What do you do to stay healthy????

[kwormann]

This is a major subject for me. Once school starts, I get bronchitis 1-2 times a year and colds ALL the time! I have been teaching for 4 years, so my ammunity (sp) should have been built up now.

I want to be proactive this year and STOP THE MADNESS!! I get VERY stressed about my students and Im sure this is part of why I get sick. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to ward off SO many colds per year???

[Grace]

You may already do this, but my understanding is the only way to actually catch a cold is for the virus to come in contact with your mucous membranes (your mouth, nose or eyes). So firstly washing your hands a lot should help (being around all those snotty kids keeps you around those viruses all the time!), and most importantly, I think, is do not touch your mouth, nose or eyes. That's easier said than done, as I think I'm constantly rubbing an eye, rubbing my nose to stop an itch, etc., but it's a sure fire way to get the virus.

Otherwise I would say eating lots of fruits and veggies and whole grains, exercising a LOT (it builds your immune system a lot too) and drinking lots of fluids to flush out bad stuff is your best bet.

Whoever comes up with a really good antidote to the common cold is going to be one rich person!

Oh, and when you feel a cold coming on, sucking on zinc lozenges is supposed to work wonders, although now some are saying it's purely anecdotal? I don't know, but I know many swear by it.

Wishing you a COLD FREE WINTER!!! :D

[tbb113]

Besides the obvious (wash your hands frequently, don't touch your face, etc) you might look into getting the pneumoia (its spelled wrong) vaccine. I also suffer from chronic bronchitis...I got the shot 4 years ago and only have been sick with it once since. They told me that even if I get sick, I would get well much faster...and they were right :)

I'm also a big believer in echincea and zinc lozngeses. I do seem to fight off the 'bugs' faster if I take them at first sign of a cold.

[funnybone]

Funny you should mention this because I saw an article on how your toothbrush harbors most bacteria and could be a reason why people get sick over and over. I'm not saying this is your reason, but I thought I'd post it here incase anyone is interested.

http://www.mochasofa.ca/health/program/articles/01july30a.asp

Here's an excerpt:

If you’re getting sick repeatedly, and illness travels throughout your home in a seemingly endless trail, the culprit of your poor health may be the most innocent-looking item in your house: your toothbrush.

[kwormann]

I have zinc lozenges, echinecca pills AND liquid, cold care tea and vitamin c pills for if I feel it coming on.

HHmm, a pnuemonia shot....Ill have to ask my dr when I go for my well woman appt....

It is soooo har not to touch your face! I KNOW i have a nervous habit of touching my lips...had it my whole life.

As for my toothbrush, I wash it in the dishwasher, but not often enough....

I am also going to try meditation in the am in the hopes of lessoning my stress. One of the problems of being a teacher without kids of my own is I take 20-24 kids on as my own each year.....

Thanks guys:) Any other ideas??

[wallycat]

I used to get colds several times a year...even though I exercised a lot.
I am almost hesitant to post this because I fear I will jinx my luck. I have had 1 cold in 8 years :eek: and considering I'd have 3-4 colds in one season, I thought it was great.

I have worked the kids side of the library, so I, too, have seen the "snotty nosed kids" you talk about, although I'm sure not for the length of time you do.

I can't agree with Grace more. You must be almost maniacle about washing your hands. Carry hand lotion--you'll need it.
I take vitamins and do yoga and all that other stuff. I also get enough sleep. I think hand-washing and enough sleep are key.
OK, have I said hand-washing enough :o :rolleyes:
I agree it's REEEEEALLY hard to try to keep your hands away from your face, but try. Also, if you wash them frequently, at least when you do touch your face, you won't be carrying germs.

Oh, the only other thing I did when I worked the library was to carry rubbing alcohol or lysol when we switched shifts (for the phone clean-up). Someone ALWAYS had a cold and I felt washing up the phone before my shift helped.

Good luck.

p.s. you could eat lots of garlic :D then they'll all stay away from you on top of germ protection :D ;)

[cchhbb]

I used to travel full-time for business and was constantly getting sick. A few years ago, I started to carry Chlorox Clean-ups with me and used them before I touched anything. I would wipe down the arm rests of the airplane, the tray table, the light switches in the hotel room, the door knobs, ect. I quit getting sick. Maybe you could wipe down things you (and those snotty nose kids) touch.

