sick again...

 My BF's mother claims her brother used to *always* be sick until he made a concerted effort to eat as much garlic as possible. Roasted garlic, garlic in sauces, garlic with vegetables, a bulb or two of garlic every day. Then he was perfectly fine and healthy. Beats me, but if you like garlic, it wouldn't hurt!

Also make sure you're eating well, enough, and getting plenty of sleep. Missing out on food or sleep always makes me sick pretty much infallibly. 

Ahhh, sleep, what's that?  That could be it.  I seem to be tired all the time...I need an earlier bedtime I suppose. 

Cita

 My BF's mother claims her brother used to *always* be sick until he made a concerted effort to eat as much garlic as possible. Roasted garlic, garlic in sauces, garlic with vegetables, a bulb or two of garlic every day. Then he was perfectly fine and healthy. Beats me, but if you like garlic, it wouldn't hurt!

Also make sure you're eating well, enough, and getting plenty of sleep. Missing out on food or sleep always makes me sick pretty much infallibly. 

LOL Cita, are you sure she didn't get sick because the garlic made everyone stay away?

I don't really do anything special, but if I feel like I'm getting a cold I take Zicam, if I'm getting a sore throat I gargle with very salty water 2-3 times/day until it is gone, and if I feel like I'm getting a touch of the flu I'll take Oscillococcinum. :) So far so good, but I think moving from IN to SC may have helped some too this year.

I take 50mg of zinc daily 

Vitamins "occasionally" don't help.  Because they work on a cellular level and unless you use them consistently and give your body the nutrition and rest it needs nothing will help.

So you have to do that for the 'basics'.  I always put stuff like that straight in front of me where I'll see them when I first get up and just before bed (or where you intend to take them).  In fact, I will often make sure I set a bottle of water NEXT to them so I won't have any excuse.  If I think "Oh yeah, I'll take those the next time I get up" -- NOPE ... that thot is gone gone gone.  so if the water is *right* there and so are the pills I gets done.

I've not tried Zicam -- but Oscillococcinum works GREAT for any kind of illness (bacteria or viral -- it works).  BUT you have to take it **at first sign of illness -- literally if you sneeze a zillion times, or get a sore throat or whatever your little "oops I'm coming down with something" symptoms are -- THAT is when you gotta take it.

That means you have to have it 'around'.  If you have to wait to go get it -- nevermind!

Wal-Mart sells it -- two batteries in a box for $10.  So I keep a package in my purse and I keep a package at work.  And the instruction to take it every six hours?  It's important - it works on your body clock -- so if you start it at 8 p.m., then set your alarm for 2:00 a.m. --

Oh, not convenient?  no, often it's not.  BUT if you want to not get sick you use it as it's intended and it works.

I'm not being ornery -- but I've used it for years and I know when it does ... and does *not* work.  It also helps a great deal not to consume caffeine when you use it -- because that diminishes the absorption of it. 

But it's easy, just put it under your tongue. Doesn't taste bad at all, no big pills to swallow.

My workplace is fairly germy, it seems. Someone is always hacking. I've managed to miss most of the illnesses by being an obsessive handwasher. I've seen one person in particular hack all over equipment, or cough into her hands and then touch things without washing So I'm pretty diligent about washing well and frequently, particularly after touching counters or equipment. I do it immediately, that way I dont' forget and touch my face, etc.

Not sure if that helps or if I just have a hard working immune system, but I've only picked up one cold that went around, and that only lasted a fraction of the time everyone else's did

I hybernate!  LOL  I've been so lucky.  Usually when Emily gets sick, I'll get sick, and then it takes me forever to get rid of it.  But I haven't been sick, yet.   Oh, I take that back, I did have a small cold a few months ago.  I can tell when I'm getting sick, because I get a sore throat.  That's my first sign.  I had bought some of that cold-eze, and took at the first signs of symptoms, and it really does work.  You'll still get sick, but it's not like normal.  It does actually shorten the time.  The only thing I can think of is since your around snotty little kids, and I mean that in a nice way, lol, is to carry around that antibacterial soap (the one where you don't need water) and use that often during the day.  Especially if you don't have time to actually go wash your hands.  They say germs are spread from hand contact so, washing them as often, as frequently, as possible is best.  Sorry your sicky again.  I know, we had a year like that when the two oldest daughters were still in HS and we all got that stomach flu thing, where it came out of both ends.  Two years in a row around Christmas, that really sucked!  Every Christmas, we all say, how we hope it isn't going around...we're all very paranoid!  lol

 Feel better soon!

Be careful with anti-bacterial stuff -- particularly like Lysol.  It can be SUCH an irritant to the lungs that it can make you sicker than any help it is.

I have asthma -- and Lysol spray will send me into an asthma attack faster than anything ... seriously.  HOWEVER, I do keep a plain bottle of cheap alcohol at my desk -- and if someone's got it bad I am prone to taking a kleenex soaked with alcohol with me and I'll wipe the faceplace to the copier (where the buttons are) BEFORE I touch it.  Maybe a good pass at the top of the desk if I have to work elsewhere.

Hand washing and lots of sleep.  I just use regular soap, not the anti-bacterial stuff to wash my hands but I do it many times a day.

Sleep is so important to me.  During the week I start to wear myself down but on the weekends DH helps me catch up by taking the puppers out on Sat morning.

Feel better soon..

 Thanks you guys. You have given me some good ideas.

Being a teacher, it really is hard to get out of the room to wash my hands, but I will have to at least carry some antibacterial stuff with me.  I know I should get to bed earlier.  I usually get around 6-7 hours during the week, which I know isn't good.  8-9 is what I get on the weekends, unless I work Saturday mornings; then I only get one night of really good sleep.

I also bought some Danactive which is supposed to support your immunities...we'll see if that helps.  And the last time I got sick I took Zicam (an every 3 hour thing) which really seemed to help.  I'm taking it this time but I don't know if I caught this early enough.

Well, I'm of to get some rest!

Ick, it sounds like you've had a hard time over the last couple of months. Being around germy little children sure doesn't help your odds any. I work in a psych hospital where about 60% of our patients have come from jail (not the most clean environment). Patients rarely consider sanitation, so things tends to spread like wild fire. I don't have time to stop and wash my hands after every handshake or door knob, so I keep a bottle of Purell handy. Our hospital actually supplies all employees with a bottle of it and will trade full ones for empty. Convenient, dries quickly, and kills 99.9% of all germs. We're all required to take flu & pnuemonia vaccines each year also.  I have a hard time remembering vitamins too, so I try to keep a can of V-8 and a bottle of water (rather than coke/soda) by my desk to sip on. It helps make up for some of the less-than-ideal dietary habits most of us have. I've found that Airborne helps prevent a full-blown illness too. It's a bout a billion percent your daily value of vitamin C. If all else fails, you could always wear a hospital mask and surgical gloves around! In any case, hope you get to feeling better soon.