staying healthy on the road this winter

[SheketEchad]

I've taken elderberry syrup during flu season for the last four years, as I had a young school age child in the house. He got the flu, I didn't, although he took the syrup as well. I also ingest oregano oil when I am around others. Usually a drop or two in some V8, salsa or other complementary product.

I've worked remotely for many years, so I don't have the office crud to deal with.

This winter, my diet is not optimal due to living in the van, and I am around a lot more people. It will be an n=1 experiment on the efficacy of my choice of prevention. I'm rooting for a positive outcome, but I'm not avoiding anyone, nor am I kissing anyone; a happy medium I guess!

 

[maki2]

When you are around a group of people who are practicing water conservation it could certainly be something that contributes to having more germs around on hands and surfaces. Best practice just say no to shaking hands, hugging, kissing, sharing food or drinks, using public showers and restrooms. Don't go inside to sit with a bunch of people in a tiny van, stay out of doors. If someone is coughing, has a runny nose, sneezing then politely excuse yourself and get away from them.

During cold and flu season I stay away from things such as festival events, movie theaters, concerts, big parties or any place there is a lot of people in a small confined area. Especially places where there are young children including young college students.

At the grocery stores I always use the anti-bacterial wipes on the grocery cart handles. I don't open doors in public places with my bare hands
unless I have to and even then I might use a disposable facial tissue. If waiting in line in a grocery store it appears that a clerk might be sick then I switch to a different line.

I am not anti-social or paranoid. I do these things because even a basic cold always turns into a bad bout of bronchitis, bad enough that I have to take cortisone for it which means a trip to one of the no appointment needed emergency care clinics. I am not sickly but I am older and my bronchial tubes were damaged in an industrial incident many years ago so that combination means I need to just be sensible and reduce the more obvious risks.

I always get a flu shot and keep up on my pneumonia shot. So what if it is a roll of the dice as to which strain is the most likely? At least I am protected from some if not all of them. The minor strains are also around even if they don't turn out to be that season's major hitter.

 

[abnorm]

Ditz......I'll try coughing more in your direction if that would help ?

 

[maki2]

This year the flu vaccine seems to be inline with the two flu types that are the most common ones currently showing up in the data records. So it is well worth getting the shots. Most especially if you are a senior aged person as the H3N2 which is currently leading the pack for what people are getting sick with. That strain is the one that for some reason is the one strain that is the hardest on seniors thereby leading to the most hospitalizations. All seniors 65 and over need to be getting the shot meant for seniors as it is much stronger than the standard dose. The standard dose is not strong enough for people over 65. The senior dose contains 4 times the amount of antigens and we do need it so be sure you are getting the right stuff if you are 65 +

 

[Qxxx]

Ditz......I'll try coughing more in your direction if that would help ?

Sheket, whatever you do, don't be the "last" girl in line to get kissed. And none of this a dollar a kiss business either.

You should also know that, last winter when I visited YARC camp, a number of people had the flu, excepting The Doug. Someone said "he" was the carrier, so watch out for any Dougs Bearing Gifts.

 

[Qxxx]

This  year the flu vaccine seems to be inline with the two flu types that are the most common ones currently showing up in the data records. 

Thanks, something to check out. I am assuming that a 4 times dose doesn't come with 4 times the possible complications.

 

[wayne49]

I told my PCP doc when she was insisting giving me the pneumonia toxic brew, "pneumonia may be nature's way of taking care of the elderly".
I haven't one since that time back in 2014-5.
Flu shots I got when they were doing that at work. No more shots. I did get a tetanus after an incident in the summer. That shot was for a definite need, not just some vague bug.

Don't breathe dusty air. Dress appropriately for the temps. The sun makes you feel warmer than the actual air temp.

In Pahrump today, it looked a little like Japan, there were a few people wearing face masks. Maybe the pandemic from Colorado?

 

[Qxxx]

Fat get's a bad rap as do cholesterol numbers ....

Someone is always coming up with findings that cut across the grain ... the head spins. However, another vote for Mediterranean diet and the issue of chronic inflammation.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317118.php
"Coronary artery heart disease is the most common type of heart disease and the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. The chronic inflammatory condition responds positively to a Mediterranean-style diet, rich in the anti-inflammatory compounds often found in extra virgin olive oil, vegetables, oily fish, and nuts, the researchers note".

