Boosting immunity

[Tristan]

Any tips and tricks for boosting immunity as an athlete? I've got the basics covered: good diet, sleep is pretty good, and I wash my hands. I've been taking 50mg of Zinc, 2000mg of Vit C, and recently started on 3000IU of Vit D3 (it's the middle of winter here)

Anything else to help immunity?

[cny rider]

What are you looking for your immune system to do for you that it isn't doing currently?

[Too Tall]

It's all theory, kinda sorta. You won't find one good answer? My take on this and personal habit is to consistently eat foods which promote gut health. Foods which feed good gut microbes and foods that have good microbes are a winners.
Shellfish (good microbes) Leeks/Bananas/Polenta (breakdown and make good gut microbes). Fermented chow like Kimchi, Tempeh (best veg. burger ever) etc. innoculate your gut with good microbes.

There is no better cure than common sense.

[robin3mj]

Teach kindergarten.
The first couple years may damn near kill you, but you'll be impervious to anything after that.

[Tamu8104]

I'll second TT's thoughts and build on it with a couple of things I've learned. Kombucha isn't for everyone but a little each day helps the gut. I've found that fresh fruit and veggies seem to lead to a stronger immune system than vitamins so now I encorporate a lot of smoothies into my diet. I've also learned what can trigger respiratory issues that lead to bigger issues. I removed most dairy from my diet and am careful about processed sugars.

[Chris Snyder]

I tend to get sick in the summer time when heat stress is highest (live in Texas). To try and fight this, I eat an obscene amount of vegetables (enough to make your jaw tired at each meal) and take a probiotic each morning. All of this is to try and culture a healthy gut biome, since that seems to be the end-all cure-all of the day. Post-ride, I try to make a massive whole juice in the blender. If I am time strapped or I just don't fell like making a shake, I'll just mix some powdered greens with protein and a few scoops of white sugar.

I take this probiotic because they are individually packaged and got the best rating from labdoor.

[NYCfixie]

In order of importance:
- Sleep enough (the body is a great self-healer)
- Eat well
- Exercise regularly

After that, everything else makes a very small, or even insignificant, difference.


The other issue I found that made a big difference in my over health was environmental factors - keeping away from sick people:
- I work in k-12 schools and avoid the lower grade classrooms at all costs, wash my hands several times a day, and make sure I never touch my hands to my face (mostly during the day when they may have touched what kids have touched).
- I wear a mask anytime I get on a plane (statistically, about 10% of people who get on a plane have something contagious). They may filter the air but that does not help when the person next to you on an overbooked flight won't stop sneezing and coughing.
- While still in NJ and NYC, I stopped commuting by train and started driving to work and found by not breathing recycled air from sick people on the train I stopped getting sick every few weeks.
- In Boston, I commute by train but stand near the doors because my commute is above ground and I get better/fresher air. I may start wearing a mask though.


Some may call me a gremaphobe but I have noticed that I get sick much less often over the past few years with these precautions. With globalization and cheaper airline flights more people are bringing more diseases all over the world. With our busy lives, more people are less willing to cancel work or vacation travel so you have more sick people travelling and more sick people at work who should stay home and get better rather than infect the rest of us.

[Too Tall]

Post 3 hrs. Tempo ride lunch today: Smashed cornbread topped with cooked kale, olives, tumeric lentils (cooked forever to total submission).

How does that grab you?

[Saab2000]

Lots of berries in my diet.

Wash my hands many, many times per day.

These things help, at least in my experience.

[Bewheels]

Another way to look at this is - what does one do to weaken their immune system. And stop doing those things....

Sounds a bit silly but I have known my share of people that overtrain or are constantly over stressed - then take every pill, go on every diet and only to get sick. Never once believing that they compromised them self to begin with.

[Matthew Strongin]

Another way to look at this is - what does one do to weaken their immune system. And stop doing those things....

Sounds a bit silly but I have known my share of people that overtrain or are constantly over stressed - then take every pill, go on every diet and only to get sick. Never once believing that they compromised them self to begin with.

You talking to me?

[defspace]

Anything else to help immunity?

Vaccines. All the rest is common sense.

I'm not a doctor, nor an epidemiologist, nor anything that would suggest I've got any sort of expertise to share. However, both of my parents are infectious disease microbiologists and I was never given any special advice growing up other than the usual stuff that you already know. Of course, I'm sure they're far more interested in some sort of virus/host protein expression nonsense than how to keep athletes healthy.

Get enough sleep, eat reasonable food, wash your hands, be healthy, don't train yourself into a hole. Get your flu shot.

[Bewheels]

You talking to me?

Hmmmm....

Infant at home.
Ride a ton.
Responsible position in the tech world.

...maybe ;)

[DaveS]

It may be placebo (although I should be immune to that as a R&D medical devices professional, right....right?!?) , but I've found that taking Umcka 2-3 times per day helps a lot during the winter. The active ingredient is pelargonium sidiodes, and it's available as an un-caffeinated lemon "tea" by Nature's Way. I've used it regularly over the last 3 years (i.e. since having a small child at home), and I swear it helps me clear colds and other viruses faster.

Dave