How best to build up immune system in advance of PANDEMIC??!!?

[oysterpots]

Thought I had Swine Flu yesterday, spoke to GP on phone who said I had all the symptoms except the fever, so probably just a cold.

It's made me think I should prepare myself for inevitability of getting it at some point by trying to be really healthy from now on, ie. daily echinacea dose, vit c, probiotics etc.

Any other suggestions for what I can actually do to help build up my (and my family's) immunity? Is that even a worthwhile exercise??

Nah, rest, exercise and good diet will give you a fighting chance for but rest of it is bollocks I'm afraid!

Zinc, and don't take paracetamol if you get it.

Why ever not?

It helps the body fight infection.

I mean, fever does. Not paracetamol. Unless you are in so much pain and discomfort you can't sleep, it's not worth prolonging the whole business with paracetamol.

chocolate would you like a little link

Plenty of sleep, eat well, not too much booze, and wrap up if it gets cold.

Am inclined to agree with stuffitllama about paracetamol prolonging viral infections, and tend to avoid it myself unless feeling really shit, but would always give it to a child with a fever.

have you not seen the stuff about not needing a temp?

your gp is wrong

My gp has told me they have been told this too

thanks for the link cd, I think mine have just had it and the temps were certainly low, not above 38

however if there is a temp, then the temp is there for a reason

fever is on the whole beneficial, with danger levels not reached to about 105

so I would think, if there's a temp, then why suppress it -- it has a job to do

God DS would have had a fever of over 39, for four days, if I wouldn't have given him paracetamol and ibuprophen. (each time there was a gap between the dose his temp would sore to above 39). Are you seriously saying not to give medicine to children or not take medicine if you have a fever? How miserable would he have been, not eating, crying, not sleeping if I wouldn't have given medicine. Because of the medicine he was playing amlost normally, eating a tiny bit, sleeping ok. I don't now how we would have done it otherwise.

lets darrell sit on my hands also but really i am not doing it to touch your bum

Smoke cigarettes. DH does, and he got the lightest case of swine flu out of all of us.

I had seen the stuff about cases presenting without fever but tbh didn't see the point in arguing the toss with GP over it, considering the outcome would've been the same ie NHS not going to do anything about it in my case whether I had it or not. Sort of academic really.

Also think DS might well have had it the week before although not diagnosed by GP. Kind of hoping so, anyway.

That's interesting, expat, seeing as smoking's supposed to lower your immune system and all that... Might as well take it up, seeing as we're all doomed anyway...

I've had to trawl all around my mumsnet to find my hidden threads
couldn't resist and I've got such a lovely bottom as well
V pert

i have a nice bottom, too.

too bad about my belly, thighs, bingo wings and boobs.

Just concentrate on the good stuff expat i reckon

I have the evening all to myself
The Mentalist followed by Grey's Anatomy
Jelly sweets and the sofa all to myself
heavenly

I have to go clean the bathrooms tonight, DR. Your evening sounds better .

Try not to have too much fun
Have been at the Coalface for most of today though, to make you feel better

we recovered from swine flu, wats, yes. we were over it from about the middle of last month.

Smoking probably could help only because no-one wants to get close to a smoker. Garlic would be better - good for you, tasty and maintains your personal space!