Deposits in the arteries are cholesterol, so it has to come from somewheres.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/184130.php

Both of those pages recommend low amounts of saturated fat (the usual prescription), and Mediterranean ala DASH diet.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/254836.php
https://dashdiet.org/default

 

[Qxxx]

I told my PCP doc when she was insisting giving me the pneumonia toxic brew, "pneumonia may be nature's way of taking care of the elderly".

Interesting stats on that one.

1. in 1900, pneumonia was the leading cause of death, but down to 6th in 1997.

2. heart disease caused about 8% of the deaths back then, now up to #1 at 32%.

3. cancer was at a low 8% back then, now up to #2 at 24%.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4829a1.htm

Duh.

 

[maki2]

Here is practical advice for flu and cold season to prevent situations such as a whole caravan or other group camp getting sick. It is not just coughing that does it.

Pot luck dinners or pot lunch snacks by the campfire....
No matter where you go during the holidays don't reach into that basket of chips or platter of food that other people have also been reaching their hands into. The best scheme for reducing risk at a pot luck is to have persons who have properly cleaned their hands doing the serving and not have a free for all serve yourself situation with lots of hands touching the serving utensils. In such situations a brown bag lunch gathering rather than a potluck can make a big difference in avoiding getting ill.

Do not be tempted by someone passing around a joint, a pipe or bottle because if something has been inside of another person's mouth the risk is very high to pass along a cold or flu. Many of these common winter illnesses are at their most contagious just before symptoms develop.

 

[Qxxx]

Pot luck dinners or pot lunch snacks by the campfire....

You do realize that this is the nightly modus operandi at YARC camp, and probably most other places where there are groups of friends in RVs in the winter. In fact, YARC camp had a potluck just tonight. And if you've watched any of the RVer youtubes, every morning someone is knocking on someone else's door offering coffee, buns. toast. free breakfast. on and on.

I also figure one of the best things you can do is NOT go into a doctor's office between November and March. All of my doctor's and dentist's appts are outside that time frame.

So, while I am camping 100 yards away from everyone else, in order to avoid short-term fails, I am reading about how to stay healthier over the long term. Keto.

"Do not be tempted by someone passing around a joint, a pipe or bottle".

Do people still do this? It's so 1960s.

 

[Qxxx]

This is what the CDC is saying about flu shots. Of course, they're the gobmint too. FYI, there are 2 ways they increase the potency of the vaccine, 4X dose as maki2 said, plus adjuvant MF59. WTH is that? It's always something.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/65over.htm

 

[maki2]

I don't do vaccines. I'm one of "those".
The one time I did in 2006 I had the flu from three days after (November) till the following August.

Considering that the flu virus has a relatively short life span of under two weeks at the outside you obviously had something else going on with your health such as a secondary infection.  I have had that happen now and again but as it is an actual infection versus a virus those secondary infections can be treated with antibiotics.

 

[maki2]

Yes of course I realize that the YARC camp does pot lucks all the time, you can tell they do that with that widespread flu outbreak people were describing among the camp residents. You play and then you pay But maybe there could be some modifications to how it is done.

 

[badmotorscooter]

I have diagnosed myself with Irritable Bowel Syndrome - self-diagnosed, because to get formally diagnosed, I'd have to eat a significant amount of wheat in order to rule out celiac. No way I'm doing that. Nevertheless, if I follow a LowFODMAPs diet, my symptoms go away, so...

I don't eat many special foods, like gluten-free foods or foods with sugar substitutes or soy cheese or instant anything. The biggest issue for me when I travel is avoiding those oh-so-convenient pre-packaged meals and doing some actual cooking with some actual food from the produce section and the beans-and-rice aisle. I do eat meat on occasion, but I'm not planning on carrying it around myself - restaurants work fine.

So, to get to the OP's question, eating right will be my biggest challenge.

Could it possibly be SIBO (small intestinal bowel overgrowth)? Symptoms can be very similar, and SIBO can often cause IBS...

 

[Qxxx]

if I follow a LowFODMAPs diet, my symptoms go away, so...

... eating right will be my biggest challenge.

I had to look up FODMAP as it was another unknown. This thread is full of useful information. But I see it fits right into the business about how sugars create leaky gut syndrome and cause chronic inflammation..

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fodmaps
"FODMAPs typically consist of short chains of sugars linked together and they are not completely absorbed by your body".

