How should I kickstart the family immune system?

[battlemaiden]

We have had a string of viruses (fever, throat, cough, nose- not stomach viruses) in the last month. By the time we cycle through one we either catch another or the darn thing mutates into a new strain. It is getting old. :glare:

 

I'd like to pump them full of some wholesome goodness to help get this thing out the door.

 

I've got the fresh air and Vitamin D thing covered. :D

 

What would you force feed your kids? Soups? Smoothies? Something fermented? Extra vitamins? Juices?

 

I know there are various opinions on the subject. I'm going to do some more research, but I thought I'd throw it out to the hive.

 

Thanks.

 

~Jo

(on a roll of postings today....)

[Mimmy]

What works in my house is extra sleep and absolutely no sugar. Hope your family is better soon!

[Joker]

We had the same problem a few months ago. I had everyone start taking a daily probiotic and vitamin D3 and we haven't even had the sniffles since.

[bbkaren]

We take a teaspoon of elderberry tincture in a small glass of cherry or raspberry kool-aid each day. Can't think of our last sick day...we've been doing this since H1N1 was making the rounds.

 

Tincture is easy to make: 1/3 of a quart mason jar filled with dried elderberries (the black type), then fill the mason jar with vodka or rum (I prefer vodka because I can taste the rum a bit).

 

Store in a dark place, shake each day for 2 weeks, then strain and use.

[battlemaiden]

We take a teaspoon of elderberry tincture in a small glass of cherry or raspberry kool-aid each day. Can't think of our last sick day...we've been doing this since H1N1 was making the rounds.

 

Tincture is easy to make: 1/3 of a quart mason jar filled with dried elderberries (the black type), then fill the mason jar with vodka or rum (I prefer vodka because I can taste the rum a bit).

 

Store in a dark place, shake each day for 2 weeks, then strain and use.

 

I'm not sure I've ever seen an elderberry in person. I've bought the tincture in the past but I like the idea of making my own.

 

Do you grow and/or pick your own berries, or do you buy them in a regular or specialty store.

 

Thanks.

 

~Jo

[The Governess]

I agree on the good sleep and less sugar. Sugar supresses your immune system. Other good immune boosters are vitamin C (we take emergen-C) and elderberry syrup. Regular exercise. Probiotics. I've heard that bone broths are good too. And if you can handle them, lots of cayenne pepper and garlic. You can take them in pill form as well.

 

I would also gargle with salt water and use a Neti pot as needed, disinfect/replace toothbrushes, and make sure everyone is washing hands before each meal and after coming home from places.

[clementine]

I agree with a good probiotic, plus their daily vitamin. :)

[caedmyn]

Vitamin B12. DS1 got sick CONSTANTLY from about 12 months old on. He caught something at least once a month, and he'd be sick for two weeks, and finally get over it, and promptly come down with something else. We ate healthy, very little and only unprocessed sugars, used probiotics and a multivitamin/multimineral and vitamin D3 and vitamin A from fish oil (the other forms of vitamin A are toxic or not real helpful) and it didn't matter. Someone finally mentioned that the body uses B12 to fight off viruses...and it's been a miracle. He has hardly been sick in the 6 months or so since I started him on it. I think he's had a stomach bug (over in hours) and two slightly runny noses, and that's it. I gave him 2500 mcgs for a couple of months and now he gets 1250 mcgs a couple of times a week.

[TravelingChris]

The only kind of things I would do is stuff like more sleep, probiotics, etc. Things like less sugar or changes in diet are fine. What I would not do is take any kind of herb or supplement to rev up the immune system-why? Because if anyone in your family has a genetic tendency towards an auto-immune disease, that could trigger it. And just so you know, there are lots and lots of auto-immune diseases ranging from asthma, allergies, many forms of arthritis including RA, Crohn's disease and a number of other gastro disease, psoriasis, MS, diabetes type 1, and on and on and on. None of them are anything you would want to help trigger. That isn't to say that if you have a genetic tendency towards one of these it won't come about anyway at some point. But I wouldn't want to mess with artificially revving up the immune system with a drug which is what herbs and supplements really are.

[LarlaB]

:bigear:

 

(Listening closely with my 4th cup of triple echinacea/immune defense tea in hand)

[Crimson Wife]

I would probably make a smoothie with plain kefir and antioxidant rich fruits. Homemade sauerkraut is another good option if your family will eat it.

[battlemaiden]

:bigear:

 

(Listening closely with my 4th cup of triple echinacea/immune defense tea in hand)

 

I'm so sorry. That stinks.

 

I've been able to fight off the viruses for the most part, but on a few afternoons I have to take a long nap. Long naps while homeschooling 5 grades isn't easy to absorb.

 

I hope you feel better soon!

