What are your tricks for staying healthy during cold/flu season?

[mrsanniep]

I don't mean the standard wash your hands, get plenty of rest, get the flu shot, etc. I'm talking about the greater lengths you go through in order to ward off illness. For example, three separate friends told me these tips they follow:

 

1. One friend swore that by drinking tons of water, she didn't get sick.

 

2. Another friend starts to take the immune support supplement ImmPower at the first sign that someone in the family is sick, or they start to feel sick themselves.

 

3. Another friend takes a B12 Stress Complex when sickness is around.

 

What do you do? Does it seem to work? I take care of myself, get the flu shot, drink lots of water, take a multi-vitamin, eat healthily, wash my hands a lot, don't use antimicrobial cleaners and soap, yada yada ... but I still get whatever the kids get and usually 10x worse. I've started taking a supplement to strengthen my immune system. Fingers are crossed!

[Tiramisu]

If something nasty is going around or I'm starting to feel something, I sometimes take extra D3 and probiotics. Recently, I started taking zinc at the first sign of illness. I don't know if it helps or not. :001_smile:

[Myeightkiddies]

I wipe down door knobs and lightswitches with disinfectant wipes daily. I know it doesn't seem like much, but when an illness goes around with this group, it goes around and around, horribly.

 

Fluids! I push fluids and vitamin C. For some reason my family is reluctant to listen to me when it comes to Vit C and fluids. Sure, they slightly increase their intake, but they do it to humor me. When I start feeling sick or think that I will be, I push both of those. Often it passes me or my duration is less than anyone else in the house. This is funny because I am the least healthy with all my auto-immune issues.

 

Sheets are washed frequently. Towels are washed daily - one-use only.

[I.Dup.]

Everyone stays home during flu season. No exposure to germs = no sickness. Works every time! :D

[Vanna]

We have very active lives so we're out and about often (and often with large groups of people). We don't do flu shots, but we do drink more orange juice and give the children vitamin C tablets during the season (from Whole Foods).

 

For years and years we have only rare occasions gotten sick.

[TammyinTN]

Everyone stays home during flu season. No exposure to germs = no sickness. Works every time! :D

 

This is my method of choice as well.

[shanvan]

I drink echinacea tea all day long as soon as I start to feel bad. As a matter of fact I've been drinking it all day since yesterday morning and still drinking it today.

 

It doesn't necessarily cure me, but I think it does lessen the severity of the cold my body is trying to fight off.

[fairfarmhand]

my dh was tooting our horn about how last winter our family didn't get sick. He kept talking about how great our immune systems were blah blah blah...

 

Honestly, I think it is mostly because my youngest is 4 years old and past the "I'll lick thecart at Walmart" phase. I'm pretty sure this is it because the last 2 times I've kept nursery at church, I came down with a cold two days later. Not having small children is what's helped us stay healthier than any multivitamin IMHO!

\

(not helpful I know, for those of you with little ones!)

 

Back when my kids were little, though, I seriously limited my kids' exposure to sick people. Nope, I don't care if little Jonny's been fever free for 12 hours, I'm not interested in a visit from your hacking snotty little tyke.

[Hilltop]

I drink lots of water and take probiotics daily.

[VeganCupcake]

I take zinc when I feel like a cold is coming, but we just very rarely get sick. Of course, now that I say that, we'll get something awful. :lol:

[PrincessMommy]

I take Airborne at the first sign of illness or if someone in the family is sick. It usually helps.

[nd293]

Not having small children is what's helped us stay healthier than any multivitamin IMHO!

 

Thank you for saying that! Every time I say we're ill my mother makes some snide comment about our poor immune systems. I want to scream: You trying vicariously living with 30 kids aged 3-5yrs old and see how healthy you are! Ds5 came down with a cold 2 weeks before he started school, and 7 weeks later he and I are still sick (actually I think it's the third distinct bug we've caught.

 

My patience has finally worn thin and I had dh buy every immune booster he could think of - zinc, Vit C, Vit B complex, Black Elderberry, propolis. We'll see in a few days - right now I am up at 2:45am because my head amd chest hurts too much too sleep.

 

Nikki in Australia, getting a headstart on the flu season.

[Loudwater School]

This year I am taking a swig of this concoction daily.

