In an earlier article under this column, I tackled the issue about 2019 Novel nCoV echoing findings by researchers for Filipinos strictly warning them from eating wild animals such as Bats! As these animals meat has been reported to be “host” of the now infamous COVD-2019, erstwhile known as nCoronavirus!
In this column and having been doing intently readings about Advisories from concerned government agencies based on verified findings by researchers, I wish to quote Agriculture Secretary William Dar’s advise to Filipinos “. . . to do their part in strengthening their immune system . . . (by eating) native nutritious fruits and vegetables that are known to help the body fight off diseases. Let us try to consume more to boost our health . . .more so now , with the outbreak of the 2019 nCoV”. This is so, while we await the results of the medical researchers, of the world, trying to discover treatment protocol and vaccine against the deadly virus.
Thus, Vitamin C rich fruits (orange and guava families, etc.,) and veggies like malunggay leaves that contain 27% Vitamin A and 22 percent Vitamin C, which is equivalent to eating 7 pieces of orange. Among the Vitamin C rich farm crops include papaya, strawberries, bell pepper, broccoli, and citrus fruits (calamansi and dayap). Vitamin C is top in the list of immune boosters as it has anti-viral and anti-bacterial compounds. Other immune boosters are Garlic, because of its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties; honey also has antibacterial properties for cold, flu, and sore throat; Lagundi (one of the NRCP-funded researches), has been scientifically proven to be effective against cough, colds, and fever; Asthma plant or “tawa-tawa” is rich in Vitamin A, potassium, calcium, and Vitamin C, especially proven for upper respiratory system and increasing the blood plantlet count; and, Serpentina known for its anti-viral and antibiotic compounds, therefore, recommended to treat cough and colds as well as expectorant helping prompt release of mucus lodged in the respiratory system.
If only for the vegetables- and fruits-eating rural population of the Philippines, I can speak of the upland barangays population of Burauen, Leyte, whose diet are mainly backyard vegetables, e.g. malunggay, sweet potato tops, eggplant, stringbeans, etc ., freshwater fish and shellfish and occasional taste of meat, they/we could be the lest vulnerables from the 2019 nCoV threat. This, plus the fact that they are mostly farmers whose bodies are exposed to rigors of farming, make the Burawanons able to resist respiratory infecting diseases.
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