Fasting Could Boost Immune System, Fight Coronavirus: Expert

An official at the Health Ministry’s Iranian Medicine Office has made a series of recommendations for strengthening the body’s immune system amid the outbreak of a novel coronavirus, stressing the need to observe personal hygiene in order to minimizing the risk of infection.

In an interview with ISNA, Dr. Alireza Abbasian said “medical fasting” would reduce the daily intake of food and calories by up to 20 percent than the normal diet.

“By boosting the immune system and decreasing the inflammation (of body organs), this method could result in the improvement of performance of the body’s immune system against external pathogens, which is why we advise people to exercise this method (medical fasting) these days,” he explained.

Abbasian also recommended avoiding ingredients like pickles, pungent spices such as red pepper and mustard, as well as salty foods like salty nuts and pickled cucumber.

“People had better limit the intake of yoghurt, tomatoes, bananas, dough foods and stodgy dishes,” he added.

The Iranian traditional medicine expert also noted that people can strengthen their immune system by eating succulent stews containing fresh vegetables, prune, and barberry, as well as squash stew, green bean stew, okra, and pumpkin.

Abbasian finally highlighted the major role of spices and medicinal plants in strengthening the body’s immune system, such as thyme, cinnamon, fennel flower, turmeric, Stachys lavandulifolia, viper’s bugloss, German chamomile, saffron, cardamom, rosemary, and dianthus.