Sick of being sick.

[PavlovtheCat]

I have yet another bug. Probably just a cold, but it has been almost constant virus/cold/sinus infection since Feb, and I am sick of it.

My muscles have been almost constantly aching for over a month now, as has my head. I get a few days of release, think I am on the mend, but then, for example out at the weekend, did some walking, nothing significant at all, and my muscles have been aching since, like I have run a few miles.

And I have a sore throat, throbbing nose and stinking headache. Again.

I can't take the day of work. I have taken a lot of time off due to constant illness over the last few months, and have a busy day tomorrow.

I am just sick of it. I seem to spend my time in bed. DD is going to think I am some sick poorly mother, always ill. I am sure DH is sick of it too now.

There moan over. For now.

Celery I will try to add supplements.

I eat very well, don't eat red meat so supplement this with beans/pulses/soya, don't have a particularly sweet tooth, so altough I do eat sugary things from time to time, not any more than I always have done. Perhaps it is just effecting me more now . We try to eat healthily because I dislike DD eating processed/high sugar food, she gets good homecooked food most of the time, which means that we do too! Eat fish and chicken. I have increased my water intake and decreased my caffiene intake, although not stopped completely.

I exercise too, go kayaking, walk to work and back couple of times a week, I am fitter than I probably was prior to DD!!!

I will pester the Dr for the thyroid test, as many of the symptoms are what I am experiencing but just put them down to be being run down/getting older/feeling sorry for myself/being a hypochondriac due to feeling so shit for so long. But it is uncanny, so it would be good to at least rule it out, and back to the drawing board again.

Thanks for all the great advice

Misi - your last post is, apart from being a bit mind boggling is interesting!

I would be quite interested in finding out a bit more about the herbs you mention for viral infections, as while addressing my constant ilness with Dr etc, it won't hurt to add something to my nutrition to support the immune system in fighting the infections I keep getting, esp my current sinus infection. I don't a fourth or fifth course of antibiotics this year.

I took astragulus and goldenseal for about 6 weeks after my initial effort to get well. I stopped taking them, only because I ran out and haven't bought any more, although I am still taking various vitamin supplements. I have felt my health slipping a bit recently, and may try them again. I basically tried everything at once - vit supplements, herbal supplements and diet - in a desperate effort, and I can't say whether all or some of it worked, but it definately worked. I figured taking all these supplements would be expensive in the long run, so would try to phase them out once I was feeling better ( hence dropping the herbal stuff ). It seems I have to be vigilent with my lifestyle atleast for the time being, because if I slip up ( like with my diet ), I feel ill again. The supplements I am taking, if you're interested are: 1000-2000mg vit c, vit E, vit B complex, 300mg magnesium, selenium, Co-enzyme Q10, a good quality probiotic, 60mg zinc. Once this lot runs out though, I'm going to try a good quality multi vit to replace some of those though.

Celery - wow bet that costs a small fortune!

How long would I allow to see any kind of results with these supplements? I have never needeed/felt the need to supplement my diet before, apart from extra vit c and zinc when I have a cold, like now, but I will give it a go.

I might try astragulus and goldenseal, seeing as I clearly have viral issues and a low immune system. Maybe I will try just those first, and some additional vit c and zinc which I already have, and see how that works.

yes, it is a small fortune! I'm only taking this much, after trawling the net for advice on how to overcome Glandular Fever, so that lot is specific to my particular problem. I think vit c and zinc is a good place to start, but you need to take more than the RDA. I would say atleast 1000mg vit C ( 2000mg to start with maybe ) and 50-60 mg zinc. And I'd also recommend a good probiotic ( powder or tablet form, not the yoghurt drinks ). Obviously if this works and you are feeling better, you can try to reduce it and phase it out. I would definately recommend the fresh juicing though, it just makes you feel really good.

I have been taking the effervescent Vit x which is 1000mg, and 30ml of Zinc, which i what I usually take when I get a bug.

I will also try the juicing too, but perhaps minus the celery, which, apologies for offending your name, is disgusting not to my taste!

Regarding the sugar in your diet, I think once your immune system is weakened, it is worth trying to cut it out completely/almost completely. Might be worth a try? I'm convinced that sugar plays a large part in triggering my relapses.

I know I'm coming across as rather evangelical, but I was in such a desperate place a few months ago, and this worked for me, that's all I can say.

lol about the celery. You can basically juice what you like, although green leafy stuff is particularly beneficial. I mainly add the celery because it's very hydrating.

The point to juicing for me, is that you get maximum nutrition from minimun effort. It would take me probably an hour to munch my way through that lot, but I can juice it and down it in 10 minutes.

It sounds like you needed to be strict though Celery, glandular fever is so crippling and takes such a long long time to recover.

I feel bit rough today to be honest, and I am in bed again. I just feel so fed up, my head hurts and I am all bunged up again {or, still} and just feel achey.

I know its probably just a cold, its just another one, after another one that is grinding me down, that and perpetual tiredness/difficulty sleeping (which is actually improved recently).