[redsquirrel]

I think the biggest thing that we do to stay healthy is we all get regular exercise. About 4 years ago DH and I recommited to getting at least 45 mins of rigorous exercise 5-6 days a week. Our cold/illness time dropped so much it was shocking. It made a believer out of me, that is for sure. We haven't been ill in years. This summer I did get a cold but it was very mild and only lasted 3 days. Our kids are very physically active already and don't need much encouragement to move. They almost never get ill.

 

We all take a multi-vitamin and a C and D supplement every day.

[VeganCupcake]

I think the biggest thing that we do to stay healthy is we all get regular exercise. About 4 years ago DH and I recommited to getting at least 45 mins of rigorous exercise 5-6 days a week. Our cold/illness time dropped so much it was shocking. It made a believer out of me, that is for sure. We haven't been ill in years. This summer I did get a cold but it was very mild and only lasted 3 days. Our kids are very physically active already and don't need much encouragement to move. They almost never get ill.

 

We all take a multi-vitamin and a C and D supplement every day.

 

That's a really good point. There is research that suggests that regular, moderate activity does really boost the immune system.

[mrsanniep]

I wonder if the fact my husband and kids exercise ... AND I DON'T ... has anything to do with the fact I'm always the sickest of the bunch????:tongue_smilie:

 

I've always chalked it up to the fact I work the hardest. Ha ha.

[Mommy22alyns]

I take Airborne at the first sign of illness or if someone in the family is sick. It usually helps.

 

:iagree:

[Guest]

Drinking a lot more 100% juice has seemed to help us in the winter months. We normally just drink water, but splurge on juice when the rest of the world starts coming down with colds.

[Mandamom]

Oil of oregano has been my success.

 

for the first time in 20 years I haven't been on antibiotics for sinus infections in a year now and have only had 1 cold. I teach and tutor so I am exposed to a lot of germs.

[justamouse]

Everyone stays home during flu season. No exposure to germs = no sickness. Works every time! :D

 

:iagree:

 

IT's a horrible domino effect that can take us out for two months if it hits.

 

I get the Seventh Generation disinfecting wipes and I wipe everything down, phone, remotes, cabinet knobs, fridge door, door knobs, faucets.

 

I keep a huge jug of hand cleanser in the van and if we go to a store, they know as SOON as we get in the van they use it, and as soon as they get home they wash their hands.

 

We make sure to keep the Vit D up.

 

knock on wood, we've not gotten it for years.

[Lisbeth]

No touching eyes, nose or mouth without very recently washed hands.

[Munchkins_mama]

We drink lots of water, take double the recommended dose ( which is BS btw.) of Vit C and about 10 times the dose of D.

 

Also, I use this

On Guard®

Protective Blend

 

On Guard is dōTERRA®'s unique, proprietary blend formulated to support healthy immune function. Wild orange essential oil, combined with clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary offer a fragrant, natural and effective alternative to synthetic options for immune support. On Guard, with its unique aroma, is one of our most versatile blends. It is also safe to use on counter tops, as a non-toxic way to cleanse surfaces, or to purify the atmosphere by diffusing. On Guard is superb for eliminating and controlling pathogens due to the potency of its constituents. For aromatic, topical, or dietary use.

 

I use it as a nightly foot massage on everyone to boost the immune system. It's fabulous.

 

We were also blessed with great immune systems.

[TranquilMind]

If something nasty is going around or I'm starting to feel something, I sometimes take extra D3 and probiotics. Recently, I started taking zinc at the first sign of illness. I don't know if it helps or not. :001_smile:

 

Probiotics, garlic (tons of it! Germs fear me!), zinc, and that vitamin C drink.

 

I use alchol to clean everything all the time. Rubbing alcohol 90%, if I have it. I am constantly disinfecting things.

[NotSoObvious]

Vitamin D-3, lots of water, lots of healthy foods, and staying out of places like Bounce Houses in the winter.

[besroma]

Vitamin D-3 and lots of water.

[Hope in God]

This year I am taking a swig of this concoction daily.

 

We make something similar. Last year I took Rosemary Gladstar's herbalist course (not from Rosemary but from a different teacher) and we called this stuff Professor Cayenne's Tonic.

 

I think the single most important thing is to NOT get the flu shot. After that it is important to get enough sleep, excercise, water, vit D3, vit C, avoid dairy products if you find yourself coming down with something and make sure that you have no food intolerances. If your body is being taxed by lack of sleep, intolerances, stress, poor nutrition etc... it will not have the available resources to send to your immune system.