Good Luck!
Cheryl

[clairea]

I think other people have already suggested the things that will probably help the most. I just wanted to throw out one other thing, which you may have already considered, or may not even apply in adults like it does in kids. DS was just diagnosed with asthma. He has never had an asthma attack, or even any audible wheezing. The only thing that caused our pediatrician to look for it was the fact that he had several bouts of bronchitis/pneumonia last year (5 or 6 -- he missed over 30 days of school). I took him in to be checked recently and they could hear him wheezing through the stethoscope just sitting on the table. If this hasn't been considered before, you might mention this to your doctor just to see if he thinks it is even a possibility.

Oh, and wash your hands a lot:D I am a fanatic about this in the winter, and I definitely think it has kept me from getting sick so much.

Claire

[kwormann]

Originally posted by clairea
I think other people have already suggested the things that will probably help the most. I just wanted to throw out one other thing, which you may have already considered, or may not even apply in adults like it does in kids. DS was just diagnosed with asthma. He has never had an asthma attack, or even any audible wheezing. The only thing that caused our pediatrician to look for it was the fact that he had several bouts of bronchitis/pneumonia last year (5 or 6 -- he missed over 30 days of school). I took him in to be checked recently and they could hear him wheezing through the stethoscope just sitting on the table. If this hasn't been considered before, you might mention this to your doctor just to see if he thinks it is even a possibility.

Oh, and wash your hands a lot:D I am a fanatic about this in the winter, and I definitely think it has kept me from getting sick so much.

Claire

That is interesting....I had a different type of brinchitis this summer (my 2nd time). For the first time I had asthmatic bronchitis. I had to have a breathing treatment in the office and use an inhailer.

I will ask him when I go...:)

[Kristine]

I'm not sure what exactly I do to not get sick - but whatever I am doing is working because I really don't get sick very often (now that I said that, I just remembered that I had a terrible cold/flu during nearly the entire month of March this year :rolleyes:).

Anyways, as for tips.....I definitely don't wash my hands enough, but since you around so many kids all day, I'm sure that is important. I think that maintaining a healthy diet and taking a multivitamin is helpful as well. I also always feel better if I exercise regularly - it is definitely a stress reducer.

But I really think that the most important thing is what Wallycat said....GET ENOUGH SLEEP. Rest is so important for our bodies, and I think that getting adequate sleep really helps me fight off the colds.

Good luck! :)

[sunberst]

what works for me:

- getting lots of rest (even though it is hard to do sometimes!)
- limit intake of coffee & alcohol
- washing hands & trying not to touch my eyes, nose or mouth
- traditional medicinals cold season tea sampler which includes throat coat, gypsy cold care, breathe easy & echinacea plus
- yoga
- pma (positive mental attitude), if i think myself well, i get well!

[TamiKnight]

The first three years I taught, I was sick ALL the time with one cold/flu/bronchitis episode after another. By the fourth year, it seemed I had built up an immunity. I am a complete stressed-out wreck during the school year, so I know it had nothing to do with my peaceful frame of mind! I do keep antibacterial gel on my desk. If I get it in nice scents, the kids use it as much as I do, and it's an expense I'm happy to have. I spray desks with Lysol once a week or so after the kids leave. I do take a good handful of supplements, including several antioxidants and vitamin C. I also have asthma (which was diagnosed after repeated bouts of bronchitis with coughing so severe I broke a rib once--and this was BEFORE I started teaching).

Also, if you're only sick at school, is there any indication that there may be a mold problem in your room? Also, I take in my good vacuum cleaner and thoroughly vacuum and dust my own room probably once a month, since the custodians never get around to anything but the most cursory vacuuming. Some people are also bothered by chalk dust and/or white board markers. I don't know WHAT you do about that, though! :D

I am religious about getting my sleep. I have fibromyalgia and lupus, so I don't dare let myself get too run down; the consequences are too serious.

Good luck this year--take care of yourself!

[scrappycat]

With 3 kids, we used to get colds all the time. As soon as school started, one would bring it home, it would make the rounds of the whole family, and then seem to start right back over at the beginning. We started taking an extra vitamin C tablet every morning, during the school year. It made a huge difference! The past two years, we have had only one or two colds. I also bought my girls lots of little bottles of hand sanitizing lotion for them to use through the day at school.

When I taught, I kept a can of Lysol in my classroom. Every morning, I sprayed down my room, including the desks, doorknobs, bookcases, anything the kids touched. When cold season really hit, I would spray everything a couple of times a day. That seemed to help a lot.

