Summer: rules for a healthy holiday

". There are more and more tourists leaving and already immunized, as well as those who will reach their summer destinations after having swabbed (24 or 72 hours before departure), thus increasing the flow of trips which, by September, is estimated may reach 39 million travelers between Italians and foreigners, with an increase of about 12% compared to last summer. In a constantly evolving climate, with the advancement of the vaccination campaign, on the one hand, and the Delta variant, from "on the other hand, it is essential to keep our guard up, both before and after vaccination, and to implement all those practical behaviors that can help limit the risk of contagion, increase the defenses of the immune system and in particular of the respiratory tract.

Thus was born the practical guide "Summer, I'm ready": an "initiative that is part of the educational campaign" Protect your lungs ", promoted by Zambon Italia, and which was developed by Professor Maria Pia Foschino Barbaro, Director of "Respiratory System Diseases Operating Unit of the Policlinico Riuniti of Foggia, to highlight the 10 things to know and do for a" responsible summer. From "nutrition to" physical activity, from means of transport to mental well-being and air conditioning, up to the possibility of increasing the immune defenses of the respiratory tract.

"The health emergency is not over yet and, both before and after your vaccination round, it is good to adopt responsible and not passive behavior. This means taking care of your body and first of all protecting the lungs and respiratory tract, increasing its defenses against viruses and bacteria. These are simple precautions, which should not be forgotten, even on vacation: to strengthen the immune system and counteract the "oxidation of the respiratory system, thus making the very vital practice of prevention one's own", comments Professor Maria Pia Foschino Barbaro, Full Professor of Diseases of the Respiratory System of the University of Foggia and Director of the Operating Unit of Diseases of the Respiratory System of the Policlinico Riuniti of Foggia of attention because they are involved in the holiday climate.

. In fact, sunlight and temperatures act on the coronavirus inactivating it. However - indoors as well as outdoors, while waiting as after the vaccine - the World Health Organization still recommends three fundamental rules: hand hygiene (wash them often with soap and water or, in the absence, rub them with a gel to alcohol based); wear a mask, and maintain an interpersonal distance of at least 1 meter. Not only that, it is important to ventilate the rooms, avoid excessively crowded places, sneeze in disposable handkerchiefs or in the crook of the elbow.

(but not only). The lungs, motors of our breath, are subject to a natural physiological decline because they are constantly exposed to the oxidizing action of what allows us to live: oxygen. Normally our body is able to counteract free radicals, which derive from oxygen, through a natural antioxidant defense system. When the equilibrium fails, free radicals act aggressively, damage our organism and increase the oxidative stress. The latter is often associated with inflammatory reactions. In this regard it is essential to stay away from a source of pollution and avoid smoking.

In the summer, attention must also be paid to heart health.

Did you know that Glutathione ...

The key to fighting oxidative stress and increasing immune defense capabilities is called glutathione: the main antioxidant of human cells. A glutathione deficiency indicates oxidative stress and may lead to an increased risk of lung damage.

outdoors, trekking in the woods or in the high mountains, running or playing vollley and rackets on the beach, swimming in the sea or the lake. The sports that seem to bring the greatest benefits to the respiratory system are aerobics (such as running), stretching exercises, stretching, but also yoga and swimming, which increase lung capacity. Physical activity is an ally in the prevention of respiratory tract infections.

still in progress, it is good to choose carefully the destination and how to reach it. Destinations in the mountains or by the sea, perhaps not frequented by mass tourism, allow you to stay away from air pollution which, according to a study, could be related to a greater diffusion and severity of Covid-196 cases. trains (50%), ships and public transport is still reduced, the safest means of transport remains the car.

able to prevent a Covid-19 infection, as confirmed by the World Health Organization, but some micronutrients have been shown to be useful in supporting the immune system and consequently contribute to increasing the defenses of the respiratory tract. Vitamin C and vitamin D support the immune system and perform an "antioxidant and antiviral action. Thus a" healthy diet includes: vegetables and vegetables, fruits such as black currants, cherries and pineapples, but also oily fish such as anchovies, sardines and mackerel.