One of the causes of infection can sometimes be a poor diet, with a preference for highly refined foods, such as pastries, and sugar, at the expense of foods containing the vitamins and minerals necessary to mobilise the body's natural defences.
Resistance to infections is also reduced:
- fatigue,
- stress,
- smoking,
- alcohol abuse.
In order to avoid a sore throat, it is important to provide the body with the necessary amounts of vitamin D - found, for example, in oily fish - and vitamin E present in olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocado fruit.
These vitamins, together with the essential fatty acids found in vegetable and fish oils, are essential for the body - their deficiency causes the immune system to start malfunctioning
A deficiency of vitamin C can also increase the susceptibility to infection. Excellent sources of this vitamin are:
- blackcurrants,
- oranges
- strawberries,
- red peppers and watercress.
The formation of antibodies requires iron, which is obtained by the body from products such as liver, sesame seeds and bread.
A severe sore throat can be relieved by eating yellow or orange-coloured fruits and vegetables, such as apricots and carrots, and dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach.
