Holistic dietitian believes certain nutrients, vitamins can help fight COVID-19
HOUSTON - Even outside a pandemic, this is the time of year when it makes good sense to boost your immune system with vitamins and nutrients, and there are some health experts who believe you can also lessen the impact of COVID-19.
Krystal Hammett a holistic dietitian and nutritionist believes specific nutrients can make a difference.
"In the past year we have really been able to conduct more studies, see more benefits these nutrients have to offer, so really your top 5 you are looking at are Vitamin D, Zinc, Quercetin, NAC and Vitamin C. These have continued to show positive results in stopping the viral acquisition, shortening that viral replication, and really helping with recovery," she says.
MORE: Where to get a COVID-19 test
Each nutrient has its own benefits. Hammet believes that Vitamin D and Zinc are the most essential.
"If you are not finding Zinc, if it’s hard to find in shelves, you can definitely find it in a multivitamin. Some foods that are high in Zinc are oysters, cashews, chickpeas, and pumpkin seeds as well," she suggests
According to a study published by Mayo Clinic, Vitamin D didn’t reduce the length of the hospital stay or mortality rates when compared to those given a placebo, but another study found that those who had a vitamin D deficiency were more likely to test positive for the virus that causes COVID-19 than people who had normal levels of Vitamin D.
READ MORE: The Coronavirus in Texas
Vitamins C & D, Quercetin, NAC, and Zinc – "These have continued to show positive results in stopping the viral acquisition, shortening that viral replication, and really helping with recovery," said holistic dietitian and nutritionist Krystal Hammett from Alternative Wellness Solutions.
Each nutrient has its own benefits. Hammett provided this breakdown list.