Immune System Reset

[side_show]

I've been ill more in the past 6 months than I have been in years.  I think I need to hit the "reset" button on my immune system.  I'm interested in a total overhaul here: I'm open to making changes to my dietary, physical fitness, and life style practices.  Suggestions?

[littlefallsmets]

You ever try really high-grade ginseng?

I'll go on a month of The Good Stuff and that'll perk me up.

[Choop]

OJ + multivitamin every day. Stop with the Purell, it weakens your immune system overall by not letting it get any practice. Iron and beta-karotene are your friends, eat hell of dark green and bright orange/red/yellow vegetables.

[wombat]

I am not a fan of Purell, but I don't think it has any effect on your immune system, the problem is that it is one day going to cause the evolution of superbugs that will kill us all. But in the meantime I find that religiously washing my hands with soap and water frequently has been correlated with a lot fewer infectious illnesses. Also, you need to make sure you get enough sleep.

[AugustWest]

You should masturbate no less than 4 times a day.

[Victoria Waterfield]

Hookworms.

[pmcd9]

What August Said.

[Nabubrush]

I don't use the Purell, much, because it'll dry the shit out of your skin and then you have to use lotion constantly or your skin will crack and you _can_ have infection issue if you give the little bastards that sort of avenue. Do, as Wombles says, wash your hands thoroughly and often, though. I have had the same good luck with that as she has, current deathfection notwithstanding.

[Lister]

I'd look in to any possible new allergen sources.  New plants, new pets, new furniture (carpet, particle-board, blankets), pets, common foods, perfume/cologne, etc.  I found, for example, that my annual sicknesses dropped significantly when I moved away from the cats (and it makes me sad because I want a cat).

The sleep advice is good, as is training yourself not to touch your face and washing your hands before you eat.  It's cliched, but try to reduce stress (this mostly goes into getting enough rest).

Make sure that if you're on antibiotics for an infection, that you take enough of them (and take them long enough) to completely eradicate it.  If you've had a lot of antibiotic treatments, ask to change types.  I had a two-year period where I was having the same antibiotic under-prescribed to me for successive flare-ups of the same infection, and ended up just developing my own personal superbug.  At the end of it my immune system was basically non-functional and it finally took IV antibiotics to get healthy again.

[side_show]

You should masturbate no less than 4 times a day.

4 times?  I'm not sure how I feel about cutting back...

I've never been able to use the purell, I have eczema on my hands, and that stuff makes it flair significantly.

LFM:  The high grade ginsing used to work for me, but it seems my immune system is too damaged for it to work anymore.  I used to take it at the onset of a cold, which is how I've been told to use it, but I took Cold FX as directed for the cold I had in November and the cold I got this month and for the first time the ginsing didn't work and decreasing the effects of the illnesses.  This is part of why I'm thinking my system is shot.

Choop's idea is good, I don't seem to stick to taking my vitamins regularly.  I've got to get into a routine for this one.  I was thinking maybe a bottle on my desk at work and one on the bedside might help.

Wombat - yes.  I used to wash my hands at the clinic all the time and I was a lot healthier.  I've got to get in to the habit again.  Now that I'm always out in the community I don't have easy access to sinks and soap, so this is something I need to put more thought into.

Victoria:  I'm sorry, but no.  I am not into worms.  I just can't do it.  I do plan on taking some Acidophilus after I'm done the course of antibiotics I'm on though - gotta rebuild the gut flora.

Lister:  I'm sad to say you speak the truth.  I've been sick every month since starting my current job.  More than one person has had to work outside our office due to previous issues with mold.  The space has been treated, Health and Safety claims we're now safe, but we have zero air circulation (or temperature regulation) in a terrible old building that is actually 3 buildings that got frankensteined together.  Plus everything is coated in a layer of dust due to a lack of cleaning staff.  I really enjoy my coworkers, but I'm fairly certain the poor quality of our work space is contributing significantly to my health problems.

[Choop]

gitcherself an oxygen tank and mask and only enter the building wearing it

[jaydub]

I recommend another trip to Cuba.

[lprkn]

Sorry for the late response.

I've been looking into the so-called "Paleo" lifestyle/diet. It appears that there is a lot of (admittedly) anecdotal (though there is a study being done currently) evidence from folks with autoimmune issues who have had success with it. I came to it through Crossfit because I feel like my guts are getting more and more cantankerous the older I get (only 27, shouldn't really be a problem, but it is).

It adopts a self-proclaimed "evolutionary" or "anthropological" approach to diet, trying to emulate what what our ancestors ate for forever before the onset of civilization and agriculture in the last 6,000ish years. It basically boils down to a meat-based diet with fruits and vegetables and little to no gluten or processed foods.

I really am not one to go for diets or fads or whatever, and I've approached it with a healthy dose of skepticism. Problem is, I think that this thing is on its way to become the next "thing" in fitness crazes (it's had a couple of articles in the NYT), and I don't want to be associated with that. But if it works, it works.

I read this book, and I'm about to start this one. It lays out a lot of the science in an easy to understand way, with suggested further reading if you want to get into the scientific weeds. It has practical advice, too. The author has a blog and podcast that both update regularly. These blogs can give you some more information and lead you further along.

Anyway, I've been looking into this for a few months, and I've finally determined to give it a 30-day run to see what happens.

Note: I am not used to buying fresh, and this shit gets a little expensive sometimes. But no more expensive than eating out all the time, which is what I was doing anyway.

Just some thoughts. I have no personal results to credit or discredit this, but I should soon.

[theinevitable]

I am a fan of this based on my limited knowledge of food/agriculture from anthro classes. It makes sense to think about what our ancestors ate. Lots of evidence suggests that the advent of agriculture coincides with widespread malnutrition. (on the other hand: people got to do things other than worry about their next meal all day.)

I like pasta and white rice way too much to live that way, though.

[wombat]

(on the other hand: people got to do things other than worry about their next meal all day.)

Yeah, and die young, and stuff.

I think it's a very good idea to eat less processed food, given that some of our "food" is so insanely manufactured these days that it might as well be plastic. I am not sure we need to go from one extreme to the other. Giving up twinkies and fast food, yeah. Living on nuts and berries? Not so much.

But then again: lprkn says "I am not used to buying fresh." There's really the thing. If you aren't buying fresh food, what the heck have you been living on?

So if this makes you eat real, recognizable foodstuffs, starting from scratch, that is great.  But remember that no matter what arguments are mustered and how confidently they are presented, no one can know for absolute sure what the diet of people 10,000 years ago was. So let's not go too crazy about the details.