increased frequency of illness?
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DianaElena76
Posts: 1,241 Member
Okay, so it's probably just where I'm at in life with little grimy-handed snot-nosed slobbery-kissing children at home, but I cannot help but find it odd the frequency with which I've found myself sick in one way or another in recent months. I thought LCHF would lead to a stronger immune system, but I've been sick enough to miss work a few times in the past few months vs only getting sick once or twice a year previously. Any connection between this WOE and increased susceptibility to viruses/bacteria, or do I blame my kiddos (who do not go to school/daycare and pick up bugs from other kids) or clients?
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Usually, it's the opposite, but a quick peek at your diary has a few things that could be contributing:
1. You consume quite a bit of dairy. This is known to cause allergies and suppress the immune system. Try dropping it for a month and see what happens. That will also force you to get fat from other sources (since dairy appears to be your primary source of fat), like meat, which seems to be quite limited in your diet (it doesn't need to be, and some would argue that it shouldn't be).
2. If your diary is accurate, you might not be eating enough. There are several days where you're a few hundred calories shy, and some days where your total intake is logged as only a couple hundred calories. Make sure you're getting enough food for you. Also, make sure your deficit on MFP isn't set to something too ambitious. 1lb/week is usually sufficient for most people.0 -
Dragonwolf wrote: »Usually, it's the opposite, but a quick peek at your diary has a few things that could be contributing:
1. You consume quite a bit of dairy. This is known to cause allergies and suppress the immune system. Try dropping it for a month and see what happens. That will also force you to get fat from other sources (since dairy appears to be your primary source of fat), like meat, which seems to be quite limited in your diet (it doesn't need to be, and some would argue that it shouldn't be).
2. If your diary is accurate, you might not be eating enough. There are several days where you're a few hundred calories shy, and some days where your total intake is logged as only a couple hundred calories. Make sure you're getting enough food for you. Also, make sure your deficit on MFP isn't set to something too ambitious. 1lb/week is usually sufficient for most people.
You are right about the dairy. It's my go-to for all that ails me. I guess I should try to cut it out. Also, I'm not sure how far back you looked, but when I'm not feeling well I don't eat much, so my caloric intake has been super low for the past week or so. Previously I stayed pretty close to my calorie goal, which is just under 1500 calories/day. And I do realize I'm not eating enough meat, which honestly has been mostly a result of funding issues and just being too busy to cook lately. (We just moved to a new place last weekend.) I made taco salad last night but effed up the meat and ended up eating around it rather than cooking a new batch of ground beef at 10pm.
So the takeaway is that I'm doing this all wrong. 
I'm happy to know it's probably just me and not something I can expect to have continue on forever. 0 -
Haha, no worries. It's a learning process.
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I'm healthier than ever. To help with the busy, plan your meals ahead and use the crockpot.0
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it's pretty common to get sick a lot when you have young kids. they are like walking petri dishes. that being said, if you find you get sinus/throat/upper respiratory infections a lot (like, say you need antibiotics like 4 times a year or more), you might consider getting a blood test to check your immunoglobulin levels. frequent infections are often a calling card for a primary immunodeficiency. (i have a primary immunodeficiency called common variable immunodeficiency -- whoo, try saying that a zillion times fast) which basically means your body does not make enough of the stuff to help you fight infections. while eating well can improve a lot of how you feel overall (and believe me, LC is helping me a lot right now -- i also have a few autoimmune conditions as well as the immune deficiency), no diet will fix a broken immune system.
for more information about immune deficiencies, you can learn more at http://primaryimmune.org/0 -
Great advice above. You might consider adding in a probiotic, and if you eat any veggies look into lactofermented veggies (pickles, sauerkraut, etc made the "old fashioned" way and not with vinegar, they'll be in the refrigerator section of your grocery store, and are easy to make at home). The lactofermented veggies have the pre-biotic fiber that the probiotics need to thrive. I also use homemade coconut milk yougurt and kefir for probiotics.
Probiotics not only help modulate immunity, there's some surprising evidence coming out in the standard medical literature that they modulate weight, mood, etc. They can help modulate systemic inflammation that impacts autoimmune disorders, too.0 -
Great advice above. You might consider adding in a probiotic, and if you eat any veggies look into lactofermented veggies (pickles, sauerkraut, etc made the "old fashioned" way and not with vinegar, they'll be in the refrigerator section of your grocery store, and are easy to make at home). The lactofermented veggies have the pre-biotic fiber that the probiotics need to thrive. I also use homemade coconut milk yougurt and kefir for probiotics.
