My top 10 ways to stay healthy?
“ I returned to work at the beginning of July. Since then I’ve been constantly picking up bugs (mostly viral but I’ve also had two UTIs and a chest infection) and just as I get over one I get another. I’m up at 5.30am 4 days a week so I can get home at 5pm to pick my little one up. I’m also taking the well woman breastfeeding vitamins since she was born and I’m still getting sick. Is there anything I can do to boost my immunity please?”
True immune problems are very rare in adults, but if you are worried about it, touch base with your GP. Certain conditions, such as diabetes, put patients at risk for recurrent infections. Certain conditions can put patients at risk for recurrent infections. For example, if you have sinus polyps you will have recurrent sinusitis. Tonsils can cause recurrent tonsillitis. Diabetics are more prone to recurrent infections of all sorts. Smokers are more likely to have chest infections.
Unfortunately, “immune boosting” is a favourite target of #pseudoscience marketing from unethical chiropractors (chiropractors are brilliant for musculoskeletal lower back pain in adults, but haven’t been shown to improve immunity) to ridiculous salt room to “nutritional” or probiotic supplements of all sorts from health food shops to yogurt companies.
No, it doesn’t work. None of it.
In our recent #BacktoSchool Saturday Series, many of you wrote in about “immune-boosting”. When it comes to preventing viral illnesses in you or your children:
There are no supplements that work.
There are no probiotics that work.
No magic “superfoods” work.
This (unregulated!) industry worth millions of €, but frankly mammies, I know you are smarter than their ridiculous claims and advertising.
What can you and your child do to stay healthy (that ACTUALLY works?)
1. Good hand hygiene. This is the most important thing. Everyone in your family should practice good hand hygiene at home, work, and school. Hand sanitizer, especially during cold and flu season can help. My nursing colleagues clip small bottles to their older children’s school backpacks. Teach your child good hand hygiene and hand washing techniques. Encourage good hand washing. Teach your child to wash hands, at very least, before eating, after using toilet, after cough/sneezing/blowing nose, after using public transport, after the playground, after petting animals, after coming home from being out….
2. Make sure you and your child have a health diet. Your child should also have adequate Vitamin D. Get a recommendation from your registered pharmacist/chemist. Many vitamins sold for children have nothing useful in them or inadequate amounts of vitamin D. Adequate Vitamin D and C support a healthy immune system. Extra amounts can’t boost it.
3. Be aware of how you cough and sneeze. Teach your child to sneeze/cough into their elbow, not their hand. (you should be doing it too!) “the batman” is a good way to explain it. Start this from the beginning. Teach them to wipe their runny nose with a tissue, not a hand, and dispose of it properly.
4. In the next few weeks, flu vaccine will be rolled out. I will be talking at length about it. Get the flu vaccine for yourself and your family. Make sure vaccines are up-to-date in your home. Vaccinate your children. Please. Public health officials are worried about a surge in measles/mumps when school returns. If you are still vaccine hesitant, talk to your GP or PHN and correct information. #vaccineswork
6. What’s your back-up child care plan? Work plan? Does your employer encourage staff to come in ill? Start thinking now, because it will happen and you will need it. It isn’t easy, but please don’t be that mammy. Really. Good health takes a village. **Keep your sick child out of school/creche.** And this isn’t just from me. This is from a mammy of 3 year old and 6 year old boys with chronic health conditions: “And I already know you will but please drill it into parents not to send their sick kids into school to pass their illnesses around. I know people have to work but it boils my blood watching kids splutter and cough all over mine / getting a sneaky spoon of calpol in the car before school….Totally did not mean to rant.”
7. Daily physical exercise (but be careful of good hygiene in the gym/pool during cold/flu season!)
8. Get adequate sleep. Practice good sleep hygiene in the home.
9. Manage stress. Relaxation techniques, lavender oil/aromatherapy, mindfulness, meditation, yoga and even counselling if needed (ask your GP for referral). Stress and anxiety do make us more prone to “picking up bugs”
10. WASH YOUR HANDS!
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