I used to think I had a really good immune system.
Turns out I was just really good at avoiding snotty toddlers.
Then I had kids!
Can we actually build more resilient immunity in our kids and ourselves? Yes. But probably not by panic buying fourteen immune supplements the second someone sneezes.
The boring stuff matters. A lot. And then the supplements sit on top of that. And then there are the things I do that have no clinical trial behind them and I do them anyway. For the price of an onion, I am not concerned.
I recorded this one while my entire family was down with suspected influenza A. So this is coming to you very much from the trenches (apologies in advance for my voice!)
This week's question comes from a listener asking which of my children is most like me. Bowie said something that stopped me in my tracks. My recco is one of my favourite books of all time - I have bought at least ten copies and I have not got a single one back!
In this episode:
Why susceptibility matters as much as exposure and what immune terrain actually means
Sleep as the most evidence supported immune intervention that exists - and why annoyingly even one bad night affects immune function
How childhood stress adds to their physiological load and what you can actually do about it
The gut immune connection and why more plant diversity and less ultra-processed food is more useful than you think
Why getting outside and getting dirty is doing more for their immune system than most supplements
Vitamin D, probiotics, zinc, vitamin C, elderberry, echinacea, and medicinal mushrooms - what the research says
The things I do that do not have a double-blind placebo-controlled trial behind them and why I don't really care!
My full sick-day toolkit including what has research behind it and what is clinical and personal experience
Fever - what it actually is, why we do not need to panic at the first sign of a temperature, and the red flags that mean you need medical attention
The Family Immune Essentials protocol - linked below
Seek medical attention immediately if:
Any fever in a child under 3 months
Fever above 40 degrees
Fever lasting more than 3 to 5 days
Difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain, or any bluish discolouration
Severe headache, stiff neck, or sensitivity to light
A child who is inconsolable, extremely lethargic, or not responding normally
If you enjoyed this episode, I would love it if you followed the show and left a review. It helps more parents find evidence-based, compassionate health information for their families.
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