Probiotics not only help modulate immunity, there's some surprising evidence coming out in the standard medical literature that they modulate weight, mood, etc. They can help modulate systemic inflammation that impacts autoimmune disorders, too.
I stopped taking my supplements when I was sick too because they often make me feel queasy even when I'm feeling great otherwise.... so there's that. I'm not sure about the lactofermented veggies, but I have noticed that my favorite pickles are always in the refrigerated section. Could it be that Claussen fall into the above category?? I do love pickles...0 -
it's pretty common to get sick a lot when you have young kids. they are like walking petri dishes. that being said, if you find you get sinus/throat/upper respiratory infections a lot (like, say you need antibiotics like 4 times a year or more), you might consider getting a blood test to check your immunoglobulin levels. frequent infections are often a calling card for a primary immunodeficiency. (i have a primary immunodeficiency called common variable immunodeficiency -- whoo, try saying that a zillion times fast) which basically means your body does not make enough of the stuff to help you fight infections. while eating well can improve a lot of how you feel overall (and believe me, LC is helping me a lot right now -- i also have a few autoimmune conditions as well as the immune deficiency), no diet will fix a broken immune system.
for more information about immune deficiencies, you can learn more at http://primaryimmune.org/
Yeah, well... my kids don't go to daycare, the church nursery, school, etc., so somehow I thought we would avoid all the "little kids make everyone sick" business.... but come to find out, what I've done instead is raised kids with weaker immune systems, so the 3-year-old was sick AGAIN this morning, just when I thought everyone was over the ick.
I don't get infections like you describe, thank goodness. As a kid I had an annual fling with bronchitis, but that hasn't happened since I was about 13 years old. My body generally fights things off with surprising efficiency. That's why I found it interesting that NOW I'm getting sick with greater frequency. But it could just be, as you say, my walking petri dishes. 0 -
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For me the big difference had nothing to do with food, but with sleep.
When I was working full time and going to night school (and had a little one) I was constantly sick.
Try getting more ZZZZ's if you aren't already. I noticed this WOE actually helped my ability to sleep; get to sleep faster and stay asleep all through the night. That, and I stopped the alcohol. I haven't had a cold in over 10 months, a new world record!
(knock on wood).
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/immune-system-lack-of-sleep0 -
slimzandra wrote: »For me the big difference had nothing to do with food, but with sleep.
When I was working full time and going to night school (and had a little one) I was constantly sick.
Try getting more ZZZZ's if you aren't already. I noticed this WOE actually helped my ability to sleep; get to sleep faster and stay asleep all through the night. That, and I stopped the alcohol. I haven't had a cold in over 10 months, a new world record!
(knock on wood).
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/immune-system-lack-of-sleep
This.
I am chronically sleep deprived. There is too much to do every day..... 0 -
slimzandra wrote: »For me the big difference had nothing to do with food, but with sleep.
When I was working full time and going to night school (and had a little one) I was constantly sick.
Try getting more ZZZZ's if you aren't already. I noticed this WOE actually helped my ability to sleep; get to sleep faster and stay asleep all through the night. That, and I stopped the alcohol. I haven't had a cold in over 10 months, a new world record!
(knock on wood).
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/immune-system-lack-of-sleep
This. I am chronically sleep deprived. There is too much to do every day.....
Sometimes you have to make the choice to let that item go undone if it means an hour of extra sleep. I am working on this right now. It helps make me more efficient and more motivated if I know there is a set cut off time!0 -
I'm not sure what I can let go. I have to work. I have to feed the kids, which means I also have to prepare meals and clean up the kitchen and wash bottles and dishes... Diapers need to be changed, potty trips need to be taken, hands and faces need to be washed, clean pajamas need to be donned, teeth need to be brushed... Clothes need to be washed, dried, folded, and put away (occasionally)... It never ends. There are corners that can be cut, but I generally cut those corners in the morning by preparing in the evening so I can sleep a tiny bit later. Soon my 14-year-old will return to NY and the baby can have his room back, which MAY allow me to eliminate his 5:30am feeding and save me a few more minutes in the morning (right now he wakes up as soon as he hears me because he's parked in the hallway). However.... you do have a point. Just because all these things need to be done does not mean *I* need to be the one to do them all. Hmmm, haven't we had this conversation before? 0