Pam

[wallycat]

I forgot to add one more thing I do that i think makes a huge difference.
I do that Nasal saline rinse (talked about on several threads here; a yoga ritual type thing). It has cut back on many sinus problems and I think it also lessens the chance that viri want to hang out in the nasal passages :D ;)

[DocAgocs]

Here's what I do:

#1 and most importantly, I get adjusted regularly by a chiropractor. For me, that means every 3-4 weeks when I'm feeling good, and as much as everyday if I run into a problem (pretty **** rare, but it happens to everyone).

I eat a primarily "living foods" diet of fresh fruits and veggies, meats, etc. The checkout lady at the grocery store hates us because she has to type all the codes in for real food, versus running bar codes on the psuro-foods sold throughout the bulk of the store!

Every day I take 6 Catalyn (a multifood "multivitamin" product), 1 Trace Minerals B12, and four Symplex M (a broad based endocrine support product for men).

When I start to feel yukky, I get adjusted and I take two herbal products by an Australian company called MediHerb. One is Echinacea Premium (I've never seen an echinacea product of this quality) and the other is Andrographis Complex. I may take as many as 10 Andrographis tablets a day, and they usually spike a fever in me, which is good when you're feeling sick. Most viruses and bacteria are extremely temperature sensitive.

So, does it work? Since 1994 I have been on antibiotics once for strep throat. I have not needed to take another OTC or prescription medication in that time period! I had an episode of low back pain about three months ago that lasted about two weeks. I work 50+ hours per week in my own practice which I just started two years ago after graduating, getting married and moving in the course of a once month period (i.e. pretty high stress lifestyle!). So, I would say that, yes, it is working.

The only thing I really need to work on is exercising more. If I could figure that out, I'd be set! :)

Oh, one other thing. I'm not a naturally super healthy person. I used to get strep throat and earaches every year as a kid, etc. I think the majority of my health comes from regular chiropractic care. I go through about 40 tablets of Echinacea and maybe 30 tablets of Andrographis Complex a year. My wife doesn't take any supplements or herbs and has only been to a medical doctor (with the exception of OBGYN yarly exams) one time in her entire life for strep throat. She gets adjusted about once a week and that's all she does, with the exception of daily exercise and a good diet. And, she's an elementary school teacher, so while all her colleagues are dropping like flies because of "what's going around" she actually has a functioning immune system and just laughs! :D

[SusanL]

took me a long time to retrain myself but I don't use the students' pens or pencils. I have my own to use and I have special ones on my desk for them when they need them but mine are the only ones I use. It was hard to do.

[beejayw1]

Originally posted by clairea
Asthma...If this hasn't been considered before, you might mention this to your doctor just to see if he thinks it is even a possibility.

I was just about to suggest this, myself. I have asthma, and what clued me in was the long-lasting nature of coughs and/or bronchitis. It's easily treated if that's the case, and easily diagnosed.

Did someone suggest a flu shot?

[gertdog]

Definitely get enough sleep. That seems to be the key factor for me in catching colds. I get tired, which must depress my immune system such that germs that I could normally resist get in and multiply, and voila! I catch a cold.

Hand-washing too. Much as you love your students, you have 20-24 grubby little hands touching everything in your classroom every day. :)

Stay well-hydrated.

The other thing, especially if your illnesses are respiratory, is make sure you have a healthy house. This is probably less of an issue down in Texas, but it is a biggie for me when we close up the house for the winter. I have to be a fanatic about vacuuming, cleaning heater vents, dusting, and making an effort to get fresh air into the house. Dry, stale air and dust really seem to have a bad effect on my health- I get nagging little coughs and headaches.

Here's to a happy, healthy school year!

[cindyluwho]

People have had alot of good suggestions here, but I'll just add my own experience...for a few years, I was getting sick all the time during the cold/flu season, and one year I was sick for about 50% of the time between December and May, which was truly miserable. It did not help me to exercise as soon as I was feeling stronger, this only made me more tired and more prone to get sick again. This past year, I did not get sick at all (with the exception of a little bit of nausea a couple of times, but who knows what that was). These are the changes I made:

I take a children's chewable multivitamin every day. I make sure I do not forget this by putting the bottle right next to my bed.