 

~Jo

[battlemaiden]

I would probably make a smoothie with plain kefir and antioxidant rich fruits. Homemade sauerkraut is another good option if your family will eat it.

 

The stuff I can sneak into smoothies is thrilling. I think I need to sneak that elderberry tincture in there next. :D

[HiddenJewel]

Astragalus is our go to for BUILDING immune systems. It has taken a couple months both times we have used it.

 

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/astragalus-000223.htm

[JennyD]

There was a study a couple of years ago that found that folks who gargled three times a day with salt water had 40% fewer upper respiratory infections than did the group that didn't.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16242593

 

We are gargling fiends around here. Everyone except the 15mo.

[Guest lahmeh]

Life has been much better since discovering Sambucol!! :D:D

We've always used original formula.

http://www.sambucolusa.com/store/

You can shop online to find the cheapest price. I usually order a few bottles at a time.

[Anita in NC]

Turmeric

Garlic

Ginger

Vitamin C

 

Are all things I take to help boost my immune system.

[bbkaren]

I'm not sure I've ever seen an elderberry in person. I've bought the tincture in the past but I like the idea of making my own.

 

Do you grow and/or pick your own berries, or do you buy them in a regular or specialty store.

 

Thanks.

 

~Jo

 

I buy the dried ones by the pound, online...various sources. A pound goes a long way, in terms of tincture! :) good luck--

 

p.s. also, the tincture tastes terrible, but we've found that kool-aid (or crystal light or whatever) in a raspberry or cherry flavor disguises it best. We just put 2 tablespoons in a pitcher, add 2 qts of beverage and mix it up. We keep that in the fridge and drink about a cup each day - which gives us about a teaspoon of tincture.

Edited November 15, 2011 by bbkaren

[WistfulRidge]

Vitamin D and C, exercise daily, get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated, and garlic. Oh, and avoid places with lots of germs (for us this is nursery/church and the library mainly).

 

At least that is what I've been doing. I've managed to keep DS1 healthy for five weeks now - the longest stretch of non-illness since last Christmas. (A problem in and of itself -gah. Hopefully these preventative/fortifying measures will prevent the downward spiral of illnesses that he had last winter).

[Susan in TN]

Many folks I know swear by kale soup. My family won't touch kale since the Great Kale Incident, so I have no personal experience with it.

[AlisonK]

I agree with many of the comments. The elderberry one is new. I need to look into that.

 

Zinc is also critical. You can buy an easy at home zinc test to see who is deficient. Basically, you hold the liquid zinc in your mouth and if you taste a yucky/metallic taste you have enough zinc but if it tastes like water you don't have enough. Out of 5 in my family only one child seems to have enough zinc. The rest of us have to work hard to get our levels up. Here is the link:

 

http://www.iherb.com/Ethical-Nutrients-Zinc-Status-4-fl-oz-120-ml/3624?at=0

[LaxMom]

I usually make my own elderberry-astragalus syrup. I buy the dried herbs from Mountain Rose, simmer them to make a strong infusion, strain, reduce and add local honey. Much more cost effective than Sambucol (or, my commercial favorite, Honey Gardens).

 

Between that and probiotics (and a mostly whole foods diet), we average one mild cold, maybe a quick stomach bug, per year.

[bbkaren]

...Much more cost effective than Sambucol (or, my commercial favorite, Honey Gardens)...

 

It was the outrageous price of Sambucol that prompted me to investigate making the tincture. And in turn, I learned a lot about H1N1 and other flu info.

 

We literally have not had a sick day...I don't know how long it's been. At least a year? Maybe two?

 

I guess I take it for granted, that we're just...well!

 

[Clearly, I should count my blessings more often in that respect. :blush:]

[jplain]

Avoiding sugar and caffeine helps keep me healthy. My morning coffee seems to be fine though, so I suspect that caffeine is only a problem if I ingest it late enough in the day to disrupt my sleep that night.

 

What I would not do is take any kind of herb or supplement to rev up the immune system-why? Because if anyone in your family has a genetic tendency towards an auto-immune disease, that could trigger it. And just so you know, there are lots and lots of auto-immune diseases . . .

:iagree:

 

I do take vitamin D (redhead with little sun exposure) and vitamin B12 (I run very low), but aside from an occasional multivitamin the other supplements in my cabinet are anti-inflammatory (= tend to calm down the immune system rather than rev it up).

 

Zinc and echinacea are on my "never ever take" list.

[ocelotmom]

I've been avoiding dairy because my breastfeeding baby didn't tolerate it well. I went for about 9 months without getting ill - occasionally I'd feel like I was maybe starting to fight off something, but it never went beyond that. And I work in a nursing home, so I was definitely exposed to stuff.

 

I've been letting dairy slip back in a bit, and the cold I currently have has hit me much harder. Coincidence? Could be. But my suspicion is that it's probably due to increased mucus production because, other than the lung crud, it is still pretty minor.

