Sixtysomething_S2_Ep17_Surviving the Little Kid Germs

Sixtysomething_S2_Ep17_Surviving the Little Kid Germs

[00:00:00] Hello my friends. I am here. Segal is back, as my husband always used to say, and so very glad to be. First of all, if you've noticed my absence over the last several months and are now listening to this, thank you. Thank you for coming back to me. I had every intention of starting this year strong, but I guess life had other plans.

Like many of you, I spent the holidays with my family and while I treasure every second with my little grandkids who came to visit. Let's just say they left me with a bit more than wonderful memories. The day after they went home. I came down with a nasty cold that turned into a full-blown bacterial infection, [00:01:00] two weeks of antibiotics, way too much time sleeping and binging Grey's Anatomy from episode one.

All the way through to season 21, almost to the end, and that's current. Whoa. It's a lot of tv, but I really didn't feel capable of doing much else by mid-March. I'm finally feeling like myself again, but for some reason I just didn't seem to have the ability to focus or the energy to write and record this podcast.

I never intended to be away from this for so long, and I never once considered quitting. But it took a lot more time than I thought it would to get back up to speed. And, uh, I don't know if I'm back up to speed. This may [00:02:00] be a little rough around the edges, but. Stay with me. I just have to get, you know, back in the saddle and, and get practiced again.

This whole experience that I've been through, it got me to thinking about age and resilience and how maybe I could. Take better care of myself and in particular, how do we in our sixties and beyond, keep from getting knocked out by every little germ our grandkids bring around? Because let's be real.

These precious little darlings are walking Petri dishes. They're in school daycare playgrounds, constantly swapping germs with their buddies, and then they run straight into our arms for big hugs and kisses, and we wouldn't trade that for the world. But we also [00:03:00] don't wanna spend weeks recovering every time.

We see them. So today for my comeback episode, I thought we could talk about how to boost our immune systems and protect ourselves while still being the fun, affectionate, carefree grandparents. Our grandkids love. So grab a cup of whatever you like. I got my ice water. I'm trying to improve my hydration among many other things I'll talk about in a minute.

Get comfy and let's dive right in.

So why are we more susceptible to illness now? This is the reality. We are much more likely to catch every little bug now when in our younger years we could be around sick kids and either barely get a sniffle or not be [00:04:00] knocked out by it. I hate to tell you this, but our immune system, it isn't what it used to be.

As we age, our immune response naturally slows down. Our body just doesn't react as quickly or as effectively to viruses and bacteria. Also, we don't bounce back as fast. Remember the days when a cold was just an inconvenience? Now it can turn into a thing a simple virus can drag on for weeks leading to secondary infections, like what happened to me.

And then just wipe us out. We might have underlying conditions. Things like high blood pressure, diabetes, or autoimmune disorders that can make our immune system even weaker. We don't get the same exposure to germs. [00:05:00] Young kids are constantly exposed to new viruses and bacteria at school or daycare, and their immune systems adapt.

We on the other hand. Aren't out there exposed to every new strain. So when one comes our way, it hits harder, but don't despair. There are plenty of ways to strengthen our immune systems and minimize our chances of getting sick. Here's the good news. There's a lot we can do to build up our defenses, so let's go over the best strategies.

Prioritize sleep. Seriously. I know we've talked about this before. I bring it up a lot and we're busy and we have things to do and sometimes I know. I wanna watch one more episode of Grey's Anatomy, or I wanna [00:06:00] do the couple of dishes that are in the sink, or I wanna read one more chapter of my book, but.

Getting enough quality sleep is one of the most powerful ways to support your immune system. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night and you know you need to keep your bedroom cool and dark. It helps better for better rest. Avoid screens right before bed.

That blue light messes with your melatonin. And if you struggle with sleep, you could try. Magnesium didn't work for me. Herbal teas or relaxation techniques before bed, your body needs that time to fight off potential infections. And just to note here, I had insomnia. I've talked about it for at least two years, and it was.

