how to keep the inmune system strong?

[lenin]

Hi everyone,

I wonder how you guys do to keep your inmune defense strong (the most natural way if possible). I keep getting colds all the time, low-grade temperature during the day but other times I feel very hot, specially at night. The temperature of my body is clearly altered, as soon as I expose my body to a light breeze I am inmediately sick, with all the symptoms exacerbated. This usually takes many weeks to recover even a couple of months. I do not tolerate any more paracetamols or ibuprofens. I have totally abused these meds during the previous years of my CFS onset and if a take them I spoil my stomach for some time too.

what supplements/meds do you use?

Thanks

 

[Timaca]

I eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables....some of the vegetables I eat raw, and some cooked. I don't eat any junk food or refined processed foods (except foods like tofu or rice cakes...).

If I feel like I am getting sick I take a Zicam and/or Airborne. (The Airborne I break into 4 pieces and take a quarter of a piece dissolved in water throughout the day.

I'm sorry you keep getting colds. :-(

 

[raghav]

If your cortisol level is not low then try taking Ashwagandha 250 mg once in the morning. It helped me in completely stopping flu like symptoms and also gives me energy. It will slightly reduce BP. That is nothing to worry as long as you are not taking any BP medications currently. Give it a try.

 

[bertiedog]

I have just researched Reishi mushroom extract with information from www.examine.com and it looks an excellent immune modulator. I have taken it with a very big increase in energy but the dose I was on was double the recommended dose because I didn't realise how strong the capsules were so although I had a huge increase in sense of wellbeing and energy I couldn't sleep at night and was overstimulated.

Ganoderma lucidum - Scientific Review on Usage, Dosage, Side Effects | Examine.com

So I have stopped it for a few days and energy and wellbeing soon was gone and from today I am starting again at a dose of half a capsule which is equivalent to 5000 mg day which was used in a study on CFS. It seemed to be a pretty impressive study that they mention with around 132 patients who after 2 months improved in many areas which appeared to include things like muscular aches and pains, dizziness, headaches, sleep disturbance, inability to relax, irritability and dyspepsia and also a sense of wellbeing.

Pam

 

[jason30]

In the morning I take some Bee propolis and in the evening some magnesium/zinc/b6 combination WITH lysine.
As tea I take fresh ginger. I eat a lot of vegetables.

 

[jesse's mom]

The more I heal my gut the better I am getting I take pre and probiotics, Veggies veggies veggies!
I try to eat every color every day, the more close to in season the better.
Stir frys are fairly easy to do in olive oil and I just keep all the veggies pre chopped in the fridge. Easier.
I like fresh garlic also. Root vegetables in the evenings seem to balance blood sugar at night for me.
*I only speak for myself and what is working for me.

 

[Wishful]

I'm sensitive to immunostimulants, and elderberries seem to be the strongest one I've encountered. My immune system seems to be overstimulated, so I haven't had a viral infection in many years. If you try elderberries and they work for you, post your experience for others in need of such aids.

 

[Griipir]

At the start of my illness, when I had constant low grade fever and felt like I had flu all the time, I felt clearly better when I took Now´s Immune Renew. Its a mixture of astragalus and mushrooms and I dont know which part of it helped, but you can experiment with both of those.

Aloe vera juice has always made me feel stronger, even before I got CFS.

I love ginger and get increased cravings for it whenever there is more inflammation in my body. I mostly use bottled raw ginger juice, which is easy to add to tea or cocoa.

Whenever I have had contact with someone who clearly has a virus, I eat some raw garlic as soon as possible, put some tea tree oil under my nose and take a hefty dose of vitamin C and a mixture of anti-viral herbs. I force some garlic on my grumbling partner too. I also make a hot footbath and put some stinking salve on my feet afterwards. And yes, that does make me feel like a hypochondriac, but I dont care.

And of course I try to I eat healthily, get enough rest, drink herbal teas etc.

 

[tiredowl]

Magnesium, rose hip (tea) not sure if doing a lot but I feel better when taking it, and it has vitamin c. important for immune system.
Sometimes take zinc , but I am a bit worried about causing copper imbalance.

 

[Insomniac]

I have just researched Reishi mushroom extract with information from www.examine.com and it looks an excellent immune modulator. I have taken it with a very big increase in energy but the dose I was on was double the recommended dose because I didn't realise how strong the capsules were so although I had a huge increase in sense of wellbeing and energy I couldn't sleep at night and was overstimulated.

Ganoderma lucidum - Scientific Review on Usage, Dosage, Side Effects | Examine.com

So I have stopped it for a few days and energy and wellbeing soon was gone and from today I am starting again at a dose of half a capsule which is equivalent to 5000 mg day which was used in a study on CFS. It seemed to be a pretty impressive study that they mention with around 132 patients who after 2 months improved in many areas which appeared to include things like muscular aches and pains, dizziness, headaches, sleep disturbance, inability to relax, irritability and dyspepsia and also a sense of wellbeing.

Pam

This was fascinating. I want to try Reishi mushroom too. Could you say what brand you used?
What dose were you on?

