The Three Stages of Infection

What you need before, during and after an illness, and why you need different fixes for each stage.

- By Lisa Turner. Photographs by Pornchai Mittongate and Getty Images

Focusing on infection protection? Your body has different needs during all three stages of sickness—before, during, and after. Here’s how to prevent, treat, and recover from illness: what to eat, how to live, and science-backed supplements for each stage.

BEFORE

Reduce your chances of getting sick with proven preventive measures that boost resilience, reinforce immunity, and protect against pathogens.

What to eat. Avoid sugar, processed foods, and fried foods—studies suggest they impact immune response, spur inflammation, and decrease resistance. Instead, focus on whole, unprocessed foods that are rich in nutrients that support immunity, dampen inflammation, inhibit viral replication, protect against respiratory illness, and reduce the risk of infection. Some of the best:

* CAROTENOIDS—winter squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens

* OMEGA-3 FATS—salmon, sardines, tuna, herring

* SELENIUM—Brazil nuts, beef, eggs, turkey, cottage cheese

* QUERCETIN—apples, onions, green tea, grapes, broccoli

* VITAMIN C—red peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, kiwi fruit

* BETA GLUCANS—shiitake mushrooms, oats, barley, nutritional yeast