improving your immune system

G

gettingstrong

Cathlete
Hi, I would love some suggestions from all of you lovely ladies. My middle dd has yet again developed secondary problems from a cold. This is just happening too much and I have had enough of it! So, I am launching "improve Ashley's immune system" program as soon as she is well. We eat healthy as a family, but I am trying to specifically improve her immunity to these colds!

She is 12 and growing, developing and changing a lot now and I think that maybe contributing to her lowered immune function. She doesn't eat junk - but just doesn't eat much of anything! Very sedentary. Although she eats little, she is slightly plump. Part of this is puberty , the other is , I believe that she is a serious endomorph.

Ok, my plan so far:
5 -7 fruits and veggies every day. This is going to take some work
Pom wonderful juice
at least 4 glasses of water in addition to the juices
I see juice oranges are on special lately - maybe some fresh squeezed in the a.m.
some green tea
Multiple, Viactiv, an extra "C" and maybe some enchicanea(SP? -you know what I mean)
Daily walk with me - 1 mi.
Try (again!) to get her interested in weights
Use her DDR several times a week or if we don't get to walk, or jump on the trampoline
Go to bed on time.

Any other suggestions or links? I searched on the web, but mostly found "sale" sites and got tired of sifting through it all. Keep in mind this is a picky 12 yr old girl and I am on a budget. Thanks for your help! This cold stuff has GOT TO STOP! I'm not kiddin' Marnie;(
 
Whenever possible, I prefer whole foods to extracts (even of something as seemingly harmless as vitamin C), because I think many natural substances contain ingredients that may not even have been identified yet, but which work synergistically with whatever ingredient that is supposed to be helpful (like vitamin C).

I suggest what are called "adaptogens," natural substances that help build the immune system.

Some are: reishi mushrooms (can be eaten like regular mushrooms or used in a tea), maca root (www.rawfood.com has "Maca extreme," which is a concentrated version), goji berries (also from www.rawfood.com or www.eatraw.com ), mangosteen (often in concentrate, it also is an anti-inflammatory). (For kids, you'd have to see what they tolerate, taste-wise! Dried Goji berries are tasty (like a cross between a cranberry and a cherry, or like a "not-tart" cranberry, IMO), and can be eaten as a handful a day.

Eating raw foods is also supposed to help boost the immune system because they provide the body with enzymes that it needs.

Rather than echinacea (which some say should not be taken for long term use) astragalus is an adaptogenic herb that is often recommended especially for cold and flu season.

Looking up "adaptogen" on the internet can give you some more ideas.
 
Take a look at my picture trail. I was a serious endomorhp. As a child I was not to heavy but would carry my weight in my belly and then would grow taller. As an adult it was the same but got worse. I remember having a week immunity and then as I got older I use to tell people I would get sick in Oct. and stay that way until April on and off. So I can really relate. Now with that said ,I have three girls of my own ( 9,7,and almost 4). My main thing with them even though they are younger then 12 is to get out and play, jump rope, do yoga with me, pretend and jump around and be Cathe with me. They do gymnastics once a week. For Christmas they got a pogo stick, yoga kits, bella bars, tap shoes. Many fun physical things. With all there exercise they get sick but not like I did when I was little. Last year they were not sick once.This year they have been with no difference in what I have done. It rarley last longer then a few days and they have not had to be to the doctors for perscription medicines going on many years now other then for an ointment for impetigo. I feed my girls 5 to six meals a day and they always get sensible breakfast lunch and dinner. Now the snacks vary. Sometimes they get chips but if I can get them on a kick like around fall with apples then I try and keep them on the kick for as long as I can. Each of my girls is different. The one I think is the endomorph/meso loves carbs. She would eat breads at any given meal if I let her. So I DON'T. I found what she does love just as much and give that to her. She loves broccoli, brown rice, and apple juice. So I try and work them into her diet as much as I can. I think your plan sounds great. I am big on giving my kids vitamins and also the echinacea and air bourne for juniors when I can see sickness lurking. Just test the waters with her. My daughter hates pom juice and oj but loves apple. My other loves oj but hates so and so. Just keep testing the waters to see what works. Also my kids drink tons, and I mean tons of water throughtout the day. They will grab water before any beverage and that is because that is all I usually give them. I was never a water drinker and still am bad but do my best. I swore I would not let them be bad water drinkers like there mom and they are not. I'm real proud of that. I also think by exerciseing with her she may grow to love it. If she sees you do it like my kids see me, she may ask to join in. I hope some of this helps. Your a great mom to love and get a great plan of attack for her. You should be so proud. From one mom to another your on a great path. The main key in the plan in water and exercise. I rarly exercised as a kid ( just in the summer and that was outside swings and barbies) .Later in life not hardly and especialy not in the winter. Exercise is key in your immunity. Since losing my weight and exercising regularly in the last 4 years I may have been sick a handful of times. Not anything like when I was younger. I really was sick from April to May. You can do it together. You take the lead and they will follow. I got my three year old thinking she is Cathe. When she goes to gymnastics she puts on her Cathe suit( leotard) and what she calls her Cathe shoes, grabs her water and protein bar ( which is her homemade granola bar and she is off). Whatever you teach them they will go from your lead. Karen

www.picturetrail.com/karenvictoria
 
>I just want to say one more thing. Kathryn is a wonderful
>source of info. I love all her post about whole foods,
>vitamins and nutrition in general and follow her lead in
>anything that pretains to my life. I wish she were my
>neighbor. karen
>
>www.picturetrail.com/karenvictoria