Very [00:07:00] debilitating. I'm not gonna go into all of the problems I had, but do you know what fixed it for me? And I tried everything. I exercised, I got on the treadmill, I did 15 minutes. I hadn't been exercising. And that night I slept through the night and I pretty much have been able to sleep. Seven to eight hours every night since, with a few exceptions, and once I got it started, I wish I could say I exercise every day.

I don't, but it helped me. You should load up on immune boosting foods because food is medicine. And what we eat plays a huge role in our immune health. You're supposed to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in vitamin C like oranges, red bell peppers, [00:08:00] strawberries, add garlic and ginger to your meals.

They're both natural antivirals. Did you know that? I didn't know that they were antivirals. Get enough zinc. You can find zinc in nuts, seeds, and lean meats to help fight off infections and drink bone broth. It's full of nutrients that help with gut and immune health. And yes, I'm going to say it cut back on sugar and processed food.

You know, sugar weakens our immune systems and it makes it easier for viruses to take cold. Sugar feeds, infections, I am not very successful at really any of these. Diet is probably my biggest weakness. But I keep trying and I encourage you to also stay hydrated. As I mentioned, [00:09:00] I'm working on this.

Water helps flush toxins out of the body and keeps your cells functioning properly. Make sure you're drinking at least eight glasses of water a day. Herbal teas, broth and water rich foods like cucumbers and watermelon also count. I realized a few weeks ago as I was trying to come up with new practices to help me boost my immune system, and my overall health, that I was nursing the same big glass of water all day and getting far less hydration than I thought I was and that I need. So now I measure the water out to be sure I'm getting at least close to the recommended daily consumption, and it did move the needle.

I felt different and better in my body. Take key supplements. It's better to get nutrients from food first, but sometimes we need an extra boost. [00:10:00] Some key immune supporting supplements and vitamin D, vitamin C. Zinc. Probiotics. A healthy gut means a stronger immune system. Check with your doctor, of course, before starting new supplements.

But these can make a difference. And then scrub in like you're Meredith. Gray like a surgeon. This sounds basic, but proper hand washing is one of the most effective ways to prevent illness. Make sure you wash for at least 20 seconds. Sing Happy Birthday twice the whole song, twice. Scrub between your fingers and under your fingernails.

Use hand sanitizer when you're out and about, but wash with soap whenever possible. I'm sure you're like me. You probably have the Giant hand sanitizer bottle in the car. I have it right in that [00:11:00] pocket on the door, so I sanitize my hands every time I go somewhere. I go into a store, I come out, I sanitize , and then I come home and I wash my hands.

I'm a little paranoid about germs. Why? Why not take these precautions if it can help at all? Also, encourage your grandkids to wash their hands open. Encourage your grandkids to wash their hands often too, especially after school, before meals and when they come over to visit.

We don't wanna become paranoid germaphobes around our grandkids, so how do we stay safe while still enjoying them? Well be strategic about the cuddling if they're visibly sick. Runny nose coughing. Maybe save face kisses for another time instead. [00:12:00] Do fun things that don't require close contact.

Reading stories, playing games, baking together, going to the park, keep surfaces clean, wipe down, frequently touched areas, especially after the grandkids leave Fresh air is your friend. If the weather is nice, spend time outside more where germs don't linger quite so much. Teach the little ones to cover their mouths when they cough and they sneeze.

Make it fun by showing them the vampire sneeze, which is into the elbow. I never heard of that before, but I think that's hilarious. If you feel. The first signs of sickness. Rest immediately. Don't wait until you're fully down and out. Start immune boosting right away. And for me, I go to the doctor right away.

I didn't used to because you know, they'll turn you away with nothing. It's if it's a virus, but I [00:13:00] think when you're in your sixties. They give it a second thought. I was given some medication when I went, um, the last time that I went and, she gave it to me in case, in case this turns into an infection.