 

They say that vit D3 is quite important in the winter because of the lack of natural sunlight.

 

As for us, there was a night and day shift when we took out food intolerances and allergies (in the number of illnesses and the duration of the illneses). I don't limit our exposure to the outside world and I do have thumb suckers.;)

[Hope in God]

We drink lots of water, take double the recommended dose ( which is BS btw.) of Vit C and about 10 times the dose of D.

 

Also, I use this

On Guard®

Protective Blend

 

On Guard is dōTERRA®'s unique, proprietary blend formulated to support healthy immune function. Wild orange essential oil, combined with clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary offer a fragrant, natural and effective alternative to synthetic options for immune support. On Guard, with its unique aroma, is one of our most versatile blends. It is also safe to use on counter tops, as a non-toxic way to cleanse surfaces, or to purify the atmosphere by diffusing. On Guard is superb for eliminating and controlling pathogens due to the potency of its constituents. For aromatic, topical, or dietary use.

 

I use it as a nightly foot massage on everyone to boost the immune system. It's fabulous.

 

We were also blessed with great immune systems.

 

Be careful with super high doses of vit D because it can cause irreversible kidney damage. I only just found that out a month ago but I am a big believer in moderation.

[posybuddy]

This past winter I made everyone take a teaspoon of Black Elderberry syrup every single day, and 3x a day if they seemed to be coming down with something. They all rolled their eyes at me, but no one caught anything worse than the sniffles. I was just looking for it on amazon today, planning on stocking up for the upcoming winter; I'll probably start everyone on it again around the beginning of October.

[my2boysteacher]

This past winter I made everyone take a teaspoon of Black Elderberry syrup every single day, and 3x a day if they seemed to be coming down with something. They all rolled their eyes at me, but no one caught anything worse than the sniffles. I was just looking for it on amazon today, planning on stocking up for the upcoming winter; I'll probably start everyone on it again around the beginning of October.

 

We also do elderberry at the first sign of anything, or if my kids are exposed by being around friends or cousins who are sick. We do daily vitamin D, and probiotics throughout cold/flu season. We don't avoid going out though, I think it is important for kids to be exposed to whatever is going around to build up their immune systems. We also don't use any anti-bacterial products. IMHO, they do more harm than good. We are all very healthy here, very rarely do we get sick.

Another huge key, I believe, is your stress level/state of mind. We tend to be very laid back and relaxed. My brother's family is ALWAYS sick. They are always running from one activity to another and seem very overscheduled and stressed out. Oh, and lots of fresh air!

[Amber in SJ]

I make something like this:

 

http://catherineboley.blogspot.com/2009/08/preparing-for-winter.html

 

I thinly slice several thin-skinned lemons & several inches of peeled ginger root. I place the slices in a jar and cover the whole thing with local honey. It keeps in the fridge forever and at the first sign of a throat tickle everyone drinks "honey-tea." A blob of the honey mixture into a mug and boiling water poured over. My kids don't drink the bits of lemon peel or ginger root that end up in their mugs. This thread reminds me I should get some new jars going for the cold season. It takes about 4 weeks for the lemon to break down into the honey.

 

Amber in SJ

[Whereneverever]

Vit. C, garlic, moderate vit. D3, and limiting really Gerry places like indoor play places.

[Munchkins_mama]

Be careful with super high doses of vit D because it can cause irreversible kidney damage. I only just found that out a month ago but I am a big believer in moderation.

 

We don't do SUPER high, just way higher than they recommend. The recommended amounts are way too low to do any good.

[WiseOwlKnits]

Vitamin D. It makes a huge huge difference.

[Annie G]

We don't do SUPER high, just way higher than they recommend. The recommended amounts are way too low to do any good.

 

So...can you give me an idea of how much to take? Evidently I need to take more than the recommended amount but not enough to destroy my kidneys. And that would be how much?

[Hope in God]

So...can you give me an idea of how much to take? Evidently I need to take more than the recommended amount but not enough to destroy my kidneys. And that would be how much?

 

You can have a blood test to have your vit D levels checked and then go from there. I would think that it would be largely dependant on your skin tone, where you live and how much direct sunlight you get daily.

 

The RDA is low but there is wisdom in moderation. I would say maybe 2x to 4x the RDA in the winter and summertime would depend on your sun exposure and if you wear sunscreen.