Why thank you. Karen!

Just hope that I don't go off the deep end some day (some may think I already have ;-) ) and start advocating something really whacky (conserve your sweat and drink it once a week!! Following me now? LOL!)
 
I truly mean what I said Kathryn. All your post are teaching posts to me. Your knowledge base on nutrition is astounding.

Kathryn for President!!!!! Kathryn for President!!!!!

LOL!!!!! Karen
 
>I truly mean what I said Kathryn. All your post are teaching
>posts to me. Your knowledge base on nutrition is astounding.
>
>Kathryn for President!!!!! Kathryn for President!!!!!
>
>LOL!!!!! Karen

O.K., you are officially president of my fan club!:+
 
I think a key immune booster is healthy eating tied with exercise. Both my daughters, one of whom is 11, are involved in sports. In fact, it's basically a given that they've got to be involved in some sort of organized physical activity. Team sports are also great from not only a physical standpoint, but an emotional one as well. I think the increased confidence, commaderie w/team mates, helps their overall mental health, which in turn assists with their physical health. The whole mind-body connection thing.

Oh, and I agree w/the washing hands alot suggestion. I've got my girls practically programmed to wash their hands as soon as they come in the house from shopping, playing at friends, etc. Think it really helps!
 
Handwashing, plus small bottles of those hand sanitizers to carry around with her when she can't wash her hands. Have her doctor check her for allergies--I grew up with allergies and was sick constantly. Treating allergies can sometimes stop you from getting so many colds, etc.

Actually, I'm still really susceptible to colds and secondary infections, so I try to be very careful, especially with handwashing and getting enough sleep and eating right. Working out has made a big difference, also. For me, one thing that always gets me sick is stress--I get horribly sick whenever I go through a really stressful event (eg, insane deadlines at work). Working out helps to an extent with that one, too.
 
I first want to say that I think you are doing it right with her diet. You can’t beat the power of natural (raw) foods and what they do to support our bodies. I wanted to pass along some info that I have on the immune system. I actually teach moms in my community on how to boost our kids immune systems naturally. Here is some of the info I pass onto them….

***Watch sugar (refined-white) sugar intake. 6 tsp of sugar suppresses the immune system by 40%, 12 tsp suppresses the immune system 60%. So many kids are going off to school with a sugar cereal and we are suppressing their immune system and sending them off to school.

***Has your daughter ever been on antibiotics? The reason I ask this is what antibiotics do to our bodies. Don’t get me wrong, I am VERY thankful for antibiotics, but the problem is they kill the bad (which is what we want) but they also kill off the good bacteria in our intestines (acidophilus/bifidus…..the same bacteria that is found in yogurt). When the good bacteria are killed off, other things start growing (like ecoli and yeast) which are naturally found in there, but they grow faster than the good bacteria. So now our immune system is hard at work trying to keep in balance these ‘bad guys’ instead of being ready to attack a virus and we are more susceptible to getting sick.

Many of the moms I work with have kids that have constant ear infections. I always recommend them to replenish their kids friendly bacteria in their intestines. There are many acidophilus products on the market but the problem is getting the bacteria to the intestines. Most acidophilus products sit on shelf and they are dying. The other problem is that these bacteria are fragile. Once they hit our stomach acid, most of them die and never reach our intestines which is where we want them. The only product that I have found that can guarantee live acidophilus/bifidus to the intestines is Shaklee’s Optiflora. They have it in a triple layered capsule which protects them from the stomach acid. These layers slowly dissolve and finally dissolve in the intestines. Each capsule delivers 500 million ‘good bacteria’ to the intestines every time. I have seen this product work for so many of my friends and for my sister’s kids especially. It is safe for babies up to adults. Many women who suffer from yeast infections have this very same problem. They have an overgrowth of yeast and they need more of the friendly bacteria instead of the yeast, and I put them on this product as well. If you want to read more about this product, here is the link: www.shaklee.net/robin_walker/product/20639


Also, there is a GREAT presentation on the internet on immune system health. When you have some down time, listen to this presentation. You will learn a lot concerning immune system health. There is also a presentation on Children’s Health that you may be interested in listening to as well. The website is www.theglobalsuccessteam.net. Click on the ‘Product Information” button and it will take you to the presentations to listen to.