I went back into the lion's den. I've seen my daughter and her three kids three times since New Year's. I got sick on January 2nd, as I mentioned. Took me two months to completely recover. They were also sick on and off for a few months too.

We all finally had a healthy spell, so it seemed like the time to visit, but I couldn't take any chances, so I implemented new strategies to boost my immune system. And you know, so far, all three times it's worked. Here's what I've done. I try to exercise daily, even if it's just a little bit. My sleeping is good eight hours or as much as I can every [00:14:00] night.

It's a priority I. I get a B12 shot at a wellness clinic nearby, costs $50. A friend told me that was what solved her getting sick after visits with her granddaughter. I'm also taking 2000 plus milligrams of vitamin C Echinacea drops an immunity booster pill along with my regular multivitamin. Another friend recommended.

Elderberry zinc lozenges. So I got those two, and I am drinking half my weight in ounces of water daily as best I can. It's a lot, but I know it's important. I'm trying to eat as healthfully as I can, make sure I'm eating fruits and vegetables more. And when I. Visit them.

I bring my big hand sanitizer, hand soap disinfectant wipes to keep everything I [00:15:00] need, to keep things germ free as near as possible while I'm there. Yes, I know it may seem like I'm going overboard, but I so don't wanna get sick again. I'm willing to try just about anything I have not masked. I. Wanted to try to see if I could not get sick without masking.

Um, it's, it's, it's in the realm of possibility, but I haven't had to do it yet. And all I can say is something's working. I. I didn't get sick and it's such a relief. Whew. At the end of the day, I think we can all agree. Being around our grandkids is one of the greatest joys of our lives. No one wants to miss out because they're too paranoid or sick in bed.

So my goal for all of us is to build up our immunity. Take care of ourselves and stay strong so we can [00:16:00] keep making beautiful memories. I hope today's episode gave you some helpful tips. If you have any favorite immune boosting hacks, let me know. I'd love to hear from you. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe so you don't miss what's coming up next week.

And I promise there will be a new episode coming up. Friday is my new day for releasing episodes, so look for them on Fridays. And if you know another grandparent or a 60 something who would find this episode or my other episodes helpful or enlightening, please share with them. Next time on 60 something, we're going to get into the adult kid stuff again.

You know how I love to dig into that. I'll tell you some of my latest skirmishes on that battlefield, some epiphanies I've gained, and a [00:17:00] new resource that I just discovered today, this very day that I'm going to explore, and I thought I'd share it with you. I invite you to share your experiences too.

We're in this together. One last thing. I'm recording this on Mother's Day. I probably won't post until a day or two later, but I can't let the opportunity pass. to Shout out to all of the moms listening Ladies, you shape. have has shaped and are shaping the world we live in? And don't forget how crucial you are and be good to yourselves.

I guess there are two kinds of moms, those who make us, and those who kind of break us because they're struggling or never learn how to nurture, and they still need too much nurturing themselves to provide it to their kids. Or I guess some moms are just jerks. I think it was [00:18:00] somewhere in between those as a mom, but my mom was just short of a saint and in the good way, she had a sarcastic, mischievous, ever present sense of humor that cut through her incredible sweetness to make her practically perfect.

She died almost seven years ago. Almost to this day, and I miss her every single day, but at the same time, I feel she's with me. There's one thing in my life I have never questioned for a moment. The love of my mom and dad. Even death can't disrupt love like that. My mom used to say to me right up until her death, I [00:19:00] think I couldn't love you more, but every day I do.

And she did, and I felt it, and I still do. I've found. That example that her hard to live up to and I had to eventually accept. I'm not like her in many ways. Maybe I bring some other things to the table. I don't know. I've always done the best I could as a mother. For those of you who didn't have a mother or one like mine, my heart goes out to you.

I hope that someone or something in your life provided that bedrock of love and acceptance for you somewhere along the way. I love you and I mean it, so I wish you all the happiest of Mother's [00:20:00] Days. And that's it for now. See you next time.