[Lawana]

Avoiding sugar and caffeine helps keep me healthy. My morning coffee seems to be fine though, so I suspect that caffeine is only a problem if I ingest it late enough in the day to disrupt my sleep that night.

 

 

:iagree:

 

I do take vitamin D (redhead with little sun exposure) and vitamin B12 (I run very low), but aside from an occasional multivitamin the other supplements in my cabinet are anti-inflammatory (= tend to calm down the immune system rather than rev it up).

 

Zinc and echinacea are on my "never ever take" list.

 

May I ask why?

[JVA]

I haven't read any of your replies but here's what I do:

 

Cut all sugar

Eat yogurt, garlic and citrus fruits

Avoid white flour/pasta/rice - eat brown rice and ww flour and pasta

Echinacea drops according to the directions on the tincture bottle

Increase protein and vegetables

 

Increase vitamins- just being regimented about it and keeping track usually means we're back on track w/in a week.

 

I hope everyone in your house feels better soon. Blessings on you.

[annandatje]

Supposedly the key components of proper maintenance of immune system are adequate rest, adequate physical activity, healthy varied diet, and stress coping skills. Frequent handwashing is regarded as beneficial. It is hard when viruses linger around and make encore appearances, but the positive aspect is that their immune systems are getting lots of exercise.

[jplain]

May I ask why?

Sure! There are some who believe that they're contraindicated for anyone who is already at increased risk of developing autoimmune disease, like me.* In enhancing immune system function, both zinc and echinacea (and other supplements) may trigger increased autoimmune activity.

 

The risk is largely theoretical at this point, as it hasn't been carefully studied. However, for echinacea, there are many anecdotal accounts of echinacea intake correlated with flare ups of lupus and other autoimmune diseases. Correlation is not causation, but as echinacea is not required for a healthy diet, I choose to avoid it.

 

The story with zinc is probably complicated. After all, it is a required micronutrient, and zinc deficiency may contribute to autoimmune disease. However, my diet is adequate for zinc. Unless shown to be clinically deficient, I won't supplement it at all.

 

 

 

 

* My family history includes a lot of AI disease, both mild and serious. I have a personal history of autoimmune-type symptoms which wax and wane. Nothing diagnosable so far, and I'd like to keep it that way!

[Lawana]

Sure! There are some who believe that they're contraindicated for anyone who is already at increased risk of developing autoimmune disease, like me.* In enhancing immune system function, both zinc and echinacea (and other supplements) may trigger increased autoimmune activity.

 

The risk is largely theoretical at this point, as it hasn't been carefully studied. However, for echinacea, there are many anecdotal accounts of echinacea intake correlated with flare ups of lupus and other autoimmune diseases. Correlation is not causation, but as echinacea is not required for a healthy diet, I choose to avoid it.

 

The story with zinc is probably complicated. After all, it is a required micronutrient, and zinc deficiency may contribute to autoimmune disease. However, my diet is adequate for zinc. Unless shown to be clinically deficient, I won't supplement it at all.

 

 

 

 

* My family history includes a lot of AI disease, both mild and serious. I have a personal history of autoimmune-type symptoms which wax and wane. Nothing diagnosable so far, and I'd like to keep it that way!

Thank you. That was very helpful. I do take zinc when I have a cold, as it shortens duration and lessens the severity. I also have Hashimoto's, and dd has Type 1, so I'm wondering if it's the smart thing to do.

[HiddenJewel]

Sure! There are some who believe that they're contraindicated for anyone who is already at increased risk of developing autoimmune disease, like me.* In enhancing immune system function, both zinc and echinacea (and other supplements) may trigger increased autoimmune activity.

 

The risk is largely theoretical at this point, as it hasn't been carefully studied. However, for echinacea, there are many anecdotal accounts of echinacea intake correlated with flare ups of lupus and other autoimmune diseases. Correlation is not causation, but as echinacea is not required for a healthy diet, I choose to avoid it.

 

The story with zinc is probably complicated. After all, it is a required micronutrient, and zinc deficiency may contribute to autoimmune disease. However, my diet is adequate for zinc. Unless shown to be clinically deficient, I won't supplement it at all.

 

 

 

 

* My family history includes a lot of AI disease, both mild and serious. I have a personal history of autoimmune-type symptoms which wax and wane. Nothing diagnosable so far, and I'd like to keep it that way!

 

 

There are adaptogens that you can use which balance the immune system instead of revving it up. That is what I lean toward even though we aren't currently dealing with autoimmune issues. But if we were, adaptogens would definitely be my main focus.

[naturalhomestead]

I would start taking or up Vitamin D and start taking Kudzu powder. You can dissolve it in warm apple juice for the kids and it tastes great but is also an big immune system builder.