Sick of being sick 😫

[PeacheyPeach]

Every winter I get ill 🤒 😷 but not just once I get coughs , colds, viruses, I practically find myself ill Every 3 weeks. It's so depressing
How do I prevent this from happening next year? I have been taking vitamin D every day without fails since September but I don't think this had actually done anything!!
What do you do that prevents you from falling ill constantly in the winter!

@AmyMaracas Well I'd definitely get bloods done & ask to see the results because they can just say you're fine & really you're not. Adequate can still mean deficient, you want to be in Optimal ranges. 1000iu is just for keeping people with optimal ranges & no absorption issues in the optimal range. But if you're deficient 1000iu isn't even going to touch the sides. If you're deficient you'll probably be prescribed 50,000iu for 5-8 weeks anyway. Then you can drop to 40,000iu (20k iu 2x weekly) a week yourself. Then 4000iu daily.
You've got to be proactive with it, listen to your body, look out for toxicity issues & read medical journals yourself.
I keep this info from Dr's because I noticed every time I'd let them know what I took, the medicine & vitamin would become unavailable and/or prescription only. Like they want you sick. But that's a convo for another time.

In short, get bloods done, if not in Optimal range, take high dose of Vit D (with k2 Mk7) for 3 months then go back for blood tests & repeat until you're well again.

Okay I'll do that, thanks so much.

I think my whole household has had colds for the last month - not that unsual for me and kids, but very unusual for DH. And poor teenager developed shingles last week in the middle of their mocks, albeit luckily a very mild case they recovered from quickly.

I have actually bought some Vit C tablets and I know it might be bollocks but I think I also heard it can help if your immune system seems run down (but not if it's working fine), so I'm planning to take them all winter and also to rinse my sinuses with saline water every day. I normally just do that when I have a cold that's not going away but might be worth doing preventatively. https://www.boots.com/neilmed-sinus-rinse-kit-10077009

It's quite easy to use and can be good if your sinuses have been blocked for a little too long.

I'm just posting in solidarity. I have Crohn's disease so I already take all of the vitamins, watch my diet (although this slips to too much junk when I am tired and rundown) and, quite frankly, avoid people as much as possible. I have been ill with virus-y things since August. One of the bouts of illness was definitely Covid as I tested for it. It WILL NOT go. I am not ill enough to be off work but I am exhausted and fed up. I can't exercise as it sets it back off and I'm too knackered anyway. Perimenopause is not helping!

I work in a school, have 2 DC and am never ill. I wonder how much is luck. I take no vitamins or supplements. I eat a mainly plant based diet, v little junk and no refined sugar. I'm also teetotal and exercise most days. I'm also not stressed. I think the above factors help but I still expect it's also just one of those things.

I think low stress and no junk food/sugar help more than we think. Plus exercise- especially in the fresh air.

Wow there is so much to know about vitamins isn't there! I thought I was doing amazing taking the vitamin D , going to have to take a shopping trolley to Holland and Barrett!
I am amazed at how many there are of us who are like this, I understand that people are suffering with life threatening/ life limiting illnesses and I really really do sympathise with that 😢 but this is my reality for months and months every year, feeling so poorly, feeling depressed because it affects my mental health, and my family life so I feel very much that I am entitled to ask for support and suggestions 😢

I hope you get better @PeacheyPeach This sort of non-life-threatening stuff is actually very debilitating :(

@Delatron I swim without wetsuit. Built up slowly ofc. It's hard to get in but the payoff in benefits is huge!

Very impressive @DancesWithDucks I’m inspired. We have a group at our local lake that do this. All safe with a lifeguard so will check it out!

Zinc, seamoss capsules, elderberry syrup and echinacea daily from the end of summer until I'm through winter, and also escaping the uk every february and October for sunnier climates and a vitamin D boost. I have asthma, and used to get chest infections back to back once the cold set in, but doing the above over the last two years seems to have helped minimise my chest issues.

I’m afraid I think it’s mainly luck. I never get ill (one cold that lasted 48 hours in the last 3 years, never had covid, thrown up once in the last 35 years) despite having school aged children and commuting to work on packed trains.

I don’t take any supplements although my diet is basically ok. I’m pretty good about washing my hands, don’t drink very much (couple of small glasses of wine a week), I do at least 45 minutes of hard exercise every day, but I don’t sleep enough. It’s luck/genetics in my opinion

Loads of vitamin c and zinc. Take a zinc with copper because zinc can affect copper levels. Also loads of garlic, preferably raw.
I make an elderberry and echinacea syrup for winter which really helps.

Also the obvious "lifestyle medicine" stuff. Fresh air, regular exercise, meditation/deep breathing, good sleep routine, connecting with nature. I like to stand barefoot on the grass for a few minutes as often as I can unless it's snowy because I'm not that brave.

I was the same and once I got my first seasonal cold it would linger for months. A friend of mine recommended taking Berocca (or shop own brand) from late October onwards and so far so good! Also worth trying Vitamin D or if you prefer a herbal remedy perhaps try Echinea.

What time do you go to bed and get up OP? I think sleeping till at least 7am really boosts my immunity

Vicks first defense. It's unpleasant and only stops colds but it's better than cold after cold.

Thanks all for suggestions, I'm off to try as many as i can

Also no alcohol helps

Surely its just luck? I don't do any of the things recommended on here. I can't remember the last time I slept until 7am, I've never taken a multi vitamin in my life, I drink alcohol etc. I am NEVER ill, ever. I've had covid and had no symptoms. I'm sure it's just genetics / luck or something.

I think some of it must be genetics you know, my dh doesn't seem to get ill as much!
I'm not that good with sleep I don't go to bed early enough probably only getting about 6-7 hours a night, I definitely need to sort this out and I need to start exercise again 😅

I think for those that don’t get ill often it’s genetics more than pure luck. We’re exposed constantly to viruses and illnesses if you can fight them off that’s down to a strong immune system.

Apparently we attract partners/find people attractive who have a different immune system to us. This means we produce children with strong immune systems. Fascinating. My Dh is never ill at the same time as me. He’s cleared up my vomit from norovirus and not caught it! Ditto he currently has a bad cold which I’ve avoided..

I've had a stressful couple of months (RTA on a bike, pet dying, redundancy pool, and court appearance for protesting at an ARMS Fair) which is way above my normal stress levels and I do take Omega 3, Vit B complex, Vit D, eat healthy meals from scratch, grow a lot of my own veg and eat organic and exercise by riding a bike everywhere to work/site visits and I caught that epic long cold that is doing the rounds, sore throat, fever chills ect basically because I've been way more stressed than usual. Stress does a complete number on your immune system.