Is This Normal?

Getting sick a few times each year sometimes just feels like part of life.  When I was around other people who were sick, I used to feel like I was rolling the dice to whether or not I was getting sick too.  When the first cold snap came, I would develop a sore throat that turned into a cough.  I had always heard the consensus to take Vitamin C but never felt like it prevented me from getting sick, or helped me get better faster (Studies seem to agree with my experience).  If that is how you feel, read on to learn how to take Vitamin A to prevent getting sick.  If Vitamin C is working for you, great, go read one of my other articles!

Note: I am not a medical professional. I am merely offering information about something that has helped me.  It is always recommended to check with your doctor before following any new regimen.

Less sick time, means less missed mat time, which means more time for improvement.

An older gentleman I met who was in prime health gave me his tip for healthy living.  He had to be treated at the Mayo Clinic and experienced a major immune system decrease as part of his issue.  A nurse there told him this magical remedy that turned his life around.

I have received tips like these over the years and usually feel like they are bogus and they don’t pass the experiment test.  The great part about his tip to preventing illness is that it is a relatively low cost high reward experiment.

For $4 or $5 and a preparatory trip to the store you are ready to try.

Take Vitamin A To Prevent Getting Sick

The experiment is simple.  The first step is getting to the store to buy a bottle of Vitamin A.  Locally, I have found Walmart carries it, and Walgreens does not.  This is the hardest part of the experiment, because if you wait until you are sick and then try to run to the store, you won’t have it when you need it.

The next time that you feel like you are starting to get sick, and that scratchy throat feeling is settling in, take 2 Vitamin A.  I typically repeat this dose 2 – 4 times per day, for up to 3 days, or until the symptoms start to calm down and I am feeling more like myself.  (I was originally told this could be repeated every 4 hours for 2 – 3 days, but rarely feel the need to extend the dosing that long.) Focus on drinking lots of water, reducing sugar intake, and trying to get enough sleep as well, and you’ll be back on the mats in no time!

Vitamin A can build up in your system and actually become toxic, so you shouldn’t take these high doses daily.  Just save it for when you are feeling icky.  When I have been around a group of sick people I will preemptively take a dose or two as well.

That’s it.

Why Vitamin A?

“Vitamin A is essential for… protection of the mucous membranes of the digestive, respiratory, and urinary tracts against infection… Several immune system functions are dependent on sufficient Vitamin A, which is why it is known as an important immune boosting vitamin. Genes involved in immune responses are regulated by Vitamin A, which means it is essential for fighting serious conditions like cancer and autoimmune diseases, but also illnesses like the flu or common cold.”(Source Dr Axe “Food Is Medicine”)

For me, if I start taking Vitamin A to prevent getting sick right away, I don’t get sick at all.  If I am a little slow on taking it, I may start to exhibit some symptoms, but they go away almost instantly and I get better.  If I really mess up and let myself start to get sick before I start taking it, I get better days faster than I used to.

Life is busy enough without taking down time for being sick. Give it a try, and let me know your results!