I’ve just recovered from a virus. A trifling one in the grand scheme of things, but I was nonetheless in bed for two solid days feeling sorry for myself.
Between fever dreams, I scrolled on my phone for health advice. An insane thing to do while not quite sound of mind you may think – and you’d be right, because it was during one such session that I stumbled across the news of what’s being dubbed a quad-demic, aka what sounds like a hellish constellation: Covid-19, flu, norovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus (in layman’s terms: pretty much a cold).
After that, I found myself down the rabbit’s hole. Apparently on the rise, Boots have launched a private RSV vaccination service to help reduce the likelihood of those most at risk, including the elderly and babies, from getting it.
But what about the other three? Each one alone sounds like a horror, let alone the idea of all three besieging the body.
The obvious measures of sanitising hands after touching things like the handrails on the tube, masking if vulnerable or poorly to protect others, and eating your greens, what else can you do to sidestep the four viruses? I asked Rhian Stephensen, Nutritionist and Founder of ARTAH what she thinks, and she emphasised that prevention is better than a cure, and then outlined some good sense measures that really are worth doing even without a quad-demic on the horizon – but especially if like me illness terrifies you and you’d like the best chance of avoiding them all.
Look at your lifestyle first
Rhian was keen to emphasise that this is really at the root of susceptibility to getting ill: “There are key lifestyle factors you need to consider. The first is severe stress, which can depress our immune system, increases inflammation, and alter our microbiome.
“The second is alcohol, which has been proven to have adverse immune-related effects, including increased susceptibility to flu and respiratory syndromes and slower, less complete recovery from illness.
“The third is sleep, which is often closely linked to stress and alcohol. Lack of sleep will weaken our immune resilience, and studies have shown that those who chronically get less than 7 hours of sleep per night are more likely to get ill than those who consistently get better quality sleep.”
Make sure your diet is up to scratch
You know the rules here, but Rhian issued a sound reminder of the fundamentals: “It's important to eat in way that delivers the highest nutrient density possible whilst supporting the microbiome. Think lots of fermented foods, tonnes of plants – eight to ten servings of fruit and vegetables per day, especially those rich in colour – good quality protein, and healthy fat.
“Avoid high amounts of added sugar; foods with excessive sugar have a negative impact on our immune system and will also be lacking in other nutrients, so it's a double whammy.
“Include lots of functional foods, like immune herbs and spices like ginger, turmeric, rosemary and oregano, green tea, and resistant starches.”
Supplement cleverly
In Rhian’s view, it’s best to supplement with a view to warding off illness throughout the winter: “Most people tend to start supplements once they're feeling ill, but you'll have the most benefit if you try to support your system consistently going into the flu season.
“Vitamin D3 is essential for a robust immune system and is important in the winter months.
“Certain immune-focused nutrients have also been shown to help reduce the severity, length or likelihood of certain types of infections, like Quercetin, Zinc, Selenium, and Vitamin A. The National Diet and Nutrition survey revealed that women in the UK across all age groups studied did not meet the RDA for both Zinc and Selenium, and Vitamin A intake was low in younger women. Cellular Defence contains all these nutrients, plus immune herbs like Astragalus and Berberine.”
