Üsküdar Üniversitesi Health, Culture and Sports Directorate hosted Dyt. Merve Sehlikoğlu as a guest for the seminar titled “Nutrition During the Pandemic Process.” While participation in the online seminar was high, Sehlikoğlu stated, “If our immune system is weak, we are defeated; if it's strong, the virus is defeated.”
Nutrition Greatly Affects Our Immune System
Dyt. Merve Sehlikoğlu touched upon what the immune system is and the role of nutrition within the immune system. Sehlikoğlu stated: “If our immune system is weak, we are defeated; if it's strong, the virus is defeated. We all know this now. So, what is this immune system that we often refer to? The immune system is a complex system that forms the defense mechanism against diseases in living organisms, recognizes and destroys pathogens – that is, disease-causing microbes and tumor cells – and protects the body from harmful and foreign substances. Nutrition greatly affects our immune system, but it is only one of the factors influencing it.”
Lifelong Mediterranean Diet…
Dyt. Merve Sehlikoğlu, who spoke about the importance of the Mediterranean diet and water intake in nutrition, said: “Adequate and balanced nutrition is very important for our immune system. The nutrition we should follow throughout our lives for our health is the Mediterranean diet. I want to talk to you about the Mediterranean diet. Water consumption is extremely important for our bodies. More than half of our body consists of water. Water is very, very valuable for all our functional mechanisms in the body. We recommend drinking at least 30-35 ml of water per kilogram of body weight. Additionally, consuming five portions of fruits and vegetables daily is very important.”
Not Everyone Needs to Use Vitamin Supplements
Sehlikoğlu, discussing situations where supplementary nutrients are necessary, said: “I frequently get the question, ‘Should we take dietary supplements?’ To explain this, if you are eating a sufficient and balanced diet, do not consume alcohol or cigarettes, engage in physical activities, and benefit from all food groups, then there is no need for additional nutrients. However, if you have complaints such as chronic fatigue, weakness, hair loss, or brittle nails, and blood tests reveal a deficiency, then we certainly recommend supplements. But not everyone needs to use vitamin supplements.”
At the end of the program, Dyt. Merve Sehlikoğlu also answered participants' questions.