Eating right is everybody's challenge. I do eat out 2 or 3 days a week when out running around, but in my own cooking have been generally steering away from too many carbs, pasta, rice and starches, and over more to onions, peppers, green beans, and stir fry types of veggies. Been cooking with olive oil for years. I still think the basic Mediterranean diet is the best way to go. Keto.

 

[crofter]

...and over more to onions, peppers, green beans, and stir fry types of veggies. Been cooking with olive oil for years. I still think the basic Mediterranean diet is the best way to go. Keto.

Don't forget about zucchini, therapeutic for your gut and goes nicely with Mediterranean recepes. This broth is great if your gut is being crabby (or irritable). Can use as part of a short fast with liquids. Requires a blender or one of these.   
~crofter

https://blendjet.com/products/blendjet-one?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhruH9Pah5gIVD8ZkCh1NnwK5EAAYASAAEgL49vD_BwE

[font=Raleway, sans-serif]"Bieler’s Broth Recipe[/font]
[font=Raleway, sans-serif]FOR RESTORING ALKALINE RESERVES AND IMPROVING LIVER FUNCTION[/font]

Dr. Henry G. Bieler was a prominent “American physician to the Hollywood stars.” He was widely recognized as a pioneer in alternative medicine who used non-pharmaceutical, diet-based therapies to cure or control various diseases including asthma, diabetes, and cancer.[1][2] One of his well known remedies was Bieler’s Broth a very effective detoxifying and cleansing vegetable broth.
Bieler’s Broth is a great recipe for alkalizing the body, supporting the liver, and providing beneficial nutrients. IFNH highly recommends it as a meal replacement for detoxification and nourishment. Patients sometimes will notice flulike symptoms for the first 8 to 12 hours using the broth for detoxification, but after that they usually feel energized. In the 40s and 50s it wasn’t unusual for people to use this recipe for 2 to 5 day fast.
[font=Raleway, sans-serif]Ingredients:[/font]

• zucchini squash
  
• green beans
  
• celery
  
• parsley
  
• Extra virgin olive oil -or- unsalted organic butter
  
• Clean, chemical-free water

[font=Raleway, sans-serif]How to:[/font]

• Cut up equal amounts of zucchini squash, green beans (frozen or fresh) and celery. (Chop the celery 1/2 inch or less to eliminate stringiness.)
  
• Steam until soft using clean water (distilled – or – reverse-osmosis and carbon filtered) in a porcelain or stainless steel pot. Do not use aluminum or copper cookware.
  
• Fill blender 1/2 full with the vegetables and the water used for steaming. Add a small handful of chopped raw parsley. Blend to a consistency of pea soup (or, as desired)....
  from this linkhttps://ifnh.org/dr-henry-g-bieler/bielers-broth-recipe/

 

[crofter]

To combine heat with your detox, you could go to a hot springs spa and combine the detox with the heat pools. I have asked to use their kitchen to make this broth.   ~crofter

 

[Qxxx]

Yer such a sweetie, crofter, thinking about my health (even if I did get kicked off yer thread, . In fact, I do also use other veggies in a circulating fashion: eg zucchini, asparagus, chopped celery, snow peas, some very dark funny green peppers I don't know the name of (not hot like jalapenos which would kill me), tomatoes (every day), corn, and yesterday I picked up a pretty yellow squash. That's when I'm being good.

 

[maki2]

I had to laugh about what to eat. Onions, green peppers and green beans are all foods that give me lots of intestinal gas issues. I either have to take digestive enzymes such as Beano when eating them or else avoid eating them.

One person's great meal can be another person's major distress cause. Our genetic makeup for heritage often dertermines what we can and can not digest. For instance Asian origin often means having an intolerance for lactose.

While cruciferous vegetables are highly recommended they are not compatible with my digestive system. Neither is a lot of fiber. I can't do a high fat diet as it can cause an overload for my gall bladder. That is true for many people so Keto diets that load in a lot of extra fats can cause some real issues in some individuals.

You have to pay attention to what works and does not work for you. For instance if you have problems with chronic inflammation then you might need to take a look at foods which don't trigger as much inflammation rather than just taking supplements meant to reduce inflammation. Some of us need extra iron or maybe need to avoid an excess of iron.

If you are having dietary problems then you should seek medical advice from a well qualified nutritionist who will help you sort out a diet that is tailored to your specific needs.