Keep getting colds - how do I avoid this? Give me your tips!

[Smallsheets]

This is maybe the 10th cold I have had this year. Starting in January, I would get sick, feel ok for a day or two then get sick again. Literally a never ending cycle every single week. I think April was the only month where I felt normal. None of the colds have been covid.

I usually had 2 colds a year pre kids and pre covid but this is just something else. It’s really getting me down. I’m currently on holiday bunged up and snotty and lethargic and we are just sitting inside not doing anything with the kids because I feel so crap.

Spoke to the GP I’ve had a full blood test - all fine apart from sub clinical T4 levels which they are going to check again in 6 months. I have a good diet, exercise 3/4 times a week (although just gentle exercise as I’ve been feeling crap), the only thing is I get maybe 5 hours broken sleep a night as baby is not sleeping through yet and toddler’s sleep is crap. I take vitamins. I don’t know what else to do other than try and get more sleep but not sure how to get life admin done and get to bed earlier. Also, when I try to go to bed earlier with a cold I can’t sleep because I’m so bunged up. Partner has been great in looking after the kids so I do get help but it doesn’t seem to make a difference.

Being sick all the time is making me a shit mother as I stick the toddler in front of the tv when he is not in childcare and I just let the baby crawl around and I lie down on the floor next to her.

Has anyone gone from having multiple colds to
miraculously not having? If so what did you do??? Any other tips for me to avoid this? Does cutting out dairy work? I think some of this might be nursery germs but the kids/husband aren’t as sick as often as I am.

Thank you for reading my pity party post if you have got this far.

Wash your hands.

Snort First Defence at the first snifter of a symptom.

@FrankGrillosFloof thank you. I’m going to give first defence a go after I stop breastfeeding. Can’t even have Sudafed at the moment which makes me feel even shitter.

I had wash so much my hands are rough and dry!

Do you need to improve your diet and/or take some multivitamins/supplements? Maybe you’re run down, which won’t be helping your immune system.

A bit left-field but you could try cold showers. Apparently Finnish people struggle with vitamin D due to lack of sunlight so have evolved a method of boosting their immune system this way instead.

There's a lot of evidence to show that this is beneficial so might be worth a try? Hope you feel better soon

You are probably run down and lacking sleep, but also, and everyone goes through this, the first couple of years of DC's going to nursery, you are likely to pick up everything. Lots of novel viruses to be prepped for. Second child goes, it's less, by the time they get to school, never get anything ever again (other than worms and nits).

I would recommend trying echinacea three times a day for three weeks then three weeks off. Its supposed to boost your immune system - no idea of the science around it but when I take it I don't get colds/bugs. I have the liquid form ie 15 drops in as little water as I can bear (it tastes like stagnant pond water) as it's easier and quicker for the body to absorb it than tablets.

So multivitamins are all a bit general and not necessarily tailored to you.

Were your vitamin D levels checked? They need to not just be ‘fine’ but a good level. The amount found in multivitamins is often not enough and everyone needs to supplement with a decent level from October to April. Get them
checked first though so you can tailor the right dose.

Low iron levels can impact the immense system. Again the range the doctors have as ‘sufficient’ often isn’t enough for optimum health. I take spa tone every day but I’m prone to low iron. But go back and have a look at your ferritin levels.

Probiotics (and prebiotics) are great for immune health. Around 70% of our immune system housed in our gut. You need a healthy diet with loads of different types of vegetables and fruits. It’s the variety that is important.

Try things like kefir, kombucha, kimchi - all great for gut health.

Sleep is really important which I don’t do well with but eventually when your kids sleep more this should help!

There was some evidence around the cold shower thing - switch it to cold for last 30 seconds (or as long as you can manage).

I find First Defence stingy so use a German one from Amazon called Hummer - it’s really good.

Take zinc over winter.

if you get a cold stop eating dairy - it encourages phlegm.

Focus on eating well, sleeping well and getting fresh air

As already mentioned - your vitamin D and iron (haemoglobin and ferritin) levels should be checked and at a good level not at the bottom of the range. Most GPs blood tests don't have them included unless you have clear signs and symptoms of needing them checked. (Then even then they can ignore them.)

Wash your hands and dry your hands every single time you come in from outside. Make your toddler do the same as toddlers/small children are germy.

Keep your own hands away from your face. Try to get your toddler to do the same.

Other than that the main thing you need is enough sleep for you as clearly 5 hours isn't enough. Unfortunately you can't get that at the moment....

If all that doesn't work then the issue is your thyroid.

Bunged up, snotty and tired, it might sound silly but are you sure it’s a cold and not allergies? My friend feels like she has a cold and feels really tired if she forgets her allergy medication.

I rarely get colds. Maybe it’s a good diet, my lack of colds did coincide with eating much healthier, I found not having dairy, (I’m vegan) as you mentioned, coincided with my general health improving, periods not as painful, skin better, stopped getting headaches. It’s worth a try. I also take a multivitamin and extra vitamin d.

I hope you’re feeling better soon.

Thank you all for your great suggestion and for taking the time to respond. I’m going to buy some good quality vitamin D/zinc and iron supplements and echinacea to give myself a boost. I’ve woken up with conjunctivitis as well as the cold 😩 I’m going to just leave life admin to one side for the time being and try and get to bed for 9:30 so I can at least get 7hrs sleep in before the toddler wakes at 5.

@Delatron thank you - I had a look at my blood results on the NHS app and my vitamin D was bang on the lowest number for the normal range so this definitely needs a boost. I love kimchi and sauerkraut so thanks for the reminder to eat these!

@PeopleAllergy that’s interesting about your health improving after going vegan. I might give it a go. I don’t think it is an allergy as I asked the gp and she said if my snot/phlegm was yellow/green then it’s an infection.

@BorisJohnsonsHair I’m definitely going to try the cold shower

thank you everyone, means a lot 💐

Ginger shots, Manuka honey, lemon all mixed together 3 times a day.

That's how I get rid of my cold and flus!

Garlic supplements with allicin (or for a cheaper option, and if you don't mind the taste/smell, eat a clove of raw garlic daily).

Definitely get some good strength vitamin D OP. I have been taking it, plus vitamin c with zinc, for about a year now, and I’ve fared SO much better on the cold front. I usually get everything going and colds linger on for ages, but I’ve only had 2 colds (actually 1 was covid) since starting the vitamins, and they were so much milder and over quicker than usual.

My DH usually takes very high prescription vit D due to a medical condition, but he ran out and kept forgetting to get more. Since he stopped taking them he’s had 2 bad colds in rapid succession, previously unheard of.

Just a word of warning with vitamin c… I was taking the vitabiotics high strength ones, but they really really messed with my stomach. Turns out excess vit c is excreted via your bowel 😬 much better on the regular strength Tesco ones!

Feel better soon!