I work at a daycare and constantly get sick. Know any good ways to go about boosting my immune system?

Question

I have been sick for weeks now. I work at a daycare and it seems that if the children have it, i get it. I have been working with children (in the same daycare) for about three years now.
I have recently seen a doctor, who put me on an anti-biotic suggesting that I had a sinus infection. The antibiotic did help. However, it has not even been a week since I got over the infection and I now have a stomach bug.
I am 19 years old and should have a strong immune system. I try to eat as healthy as I can (exercise however, is hard to fit in) I frequently wash my hands, and I visit the doctor regularly.
Even as a child I would always catch whatever was going around, and it seemed like it always hit me harder than anyone else.

I would like to know if anybody has suggestions as to what I can do year-round to boost my immune system. (Vitamins, etc...)

Answer 1

White sugar, white flour, and i think white rice can weaken ur immune system, stay away from those things as much as possible, eat whole grains, and drink tea with honey, not sugar...
Drugs weaken the immune system over time...try to use natural medicines as much as possible (ex. herbal remidies)
Wash your fruits and vegetables thuroughly...umm, what else, eat things with alot of anti-oxidents (grapefruit, blue berries, dark chocolate, etc...) If you can find HIBISCUS FLOWER TEA, that's great for cold, and cleaning out the body of any impurities. It tastes like cranberry, drink it with honey, not sugar..back sure your house is clean, vacuum regularily, especially around and under ur bed, cuz dust and dirt can give u a sinus infection if u breath it in a lot, when ur sleeping...well thats all i know...

Answer 2

First, PLEASE disregard what Heinz has said about "massive" doses. It may have been a typo - he may have meant Vitamin C - but Vitamin D is one of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D and E) which can build up toxic levels in your body. Most vitamins are water-soluble but these are not, and it is possible to overdose on any of these three. A dosage of D like what you would get in a multi-vitamin should help protect you if you aren't getting the 15 minutes of direct sun daily to provide your own Vitamin D.

That being said...Vitamin C is a powerful immune system support. 1000 mg/day is the recommmended dosage to prevent colds and common infections. Since you have had a history of colds and other infections, you might require 1500 mg. per day. Keep in mind that it's virtually impossible to overdose on C.

If you actually feel a sore throat or cold coming on, increase the dosage to 100 mg/ every 2 hours, combined with 2 Echinacea capsules. Take 1 zinc lozenge per day. Continue until bedtime, and if symptoms persist the next morning, continue for one more day. Symptoms should disappear.

Linus Pauling, the only person to win two Nobel Prizes, did extensive research on C and made these recommendations. Personal experience has validated it over and over. You can't avoid germs - they are everywhere! The reason we get sick is not because we get chilled, or got exposed to a sick person, or touched a dirty doorknob; we get sick because our immune system is supressed and we don't have enough resistence to disease. A bottle of 500 mg. Vitamin C is only a few bucks - you have nothing to lose and a healthy constitution to gain!

Echinacea is an immune system strengthener but is only effective for short-term treatment. Don't take it daily. Two weeks is the max, but usually you won't need it that long.

BTW, humans and guinea pigs are the only mammals that don't produce their own Vitamin C.

Answer 3

I don't know about megadoses, but it's true that vitamin D has been found to bolster the immune system. A multivitamin would be a good idea. If you drink orange juice, get a variety with added D.

Also, when you do find time to exercise are you perhaps overdoing it to make up for the infrequency? If so, that will decrease your immune system's effectiveness for about 24 hours after. Get your workout in before a day off.

Also, get vaccinated whenever it's available. It's not 100% but it helps.

Answer 4

Anti-biotics can wipe out your immune system because the kill the good bacteria with the bad. If you take 1-2 T. of liquid acidophilus (it comes in strawberry flavor that tastes like tart yogurt) while you are on anti-biotics and for 10 days after it will keep that from happening. (A friend of mine who is a nurse told me about this and it stop my son from having reaccuring ear infections.)

As others have suggested taking your vitamins and Airborne also help as well as Emergence-C. I would also highly recommend you taking glyconutrients...they help the cells function and communicate so that they kill off the invaders that make you sick like they are suppose to. If your cells aren't healthy then they can't do their job.

Answer 5

You should make sure you have a descent breakfast every morning before work. Drink lots of water, and even consider taking daily multi-vitamins. Maybe adding something like Ginko-Biloba or an extra vitamin C to the mix - and drink a glass of orange juice with breakfast. You'll feel better, eating breakfast and keeping up with your vitamins, and it will probably help you to avoid some of the germs you're getting at the daycare.

Good luck!

Answer 6

As you put your question in alternative, I suggest you to read Louise Hay.
I know many people will tell you it's crap.
I must say first I was a nurse...
And, one sure thing is that we react to situations at physical, emotional and psychological levels.
So, as often the doctors are only healing the effects, it is maybe interesting to see the underlying reasons.
What I know about the kind of job you are in is that it can be very stressful.
I was also subject to sinus infections and the likes, now it is nearly two years it has gone.
It can come also from too acid food.
My case!

Answer 7

There is also a product called Airborne which might help. If you're not taking some type of Multi-Vitamin, I would start that as well.

Also, having some hand cleaner like Purell might be helpful, as well as making sure the surfaces in the classroom are sanitized on a regular basis.

Answer 8

Two things. 1. Avoid the vitamins you find in grocery stores. They are typically made from synthetic sources. Go to a health food store and ask for the best vitamins that they have. More expensive up front but they work better since they are from food-matrix sources. Easier to digest and they get into your system faster. 2. Glyconutrients. These building blocks will boost your natural immune system and will help your body correct any current dysfunction. I know from personal experience.

Answer 9

TAke immune herbal supplement pills. You can buy them online at the link below. I worked in schools for years and felt like I was sick every week for the first year. I started taking these pills and my immune system boosted and I wasn't sick nearly as often. There are other types on different herbal medicine websites and I think they are all about the same.

Answer 10

Eat right, take vitamins, exercise, get plenty of sleep, and drink LOTS of WATER! Another thing you can do, in addition to those, is to take a product called "Airborne" when you're around sick people. I have been told it helps keep you from catching sicknesses. I thought it was just for flying, but apparently it has other uses.

Take care of yourself!