin C, calcium, potassium and iron. Both plants were used as celebratory gifts in the Igbo culture and, upon talking with Dr. Ike Emelandu, a researcher studying the complications of coronavirus in the British Virgin Islands, can increase the ‘level of protection in the body so that it tackles foreign pathogens’. There are many stores such as Ades and Eko Food Market in London that sell these plants at affordable prices, giving Londoners a chance to protect themselves from the rampant virus we all know so well.
