Ask HN: I seem to get colds/flus more often than most people. Suggestions?

Sleep longer.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01...

Wash your hands after every contact. Vitamin C and Zinc, If you have young children, you are just out of luck.

I'm not sure this counts as a hack, but try eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep. Bonus points for avoiding tobacco and enjoying alcohol only in moderation.

Besides diet and sleep, a specific possible factor may be a low or deficient level of Vitamin D. If you suspect yours may be low, e.g. from not enough sun, consider getting your 25-hydroxy levels of Vit D checked. Supplementing with around 2000-5000 IU of Vit D a day could boost your immune system significantly if that is a factor.

Avoid Flu Shots, Take Vitamin D Instead by Donald W. Miller, Jr., MD

http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller27.html

Featured Studies: Influenza and Vitamin D

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/science/research/vitamin-d-an...

H1N1 Flu and Vitamin D

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/newsletter/h1n1-flu-and-vitam...

How is your general health level? Are you physically fit? Do you take allergy medicines (or anything else that might cause your sinuses to not react normally)?

Are you a smoker? Overweight? A consumer of a poor diet, poor sleeping habits, high-stress, any other poor health practices?

I'd look at your health first, lots of things can make it easier for you to get sick more frequently. If you've moved recently, you may be getting new strains of rhinovirus and flu that your body doesn't know how to fight.

Any way you look at it though, getting sick that frequently tells you that there is something that's just not right. I'd really recommend a visit to your doctor for a checkup / physical. It could be nothing, but it could also be a symptom of some underlying malady.

I used to have a very weak immune system, it turned out I was gluten intolerant which was making me exhausted and susceptible to colds/flus. Taking vitamin D and avoiding all grains worked for me.

I've had the exact same problem for years and after much fiddling around I too recommend vitamin D3. it's the same as produced by the body from sunlight. eat more fruits and vegetables. maybe take a multivitamin and fish oil daily. exercise regularly. and get enough sleep FOR YOU. some people need more than others.

I don't think it's any surprise that people are much less sick in the summer. People are in the sun much more in summer and hence have higher levels of vitamin D in their blood stream.

I personally feel that sufficient vitamin C and zinc (for men especially) are also important. But taking D3 at 2000-5000 daily is perfectly safe and certainly beneficial.

Why else would your body produce after exposure to UV radiation?

I had this problem and solved it with

1. Sufficient good quality protein in my diet. 2. Avoiding excessive stress (too much exercise and not enough sleep in my case). Switched to enough sleep so I am awake when the alarm goes off and enough exercise that it makes me feel good not tired. 3. Take a good quality multi-vitamin and get some sunshine. 4. Balanced diet - fresh fruit and vegetables.

My days off work sick went from 10/year to <1.

Agree with other comments. With regard to zinc, Cold Eeze lozenges or similar. The important points:

There are two zinc compounds involved; some lozenges only have one.

Researchers think that the efficacy of the zinc is largely topical. So, having a lozenge that dissolves slowly -- Cold Eeze are formulated as hard candy -- maximizes efficacy.

You need to start taking the lozenges at the first sign of symptoms. This may be difficult for some. For me, I can usually tell the difference between a cold and something else, like an allergic reaction.

Zinc is a short term boost. You need to look at your overall health, but for avoiding some acute episodes, it can help.

Get yourself tested for allergies. You might have them and not know it. If you've been tested years ago, they might have changed since then (it's normal).

It might start out as a small cold / runny nose, that cascades into sinus infection, chest cold and goes from there. And it can be caused by almost anything - e.g. you might have mold in your house and not know it. It can affect your sleeping and everything else about your life.

Also they're completely treatable by many means (from cheap/less effective to expensive/most effective): 1. avoiding whatever causes the allergy, 2. OTC medicine 3. perscription 4. shots 5. sublingual immunotherapy (slit) http://allergies.about.com/od/allergyshots/a/slit.htm

My wife got on the slit therapy and went from having 6 mystery sinus infections a year to now being healthy all the time. It's changed her life.

Allergies of many kinds lower dramatically the body's first defenses (they make the respiratory tract much easier to penetrate by various bugs). Also most colds and flus, although technically airborne in practice are almost always transmitted by touch. Wash your hands more often and always before eating, and clean the keyboard once in a while.

You may want to look into flu shots. I've heard a lot of opinions pro and against, but if it's a real problem for you then they're probably worth it.