[Annie G]

You can have a blood test to have your vit D levels checked and then go from there. I would think that it would be largely dependant on your skin tone, where you live and how much direct sunlight you get daily.

 

The RDA is low but there is wisdom in moderation. I would say maybe 2x to 4x the RDA in the winter and summertime would depend on your sun exposure and if you wear sunscreen.

 

Thanks- dd and I both have appointments to see our doc so I'm glad I asked now. They're drawing blood anyway, may as well have this done and see. I'm mostly concerned about dd, though none of us spend time outdoors in the winter here. Cold, snowy, and windy isn't fun for us. But I'm guessing we probably should also check our levels in the winter- I spend lots of time cycling so I'm getting plenty now.

[LaxMom]

I'm an herbalist, so my approach to staying healthy is being healthy. That sounds trite...

 

We eat well, exercise and get enough sleep. We practice good hygiene, washing hands, etc. We avoid groups of contagious people. Our bodies are strong and not over-stressed and vulnerable to infection.

 

During cold and flu season, everybody gets elderberry syrup before bed. I add astragalus root to anything I cook in water - soups, potatoes, pasta, rice - and I simmer it for a bit before I add the rest of the stuff. I keep a spray bottle of usnea throat spray in my purse for when we find that we are exposed to people who are actively coughing and sneezing around us (also very helpful during the lick-random-things-at-the-market stage, when you find yourself wondering if you can Purell someone's tongue. Not that I have any Purell, but in that slow-motion panic as you watch your kid's tongue slide down the hand rail of the open freezer vat...).

 

I have amassed a collection of vintage gloves that I wear at the market. They come off in the car, but I don't have to touch the cart handle directly...

 

When we are ill - which is very rare, maybe a single mild cold for everyone during winter - we rest. We don't try to mask symptoms and carry on; feeling sluggish is the body demanding what it needs, and we honor that.

Edited August 31, 2012 by MyCrazyHouse

[posybuddy]

I add astragalus root to anything I cook in water - soups, potatoes, pasta, rice - and I simmer it for a bit before I add the rest of the stuff.

 

Could you elaborate on this? I'd love to learn more.

[Jenny in Florida]

Huh.

 

Honestly, we don't do anything special. In fact, my husband is the only one of the four of us who even occasionally gets the flu shot. Otherwise, we just do what we always do: eat well, get enough rest, use common sense about too much exposure to known germs.

 

One of us gets sick maybe every couple of years.

[Tiramisu]

Thanks- dd and I both have appointments to see our doc so I'm glad I asked now. They're drawing blood anyway, may as well have this done and see. I'm mostly concerned about dd, though none of us spend time outdoors in the winter here. Cold, snowy, and windy isn't fun for us. But I'm guessing we probably should also check our levels in the winter- I spend lots of time cycling so I'm getting plenty now.

 

I also think the testing is a good idea. Dh who has the same skin tone as the rest of us, spends the most time outside, and never wears sunscreen actually had the lowest levels. My teenager who isn't into outdoor activities had the same levels as I did, at a time when I was outside walking everyday without suncreen. Our vitamin D levels haven't showed much rhyme or reason based on our individual lifestyles. And we all have similar complexions.

[kfeusse]

Be careful with super high doses of vit D because it can cause irreversible kidney damage. I only just found that out a month ago but I am a big believer in moderation.

 

what is "super high doses" of Vit D?

[Hope in God]

When vit D was the big health craze (uh, last year) a lot of natural health practitioners were prescribing very high doses of D3 (Mercola, Mike Adams etc...) and because it was the new wondercure and everyone was deficient they threw caution to the wind. As with any health craze it is only a mater of time before ill effects are seen from the hardcore camp.

 

Because vit D is a fat soluble vitamin your body can't get rid of it easily by peeing the excess out. This can lead to toxicity more quickly than with water soluable vitamins.. I also believe that there is a natural balance between vitamins and minerals that our body needs in order to be healthy and when a person mega doses on one thing it may block the absorption of other vital elements and nutrients and cause deficencies in other areas.

 

I would say (just talking off the top of my head) that a super high dose of vit D would be anything more than 4x the RDA for longer than a season. But really the best measure it to check your blood vit D levels and then go from there.

Edited August 31, 2012 by Hope in God

[Munchkins_mama]

A blood test to see how low your D levels are is a great start. Your care provider can recommend how much to take to get your levels up to where they can be beneficial.