How can I build up my immune system?

Question

I get head colds regularly... is there a way to reduce my chances of catching them?

Answer 1

Wash your hands always and if you know somebody around you has a cold make sure you stay away from them.
Especialy at work make sure you don't touch your eyes ears nose or mouth if you have been near or touched door handles, pens, keyboards etc when sick people are in work.

This works for me, I used to get colds and flu every 2 - 3 months then I started bieng more careful and I had my first cold in 3 years just 2 weeks ago.

Vitamins are not the answer, I eat fruit maybe once a month and I pretty much live off microwave meals, toast, biscuits and takeaways.

Oh and don't take drugs, these make it very easy to get a cold in the weeks after taking them.

Answer 2

Start taking echinacea asap, you might find that it brings some cold out of you (similar ti the flu jab) but in the long run its very effective, take it for two weeks then have a break for a week. also increase your vit c by eating more fruit and veg, rather than just popping a tablet. The vit c enriched foods will also encourage you to be healthier in your food intake which will also add to helping fight a cold. Stay warm also. take paracetamols only once a day if you feel the symptoms are coming out. Avoid high fat foods and unhealthy drinking as this can sometime add to the resistance to fight off an infection. Also something i find helps me lots is drinking black current juice heated up!! an old favourite of my moms which is probably more psychological!! also if you do have a cold, take a day to recover trying to "work through it" often inhibits the body to have chance to repair the body, rest and warmth really is the best option if you already have the cold.

Answer 3

There is not any cure for the common cold. We can only treat the symptoms. You can build up the immune system by only eating and drinking the foods that contain the balance of vitamin that we need. Taking vitamin C regularly only ensures that you are topped up with it as the body cannot store it against future needs, Exercise helps as it gets the whole body working in harmony.
Then all you have to do is stay away from others in the cold season especially children that bring all infections from schools.

Answer 4

There is a number of things you can do:
1)Vitamins; escpecially C, in a high dosis; when you are not ill: 1000mg per day ; when you catch a cold take up to 8000mg a day. The good thing is that you can't overdose on this one. The eventual surplus leaves your body.
2)A homeopathic treatment: when you visit a homeopat he/she can determine which treatment is good for taking into account your whole body and charachter
3)Echinacea, is a very strong plant extract which helps your immune system
4) If you have infections every month it is possible that you suffer from Primary Immune Deficiency Disorder (PIDD) which means your body doens;t have enough means to fight diseases; Your Doctor can help you find out (bloodtest) if this is so. It is not so rare 1 in 800 has PIDD.

Good Luck

Answer 5

That sounds familiar! I used to get colds every month, was the weakest person anyone has ever known....

Then I discovered a solution - exercise. I started running to keep fit, but it built up my immune system and general fitness level, and i've not had even a sniff of a cold for ages!!

I'm not a fan of taking supplements/tablets, and don't really watch my diet, although i think eating well and resting of course helps too.

What i'm suggesting is a lifestyle change, give it a try for a month, and you'll definately see the difference!!

Answer 6

One of the most helpful things I've discovered is to keep your hands clean and don't put your hands (whether clean or not) near your face. Doing so puts the virus straight into your body via your mouth. Vitamin C and zinc supplements help when taken at the first sign of catching a cold, but its usefulness can deteriorate if you take it daily as a preventative. There's a new product out on the market called "Red Lightening" that you can buy on-line at NutriCentre, and it's an antioxidant and immune system boosters. I tell you true - it works. It's brilliant. Give it a try, and you'll be as surprised as I was by its effectiveness.

Answer 7

Get more vitamins into your system, preferably by eating more fresh fruit and vegetables rather than taking vitamin tablets. Drink more water (about 8 glasses a day) as this strengthens just about everything in your body, and also keeps you hydrated. Spend more time outdoors; this will get your body used to all the 'elements' including pollution and cold weather.

Breathing in fresh air 'cleans' your lungs, sea air (if you live on the coast) is also excellent for this. Take a cod-liver oil tablet each day; these are helpful in producing red blood cells for healthy blood. It might also help if you become a blood donor. You can only do this about three times a year, but it means that a pint of 'old' blood is taken out of your system, and your body has to replace it with fresh new blood.

Cut down on your alcohol and caffeine intake; these strip your body of essential nutrients needed to fight disease (though about 4 cups of tea a day has been known to increase anti-oxidants in your body). If you smoke, stop now!

Answer 8

There are lots of ways to build up your immune system:-

Get lots of rest/sleep
Avoid stress
Take regular exercise
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables

With regards catching the cold an important tip is to wash and dry your hands properly before you eat, touch your face etc.

Answer 9

Some of the best way to boost your immune system is by eating right (lots of antioxidant foods), taking a mulitvitamin, NOT smoking, get plenty of rest, and lowering your stress level. There are no guarantees, but these things can help. See the below links for more inofrmation. Good luck!

Answer 10

if you are near people that are sick regularly then you are gonna get sick regularly too. So try to stay away. but if not, drink lots of orange juice, i always think that natural is the way to go. And if you want even more strength on you system, then take supplements as well. To reduce your chances even more wash your hands more often. It could be that you regularly come in contact with something that is regularly infected.