Nutrition as Prophylaxis?

I have another question. Before it, i need to explain my situation. I am an elementary pedagogue, i.e. i have everyday direct contact with children, healthy and sick ones. And after work, two days a week, i go instantly into acrobatic gymnastics training, this means again constant direct contact with children or teens, inclusive partner work etc.

The result: Every few weeks i come down with a cold, sniffles etc. I hate it. I practice cold/hot switch showers. Maybe it helped a bit. But not enough. I am not satisfied at all.

Could this course help me with this problem? Could you give me any principles, which i could follow, to boost my immune system in an effective way? I want to overcome this liability to respiratory diseases.

Thank you very much.

FNP - Yes, this course could help you and intended to develop the immune system to optimal efficiency. The problem being the vegetarian  thing, you have got to be really diligent in replacing the nutrients and protein you are missing from meat and surplussing (I don't think that is a word but, oh well) for the nutrient deficiencies created by the wheat based proteins.

But there are questions beyond nutrition that could help you. What is your sleep like? How about training?

On a side note - to the unhappy vegetarian out that that is offended by anything and everything that mentions "vegetarian" - Don't start an argument, I will delete your comment and ban you. 

Everything in this world has a strength and weakness. I have pointed out a few weak points in the vegetarian diet as to help FNP boost immune function. This is not your invitation to point out the weak spots of any non vegetarian diet. Go crawl back into you cave. 

Thank you Jeff.

I sleep usually 7-8 hours through the night without waking up. But shallow, not so deep as i should. I don't no why.

Concerning wheat, i don't take whey protein shakes if you mean that. What would you want to know about the training?

What i supplement at present are B12 and these BCAA+B6. Sometimes Magnesium and Zink + Vitamin C..

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Vegetarians live in caves, too? With us meat eaters? I will most certainly not be sharing my cave dwelling with a vegetarian. 

Unrelatedly, what are some best practices to manage illness prevention? I find myself coming down with a cold rather frequently (it could just be part and parcel of being in Graduate school AND living in NYC, but who knows). To the extent that most of my friends comment on the frequency with which I'm sick. Not intending to hijack this post, but I have similar issues, if from an omnivore standpoint. Thanks. 

I suffered an injury from an accident nearly a year and a half ago and started consuming bone broth and practicing Pranayama.  Haven't had a cold or illness since.  I feel it has been the broth that has been the biggest help.  Injury has fully recovered as well to the surprise of therapist.

I do not have any scientific evidence but since I started eating raw garlic on daily basis I have not catched cold. It will be 2.5 years soon. 

Before that I was ill every few weeks during autumn or spring. 

I personally would recommend to at least give it a go. Of course I am talking about quality garlic not fake-chinese garlic.

@Mark Schoenhard: Thank you. Can you describe your Pranayama practice (time, frequency)? There are many forms.

@Artur Krajewski: Thank you too. Would you tell me, in which form(s) you take your quality garlic everyday?

I eat garlic raw, just peal it off and either eat right away(sometimes with a little bit of butter) or add to a salad. One or two pieces a day.

From what I read, garlic looses its healthy(antibiotic) properties after it is cooked or if its too old.

Emulsified vitamin d drops. Robb Wolf got me started on these over 6 years ago. Nothing else even comes close for preventing sickness.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

fnp said:

@Mark Schoenhard: Thank you. Can you describe your Pranayama practice (time, frequency)? There are many forms.

 

I follow B.K.S. Iyengar's book, "Light on Pranayama." Appendix provides weekly program that builds complexity and requires mastery.  I practice five, 20-30 minutes sessions a week.

Good comments and some solid recommendations guys!

The best way to develop/maintain a bulletproof immune system is a long term game of optimal nutrition for at least 6 months. Red blood cells for example take 90 days to regenerate and to saturate them with oral zinc(zink) is 1-3 cycles of that so there is no quick fix short cuts. Focus on completing your Thrive steps as fast as possible then look into secondary things. Nothing can compete with optimal nutrition. 

Supplements are great and I use them but they are a step 2. After your diet is solid then we add sups to boost your diet not to patch holes. If you are requiring supplements to not become ill I would strongly invest all of your efforts to watching the Thrive videos, reading the text and following through with the steps. 

FNP - As to your specific question yes that will do. But the framework of your thinking should be to replace nutrients high in animal products you are not getting.

Coach Sommer said:

Emulsified vitamin d drops. Robb Wolf got me started on these over 6 years ago. Nothing else even comes close for preventing sickness.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Hey Coach.

Thank you for this advice. What daily dosage would you recommend?

Daily dosage almost doesn't seem to matter.  Each drop is 2,000 IUs.  I have used several drops per day and I have also used 7-10 drops once or twice per week.  Both approaches have been effective.

The only detail that seems to matter, and I learned this one recently the hard way, is to not use expired Vit D drops!  

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

http://functionalmedicinecostarica.com/your-diet-isnt-good-enough-science/

To add to Coach's suggestions and illustrate why supplementing is important. Or will be, as Jeff mentioned this is coming further down the road.

Bro said:

... Or will be, as Jeff mentioned this is coming further down the road ... 

Very true.  

Remember at this level, supplementation is highly overrated.  Mastering the basics is far more important.  Let's save the rest of the supplementation discussion for when the appropriate level is reached.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer