Dengue fever is a disease that often appears during the rainy season. There are many ways you can do to protect yourself from this disease. One of them is eating foods rich in vitamin C. Then, what is the relationship between vitamin C and dengue fever?
Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is an infectious disease caused by the dengue virus. Diseases that enter the human body through mosquito bites Aedes aegypti It is very easy to spread in tropical countries, such as Indonesia. This is because the environmental conditions are very supportive for mosquito breeding, especially during the rainy season.
The Role of Vitamin C to Prevent Dengue Fever
The human body has an immune system or immune system to fight viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites that cause disease. However, the strength of each person's immune system is not the same and sometimes the body's immunity can be weakened.
When the immune system weakens, the body's ability to fight disease-causing microorganisms is reduced. As a result, disease-causing germs can easily attack and cause infections, including dengue fever.
One way you can do to strengthen your immune system and avoid dengue fever is to get enough vitamin C. This vitamin can keep your immune system strong against disease-causing microorganisms and prevent infection.
The recommended daily dose of vitamin C intake for adults is 75-90 mg. This vitamin is found in many vegetables and fruits, and one of them is guava.
Guava Nutrient Content
Guava or guava very rich in vitamin C. In fact, the vitamin C content in guava is twice as much as the vitamin C content in oranges.
One guava contains about 125 mg of vitamin C. This amount is equivalent to 140% of the daily vitamin C requirement. Not only vitamin C, guava fruit is also rich in antioxidants, folate, vitamin A, and fiber. These nutrients can strengthen the body's resistance to fight the Dengue virus that causes dengue fever.
In addition to guava and oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, lychee, strawberries, and papaya can also be a choice of fruit sources of vitamin C that you can consume. And not only fruits, vitamin C intake can also be obtained from vegetables, such as tomatoes, spinach, kale, potatoes, broccoli, and peppers.
Other Ways to Prevent Dengue Fever
In addition to maintaining your immune system by eating a balanced nutritious diet and increasing your intake of vitamin C, you also need to take the following steps to prevent dengue fever:
1. Clean and close the water reservoir
Drain and clean water reservoirs, such as bathtubs, jars, buckets, or flower pots, at least once a week to prevent mosquitoes Aedes aegypti breed. Do it regularly and don't forget to close the water reservoir at home after each use.
2. Avoid piling up used goods
Rainwater can be accommodated in plastic waste, cans, or Styrofoam around the house. This water reservoir can be an ideal environment for mosquitoes to breed, so that they can transmit dengue fever.
Therefore, avoid piling used goods in the house or in the environment around the house. Better to throw away or bury things that are not used.
3. Use gauze and mosquito nets
Install a screen in each ventilation hole to prevent dengue mosquitoes from entering the house. In addition, you can also install mosquito nets on the bed to avoid mosquito bites.
4. Use mosquito repellent
To prevent dengue mosquito bites, you can use mosquito repellent lotion or use mosquito repellent in the form of spray, burn, and electricity. However, the use of mosquito repellents needs to be done with caution, especially if there are infants, children, or people with asthma in the house.
When the rainy season hits, take care of your body condition by increasing your intake of vitamin C and other healthy foods to increase endurance. If necessary, consult with your doctor to see if you need additional vitamin C intake from supplements.
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