I seem to live in the bedroom and DH in the front room these days

Pav...you poor thing

firstly, can I say that if you take that amount of zinc each day you need to supplement with copper too as the zinc will deplete copper in your body. copper deficiency is not good. decent brands of zinc should have a copper content too but some don't and as 60mg is something I would only ''prescribe'' under supervision, you need to look at this please?
if you take goldenseal for a period of time, you must also make sure you take extra B vits as GS will deplete B vits too. Most Vit c supps are in the form of abscorbic acid and 1000mg is a maintainance dose at best. I have known people take up to 5 or 6,000mg for effect, but I would suggest taking a Vit c as an ''ester c'' as this is pH neutral and 500mg will be equivalent to 1000mg or more.

altmedicine.about.com/cs/herbsvitaminsek/a/Goldenseal.htm

www.detoxyourwor ld.com/acatalog/pau_darco.html

www.safealternativemedicine.co.uk/PauDArcoDivineBark.html

a few sites for you to look at for a general feel of the herbs. but as always I suggest that you see someone qualified before embarking on treatments (as opposed to maintainance) as they will tailor the treatment to you specifically and be able to tell you about the other nutrients that you may need to supp with like the zinc talked about above.

when your immune system is weakened, sugar in the diet will cause a flourish of candida and other fungi that will in turn make you feel worse. candida can effect every cell in the body and in enough concentrations can affect the brain too and cause depression, tiredness etc

interesting (or not) fact, it takes more calories to break down and digest celery than it provides, so in theory, the more you eat the bigger the calorie deficit to your diet

(wouldn't recommend a celery only diet though)

Misi - I am taking 30mg, that ok? Will I need to take copper supplement too for that amount? I generally only take it when ill, but will take at least 1 tablet a day for a while (15mg).

what is an 'ester c', so should I take 2 x 100mg tablets of vit c right now?

I will take a look at those site too! thank you

Ok, so less sugar, that should not be too hard, I dont take sugar in drinks, on breakfast, mainly a bar of chocolate or bread and jam, shall cut those out for a few days, see if that helps.

Thanks misi, for that info on zinc. I will look into that. Can I ask, are you qualified in any way? Just very interested, and very aware that the advice I am giving is not qualified, just based on personal experience.

I am but I also try to advise what I have done for myself or other people have done as I am not allowed to treat or diagnose without face to face consultation. its why I mostly say, go see someone qualified before you self medicate on herbs.
I can practice herbalism on what qualification I have got but am taking it further with a full med degree in herbalism to satisfy myself. I am happy to say what you can't or shouldn't do though

pavlo, missed your posts, sorry, but even 30mg is quite high. the usual over the counter stuff is around 7 or 8mg of zinc to 1mg of copper. I had 15mg and 23mg zincs in my old shop but I would only sell those to people I had talked to first. I was unusual in that I would regularly refuse to sell stuff to people if I was not sure

ester c

www.ester-c.com/pages/benefits.aspx

there are even better forms of vit c out there but they are extremely expensive, I use ester c myself so I know what it is like and is what I suggest to people mostly

The zinc I am taking is 2 x 15mg, says on the back that is provides 100% RDA. I got it from sainsburys a while ago when I was feeling very shite and it was recommended to go hand in hand with the vit c.

Oh interesting about the Ester C, I think I have heard that before but did not know it was called that...where can I get them from? Health shop?

the following is from a website I have stored but was unable to post the link to it. but don't let this alarm you, copper deficiency takes a long time to develop and this is worst case scenario. you are talking of around 2 years on average for these symptoms to develop, simply add 1mg of copper to every 7-15mg of zinc will (which a decent brand would do anyway). my favourite brand is solaray www.nutraceutical.com/search/view_product.cfm?product_index=6174748

this is the american version of their website so the levels of the zinc and copper will be different to here (they have quite different RDA levels for zinc and copper to us) but the english site would not behave itself and allow me to copy/paste the link

As zinc supplementaion is becoming more popular, the effect of reduced copper absorption seen with increased zinc consumption will probably make deficiencies of copper become more common.

Signs & Symptoms
Fatigue, paleness, skin sores, edema, slowed growth, hair loss, anorexia, diarrhea and dermatitis can be symptoms of copper insufficiency.

The reduced red blood cell function and shortened red cell life span found with copper deficiency can influence energy levels and cause weakness and labored respiration from decreased oxygen delivery. Low copper levels may also affect collagen formation and thus tissue health and healing. Reduced thyroid function, cardiovascular disease, increased cholesterol, uric acid and blood pressure, impaired glucose tolerance, thrombosis, oxidative damage, skeletal defects related to bone demineralization and poor nerve conductivity (copper deficiency adversely affects electrocardiograms) - including irregular heart rhythms - can all result from copper depletion.

Copper deficiency results in several abnormalities of the immune system, such as a reduced cellular immune response, reduced activity of white blood cells and, possibly, reduced thymus hormone production, all of which may contribute to an increased infection rate. Infants fed an all-dairy (cow's milk) diet without copper supplements may develop copper deficiency

yes, any good independant health shop will sell an ester c, probably the solgar range