How do you boost your immune system?

[Emmas Mom]

I had strep throat at the beginning of April, I found out yesterday I have it again! I haven't had strep since I was a kid! In between the two I had a head cold. I swear I just cannot seem to get healthy. I think my immune system must be pretty low. I never get enough sleep, I'm always up at night with one of our two girls. I'm wearing myself out. Does nursing take nutrients from your body that would normally be used for yourself? (sorry, I don't think I worded that quite right...blame it on the fever delirium). Any suggestions on how to boost your immune system?

[brittone2]

Probiotics :) A good quality one, from the refrigerated section. We use Jarrow brand here.

Cut out as much refined sugar and processed food as you possibly can.

I know it is hard to sleep, but lack of sleep does take a major toll on your immune system. Can you sneak in a nap during the day?

Sodium ascorbate (powdered vitamin C basically...you can find it in pharmaceutical grade) if you are sick already.

Are you eating enough with nursing? As long as you are eating decent, nursing shouldn't be wearing your immune system down, but of course, if you are tired from nursing, etc. that doesn't help.

Do you take a good quality multi? I'm not convinced a multi will ever come close to providing the nutrients that good food can provide, but if you are already worn down it would be worthwhile IMO.

[Emmas Mom]

I take the prenatal vitamins still but I guess I should get a vitamin C too. I've never heard of probiotics, what exactly is that? I do try to sneak in a nap whenever I can, it's hard with two sometimes. I eat pretty decent. We definitely could use some more veggies in our diet though!

[brittone2]

probiotics are healthy bacteria...it includes things like acidophilus (the active culture found in better yogurts) and other strains of healthy bacteria. A lot of immune function is tied to the intestines, and a lot of us have a real imbalance of good/bad bacteria and yeast in our system.

Eating a probiotic supplement regularly can increase the good bacteria in your system. There's actually some good research going on in the medical literature where they are showing it can be beneficial for a number of health conditions, etc. (in legitimate journals).

You can eat yogurt vs. a supplement, but a lot of store bought stuff is loaded w/ sugar, which lets unhealthy yeast grow (they feed off of sugar), and the number of bacteria is usually much lower than you can get in a quality supplement. Culturing your own yogurt is probably the healthiest option of all but most people aren't going to do that ;)

You can find the refrigerated types of probiotic supplements at places like Whole Foods. They aren't all created equal though so you may want to look at some info on various brands before buying. Shelf stable probiotics usually have much less bacteria in them so they aren't thought to be that effective.

HTH.

[lisams]

I started our entire family on probiotics and this winter we barely got sick at all, s few sniffles but that was it. They help balance the healthy bacteria in your stomach and intestine which allows nutrients to be absorbed better. I now swear by them! Also make sure you're drinking plenty of water, it helps flush out your system. I sure hope you're feeling better very soon!

[maestramommy]

Kristine, you've gotten a lot of good suggestions, esp. about healthy sufficient diet and sleep. I would add (I know it sounds insane given how tired you are) some regular exercise. You don't have to go and run miles or anything, but just getting out daily for a brisk walk for even ten minutes can make a difference.

[Tondi G]

Yup Acidolpholus and Bifidus!!!!

[Emmas Mom]

Thank you all. Ok, I'm going to look into some probiotics, get some Vitamin C, try to rest more & drink more water, and get to the gym more. Hopefully that will help. At least the strep is going away & I can swallow again!

[chiqanita]

ITA w/PPs. I was so drained and weak when my twins were first born. I was nursing them around the clock, it took a major toll on my body. I think I lost all of the pregnancy weight plus a few extra pounds within a month...I was so weak and sickly it wasn't funny. However, I was happy I had lost the weight. It did take a few months to get back to feeling strong and healthy again.

What I did
-forced myself to sit and eat something healthy 5 times a day...small meals
-drank lots of water
-took my vitamins
-went to bed very early for me 7 or 8pm and slept until about midnight or 1 am when DH would go down for the night.
-cut out foods with a lot of sugar (I was BFing so I was already eating ONLY good-for-the- babies types of foods)
-get outside, walk or just sit and enjoy the fresh air.

I didn't know about probiotics then but would've taken those, too.

Good luck and get strong & healthy soon!