I read the website you talked about. It does not say clearly what form to take the mushroom in.

 

[bertiedog]

This was fascinating. I want to try Reishi mushroom too. Could you say what brand you used?
What dose were you on?

I read the website you talked about. It does not say clearly what form to take the mushroom in.

I bought the one off eBay sourced in the UK, I think it was called Greens6 in a capsule equivalent to 10,000 mg. Unfortunately after taking half a capsule for 2 weeks I did experience a better sense of wellbeing and energy but I just couldn't sleep for more than 4 hours a night which is intolerable and cannot be good so reluctantly I stopped it.

It also didn't stop me from picking up a cold type virus each weekend, something that has continued. I have now had 5 different viruses over 5 weeks but I do manage usually to get over them after 2 or 3 days but when I have got them I feel like death and cannot do anything apart from rest. Its very disappointing when a herb appears to be very beneficial but as an individual it just doesn't work out.

Pam

 

[Insomniac]

I bought the one off eBay sourced in the UK, I think it was called Greens6 in a capsule equivalent to 10,000 mg. Unfortunately after taking half a capsule for 2 weeks I did experience a better sense of wellbeing and energy but I just couldn't sleep for more than 4 hours a night which is intolerable and cannot be good so reluctantly I stopped it.



Pam

Thank you for updating .
I suffer terribly from insomnia so you saved me a bit of trouble with the heads up.

Your description sounds like the effect of LDN on me. I felt slightly better on it but the insomnia drove me up the wall.

At least it means it will be good for those people with CFS who don't have severe insomnia already.

 

[Tally]

Wouldn't for people who have auto-immune diseases, MCAS or over-reactive immune systems strengthening immune system be a bad thing?

Sickness doesn't give us symptoms of colds. Sickness doesn't give us fever. Our immune system does.

 

[bertiedog]

Wouldn't for people who have auto-immune diseases, MCAS or over-reactive immune systems strengthening immune system be a bad thing?

Sickness doesn't give us symptoms of colds. Sickness doesn't give us fever. Our immune system does.

I have got an autoimmune disease, Hashimotos but I also have a very poor immune system and catch every bug that is doing the rounds. For instance, since December 2018 I have had 5 different respiratory viruses each one of them caught from a different person who coughed around me. Two days later I start sneezing and end up feeling like death for a couple of days unable to do anything with massively sore muscles and nil energy but because I take Andrographis capsules 4 or 5 times daily at the first sign of a virus plus I pour several drops of Echinacea Augustifolia tincture down my throat I get over the virus much quicker than the people who had it originally which seems weird.

However these viruses hit my energy levels very badly and then I start to feel better and then somebody else comes along and reinfects me.

I am taking Swanson's thymus glandular to see if that can help plus loads of other supplements but also I am praying for Spring when things usually improve.

Pam

 

[Mary]

Hi @lenin - andrographis has worked wonders for me. It's an immune modulator. I've been getting sick with a sinus infection every time I crash for many years, and I crash every week so I was sick just about all the time. It would take me 10 days to 2 weeks to recover, by which time I would be crashed again - it was endless, literally.

A few years ago one of my sisters had a very bad sinus infection, 2 courses of antibiotics were not enough to knock it out. Then her doctor told her to try andrographis and within 2 or 3 days she was 85% better. It was incredible. So I started taking androgaphis then and I still get a little sick when I crash, but not nearly as severe and I recover much more quickly. I take it every day for a few weeks and then I stop it for several days or a week and then go back on it.

I also take lysine and lots of vitamin C daily.

 

[Wishful]

@Tally , Yes, some things that strengthen the immune system do make my ME symptoms worse. Elderberry extract is particularly bad for me. I'd recommend it for anyone who really does want to strengthen their immune system.

Also, I believe that most of my symptoms could be explained by excess kynurenines in the brain resulting from immune system activation.

 

[Insomniac]

Hi @lenin - andrographis has worked wonders for me. It's an immune modulator.

What brand do you take?

 

[bertiedog]

Hi @lenin - andrographis has worked wonders for me. It's an immune modulator. I've been getting sick with a sinus infection every time I crash for many years, and I crash every week so I was sick just about all the time. It would take me 10 days to 2 weeks to recover, by which time I would be crashed again - it was endless, literally.

I also take lysine and lots of vitamin C daily.

 

[bertiedog]

Hi Mary

What does do you take daily of Andrographis? I have been taking it when a virus starts but discontinue at the end. I am getting over yet another very nasty cold which turned into an infected throat so have needed a antibiotic this time. This winter I have been ill with a virus more times than I have felt well.

Also what does do you take of lysine? I am sure I have got that in the cupboard too!

Thanks

Pam

 

[Mary]

What brand do you take?

I've taken both Planetary Herbals full spectrum andrographis and Now Foods andrographis extract. They're both effective though I think the Now Foods might be a little better.

When I'm sick I generally take 3 a day, 1 with each meal, and then when recovered will take 2 a day as a maintenance dose, but also take a break every couple of weeks. I'm not scientific about it at all!