I eat mostly whole grain foods and tons of vegetables and fruit (I am vegetarian, so this is not hard!). I make sure I get those whole grains in! In theory I always knew I should have been doing this, since I've been vegetarian for almost 12 years and meat contains things like zinc that you cannot easily get as a vegetarian unless you eat whole grain foods and legumes, unless you want to eat tons of dairy products. But it hasn't been until recently that I consistently put the effort in to eat predominantly whole grain things. Plus, they are much more readily available these days in the stores. Even if you are not vegetarian, many people advocate eating whole grain foods these days. They've got fiber and other goodies.

I make sure I get a reasonable amount of rest. I may not usually get more than 6-7 hrs of sleep a night, but I make sure that if I am really feeling extremely tired, I sleep a little more. Especially if there are people around me who are sick.

I exercise moderately (running 2 or 3 times a week, between 2-4 miles each time, plus I walk quite a bit just in the process of daily life). I do not exercise alot, this would take too much out of me since I don't get quite as much sleep as I would like. Nor am I a couch potato, since this would not be good.

I drink lots of water.

I try to wash my hands often, especially when people around me are sick. I apparently don't do this as much as many other people who have posted here though.


I hope you have a healthy year! :)

[Abby]

I used to use zinc lozenges but discovered something a couple of years ago that works much better. It's called Zicam, which contains zinc, but you squirt it into your nose. IMHO, it works much faster and better than zinc lozenges for making your cold shorter and not quite so miserable.

[kwormann]

I bought some at the end of last year:)

[kim21]

Here's another little idea, using our minds to heal our bodies via breathing and tapping into the relaxation response. Our breath is free, it is always with us, and we have to do it anyway...so, we might as well do it with good intentions a few times during the day.

Breathe...
To the inhale "I AM"
Hold for a few seconds
To slow and gentle exhale "Well"

Guided Imagery for Wellness: www.healthjourneys.com


Kim

[Valerie226]

... did anyone mention hand washing?? just kidding...
My DH is a doc & sees sick people all day. Washing makes a huge difference. He'd be sick constantly if it didn't work. of course doctor offices are set up with sinks & soap everywhere. wash often with a non drying soap & keep lotion at hand too. keep a bottle of hand sanitizer onyour desk. work hard at not touching your face. I do well by always wearing makeup & telling myself I don't want to smear anything. If my nose or eye itches I'll use the back of my wrist instead. not perfect but better than fingertips. little kids are a virtual SEA of viruses.

[honeygirl1971]

I've tried Zicam too and I think it's pretty good. They now make one that is in "swab" form that's even easier to use (and to bring with you in your purse). Re: the dirty hands/mucous membrane thing, I read somewhere that it's your eyes in particular that you have to REALLY avoid (although avoiding all 3 is clearly best), since you have enzymes in your mouth that can sometimes kill germs. I don't know if that's true or not, but it was interesting.

I didn't know there was a bronchitis shot--I had it twice last year, which was awful.

When I worked in an office it helped to wipe the phone down with antibacterial wipes too--a lot of people would use my phone and I know that's how I caught some colds. The Lysol idea in the classroom is a good idea.

[kwormann]

Well, we have had parents complain about Lysol...it isnt good for their children to breathe...

Also, about pencils...my babies are in 1st grade. After going thru 3 electric sharpeners in the first 12 weeks of school, the new rule was I sharpen all pencils...so I have to touch them:(

[LaraW]

Kim, could you spray with Lysol when kids are either gone for the day or at lunch or recess - in other words when they are gone? You could handle the pencils with a Clorox wipe or something like that. Or slip a pair of latex gloves on. That seems a little extreme, but its an idea. Or just wash your hands well after sharpening the pencils.

I agree with others saying that washing your hands frequently is important. I wash my hands pretty much whenever I come in from being outside - whether I was at the mall, work, and especially the grocery store.

I have a susceptibility to getting bronchitis as well. Moving to a drier climate has helped tremendously with that. I have not been sick at all since moving (knock on wood :D ) to CO.

When I am sick, I suck on the zinc lozenges if I have one of those coughs caused by a tickle in the back of my throat. I also drink lots and lots of fluids to try and flush out my system. I go to bed early and make DH wake me up when he comes to bed so I can drink more water.

I also take Tylenol Cold. That has an expectorant in it and helps to thin out the mucous you are trying to expel.

I'd also suggest getting a flu shot if you can.

[Pico]

Originally posted by LaraW
Kim, could you spray with Lysol when kids are either gone for the day or at lunch or recess - in other words when they are gone?

:p Hee hee... I read this as, "Could you spray the kids with Lysol?" Gee, that probably would cut down on germs!