Looking for the right supplement to boost your family’s resistance to diseases during the rainy season? No need to look further down the road or dig deeper into your pocket. All one needs is the common malunggay, called the “miracle vegetable” by scientists.

BY AUBREY MAKILAN
Bulatlat.com

The rainy season has started and would most probably continue until the end of the year. During this season, the body’s resistance to diseases weakens. Thus, people are more vulnerable to diseases common during the rainy season, especially if the body is not equipped with the necessary nutrients and vitamins.

Cold, cough and flu are the most common symptoms of diseases that can be acquired during this season said Dr. Merry Mia, a general physician of the Health Education, Training and Services Program of the Council for Health and Development (CHD), a non-governmental organization.

The Department of Health (DoH) identifies the most common illnesses during this season as WILD diseases: water-borne diarrheas, influenza and other acute respiratory tract infections like leptospirosis and dengue.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III has issued a nationwide dengue alert in June and an influenza alert in July.

Eating the right kinds of food

To enhance the body’s ability to resist infection, people usually take vitamin C or ascorbic acid and other vitamin supplements in tablet form.

Aside from supplements, some also resorts to eating fortified food products because of their fast lifestyle or, more often than not, their limited budget.

Mia said that the government resorted to food fortification as its response to the increasing number of cases of Filipinos, from all ages, suffering from deficiencies in vitamin A, iron and iodine. The DoH labels some of these fortified food products with the “Sangkap Pinoy” (Filipino ingredient) seal.

But more than the desired nutrients, Mia said, consumers eating fortified food products also ingest preservatives and sugar from these foods. Also, the nutrients from these products are not enough to keep children healthy, Mia added.

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