How can I improve my immunity?

[IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads]

I'm sure that Covid has impacted my immune system. Until 3 years ago the only sickness time I'd had off work in over 20 years was pregnancy related. Good bounced off me, stomach bugs didn't bother me, headaches just didn't happen, those early nursery years of germ warefaee just weren't a thing.

These days I get every cold going - properly wiped out couple of days in bed type cold. I'm on my third since November. Thank goodness I've got time off for half term because I couldn't dare tell my boss I was ill again...

I've had Covid 3 times (knowingly) - May 2022, Feb 2023 and Sept 2024. In Dec 2023 I had something where I was iller than I've ever previously been, high temp, chest infection (had antibiotics) and literally could barely get out of bed for a week. I tested for covid then, but tests were negative. Tear was in date, but could have been made for a different strain. IDK. Could also have not been Covid.

Has Covid damaged my immune system a bit ?

Anyway, I've fed up of being ill so often! I'm pretty stoic and put up with most things, but I can't carry on through aches and shakes and a head cold. I also can't take OTC remedies like Lemsip.

I lift weights 3 times a week, I walk and/or run several miles several times a week; I swim outdoors year round (have done for years); I eat a veggie diet and try to avoid UPFs. I take a multivitamin every day. I eat lots of variety of fruit and veg.

Might drink 2 glasses of wine a week, but might also not drink for a few weeks.

I get a flu jab every year.

What more can I do? Or am I just getting older? (I am 54).

You can buy little bottles of “gut health” juice, with healthy gut flora, in Aldi. They will help. Also, yoghurt drinks to boost your immune system.

KWAI garlic capsules taken with food. Can be taken every day but I just take two every day when I feel the beginning of a cold and it either doesn't develop or is mild. I swear by them. Other garlic that has a high yield may also work but I find I can taste and smell them.

I eat love yoghurt most days. Would yoghurt drinks do anything more?

I have posted this on a few threads so it probably looks like I have got shares in them but I have been using this 4x a day (and a bit more often, discreetly, when I am sat near someone with a cold) since October and so far I have not picked up the range of coughs. colds, flu, covid and RSV that have moved through the office.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Action-Nasal-Spray-Twin/dp/B0DN1W74XL

Obviously I am just an 'n' of one but there is science behind it.

Ask GP to do a blood panel that includes B12 and vitamin D and ferritin.

I was like you and in two years have got my ferritin up by over 100, am taking high dose vitamin D with K2 and magnesium malate for absorption and touch wood, I've had one cold since September.

I am waiting to see what my B12 levels are like after stopping supplementation as this can give a false reading and you need to be four months clear of supplements.

I also do the obvious stuff, exercise, water, mainly plant based unprocessed diet etc.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · Today 12:46

MrsSkylerWhite · Today 12:34
You can buy little bottles of “gut health” juice, with healthy gut flora, in Aldi. They will help. Also, yoghurt drinks to boost your immune system.
**
I eat love yoghurt most days. Would yoghurt drinks do anything more

Probably not. The gut health drinks are good, though. Most of us are out of balance.

I have long Covid and was so healthy before I got it, I can still barely believe I have it

What I noticed is my vitamin D was always scraping along the lowest levels even though I was taking a supplement. I've upped my vitamin D to taking a high dose every day - even so my levels are still on the lower end but better than they were before. It does appear that having persistent viral infections destroys your vit D and ironically a lack of vitD is a risk factor for viral infections.

All the stuff here is worth trying, but covid does damage &deplete T cells. I’m not sure there’s a way around that beyond trying to avoid catching covid as much as is practically possible.

I'm also in my 50s - it's a perfect storm for us as we have the peri-menopause/menopause at the same which also doesn't help!

Covid hasn't damaged your immune system - all the isolation we went through has. We tried so hard not to spread covid that we also stopped spreading everything else. Therefore the colds etc we would have got over that time we never developed immunity towards, and now isolation has been well and truly given up on, we're exposed to everything all at once.

I honestly believe next winter will be better.

This is the first winter since covid where pretty much nobody is making any effort to stop spread. Even last winter schools would still close, people would still test and isolate.

And folate. Covid gave both myself and DH a folate deficiency. This will not be corrected by a multi vitamin. You need large "loading doses". For folate it's 5 mg a day for about 4 months.

Have a listen to this podcast. You’ll see that there isn’t a lot of evidence for juices etc to boost your immune system.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00274wy?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

sounds like you’re doing all the right things. One thing to do consider is how not to get ill in first place. How stringent are you about washing hands especially before you eat, not touching your face etc. no one wants to go back to mask wearing but in crowded spaces during flu season it can help.

I do use this when I feel a cold coming on! Sometimes I'm just not fast enough!!

I went through this about 7 or 8 years ago as I was very anaemic (Ferritin < 5 whatever the units were; GP sent me back to the hospital for a fresh test to be sure the sample wasn't spoilt). I do take iron supplements, maybe I need to up that dosage.

I shall add Vit D.

Make sure it is a vitamin D in an oil capsule. Take with K2 and magnesium malate for absorption.

Vitamin D depletes magnesium. Vitamin K2 makes sure the D goes to the bones and teeth.

I take 4000mg but the vitamin D protocol for raising it, is 10000mg a day.

Vitamin d has a half life of 48hrs so you constantly need to replenish.

Reintroduce meat

I haven't had a cold or virus for over a year now. I would always gets 2-3 colds or flus per year. I zapped one of them with Vicks First Defence and it stopped it developing. I also use Echinaforce echinacea tablets along with a Vitamin C & Zinc tablet if I feel even slightly run down. I've also started eating ground flax seeds every day.

I havn't eaten meat since 1988, even then I didn't eat much (my dad was veggie). I've had 35 years of excellent health without meat, I won't be reintroducing it, certainly not as my first line of attack.