Here is some info on supplements that can help:

Vitamin C - Boosts the immune system, infection fighter, natural antihistamine, increases the resistance to ligament and tendon injury. Vitamin C is depleted by stress such as infections, illness, fatigue, surgery, anxiety, pollution and extremes in temperature.

Garlic – Historically, has been used for congestion, asthma, sinusitis and allergies, colds, flu and pneumonia, sore throat and bronchitis. Has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and is effective against yeast infections (Candida). Nature’s strongest natural antibiotic.

Echinacea - Activates the immune system, promotes production of white blood cells, enhances resistance to infection, viral and bacterial, especially flu and herpes; reduces mucus. Works best when started at the onset of cold or flu symptoms. Can be used effectively for up to 10 days at a time. This is not a supplement you take continuously, only at the first signs of a cold.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me ([email protected]).
 
Wow. Thanks everyone. She hasn't always been this way, just the last couple of years. I know a big part is her diet. Like I said she doesn't eat junk, but not enough F &V. We are real big on hand washing and everyone carries a little bottle of Purell with them. She just can't get rid of the darn thing when she catches it. Marnie
 
>***Has your daughter ever been on antibiotics? The reason I
>ask this is what antibiotics do to our bodies. Don’t get me
>wrong, I am VERY thankful for antibiotics, but the problem is
>they kill the bad (which is what we want) but they also kill
>off the good bacteria in our intestines
>(acidophilus/bifidus…..the same bacteria that is found in
>yogurt). When the good bacteria are killed off, other things
>start growing (like ecoli and yeast) which are naturally found
>in there, but they grow faster than the good bacteria. So now
>our immune system is hard at work trying to keep in balance
>these ‘bad guys’ instead of being ready to attack a virus and
>we are more susceptible to getting sick.
>

I forgot about that.
It's a good idea to get a daily source of probiotics (substances that help the 'good" bacteria thrive. An acidophilus source (fermented foods such as yogurt or tempeh) plus a probiotic like inulin fiber (that the good bacteria consume) is a good idea. I use "SteviaPlus"(a powdered stevia extract in a base of inulin fiber) that can be used to sweeten foods and be a probiotic at the same time (You can read about it at www.sweetleaf.com . I got mine through www.buywisdom.com )
 
>I use "SteviaPlus"(a powdered stevia
>extract in a base of inulin fiber) that can be used to sweeten
>foods and be a probiotic at the same time (You can read about
>it at www.sweetleaf.com . I got mine through www.buywisdom.com
>)

I buy it at Whole Foods or Krogers.....you only need a little bit to sweeten grapefruits and raspberries. I'm sure it would be great for those who like to sweeten their oatmeal (I happen to prefer my oatmeal unsweetened).

Robin:9
 
I am a teacher. I second the hand washing suggestions. I am religious about washing my hands. I will not eat anything without doing this. I would be sick all the time otherwise. I am cooped up all day in a classroom with no windows and 78 kids with various maladies. I know I would be sick all the time if I didn't do this. The only other things I do are exercise and eat decent. I am not religious about anything else in my life. I am pretty healthy though! Knock on wood! (Couldn't resist the pun!)
 
I am currently reading the book "Disease-Proof Your Child: Feeding Kids Right." The author is Joel Fuhrman. You must read this book! His advice may really help your daughter, as you can tell from the title of the book.
 
SOme more ideas:
My acupuncturist (who is studied in Chinese medicine as well) advises giving up coffee, chocolate, alcohol and carbonated beverages while one is healing, because there is some acid in these (carbolic acid?) that interferes with the intestines (the illiocecal valve?), which are a large part of the immune system (some immune system cells are created in the intestine).

Your daughter probably doesn't drink coffee or alcohol ;-) , but you might want to cut out chocolate and carbonated beverages and see if it helps.
 
gettingstrong,

I am going through the exact same thing with my 10 year old daughter at the moment. Every cold she has had this past year has turned into a chest infection. For the past 2 months she has been battling a chest infection that several antibiotics have failed to shift.

I am now implementing a 'food for health' policy at home. Not that we ate hideously un-healthilly but it's suprising how many little treats and snacks can creep into the diet, especially from grandparents. I have had to put my foot down despite much wailing, and gnashing of teeth from my children, and explain why three chocolate bars brought by grandma cannot be consumed in one sitting.

And to grandma, no you have not 'treat' your grandchildren, moreover you have tried to poison them and undo the good that I an trying to implement, whilst trying to buy their favour! (sorry, a personal rant there!)

So, plenty of vitamin rich, nutritious food, yoghurt to replace good bacteria killed off by antibiotics and supplements and prayer.

Hope your daughter is well soon.

T.
 
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