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Before I start I am aware that everyone gets ill, but I'd like to do something about my immune system. I'd like to make changes to improve it.
This starts with last year I caught flu 4-5 times over the winter. I don't mean man flu, I mean resulting in emergency hospital admitance almost unable to breath and IV anti-biotics to deal with bad tonsillitis to avoid having to be assisted to breath in A&E.
Obviously that freaked me out abit so this year I got the flu jab, which I'm aware is only about ~50% effective. I've been ill twice this year and wondering what else I can do.
I've changed my commute as I used to commute all winter on a motorbike to get out of the cold. Drink Orange juice daily, eat alot of home cooked vegetarian food so I think my nutrition can't be faultered much. Also do something that seems rare in this day and age, wash my hands before eating.
On a balance side I'm aware that being too clean can be bad for the immune system, after all I mountainbike so regularly covered in mud.
Or just MTFU?
Don't touch your face....or try to minimise it.
I think you must have a suppressed immune system, perhaps from compound viruses. From what you say you are doing pretty much all you can. Perhaps a few months of convalescense in the seychelles would benefit.
Do you take an iron supplement? Or vit D? Nowt wrong with washing hands, it's a shame more people don't!
Some people swear by cold showers or cold/hot/cold/hot bursts etc. Might be worth having a read up on. Seems to help reduce a post ride achy body too, and makes you feel great. although it would put the body under some additional strain and may not be suitable for some i guess. IMHO.
Wash your hands regularly, don't touch your face, never go to London* and try to avoid all contact with humans. Especially live ones.
That should just about cover it.
*Or other dirty overcrowded city of your choice.
I cycle to work now, but before this i used the local bus and i found
i picked up so many viruses from the humans. Changed my diet amd now i find i get an odd sniffle. All i need to do now is reduce my contact with the students.
The worst does of flu I ever had was after flu jab. I havnt had a flu jab for 3 or 4 year now, I make sue I wash my hands or use anti-bac hand wipes at work, take a multi vitamine tablet with extra iron and an extra vit c tablet daily. Dont drink or smoke and mostly vegy diet and havnt had a bad cold or flu for 3/4 years now.
How often are you exercising? Are you getting enough rest?
Get yourself checked for allergy to oranges.
I used to get ill in winter and started keeping a record. When I had flu (or flu-like) I would ramp up on the orange juice and big vitamin C tablets. One day I looked at the record and realised that it was actually the other way round - the flu followed the OJ. Since then I have only had OJ a few times and next day all the symptoms come back.
The last time was a cycling holiday in Majorca in late spring. Oooh those fresh OJ machines in cafes look so enticing and surely one glass won't hurt...
Echinacea and oily fish (can you get veggie omega oils?) are supposed to help too.