Natural Health: I feel tired all the time and pick up bugs easily — how can I boost by immunity?

One of the more effective ways to address the issue is by focusing on your gut health

Stress levels play a significant role in immune health, which is easier said than done when you are working full-time and raising young children. The B vitamins are crucial for stress support and management, and they work best when taken together as a B complex.

I’m fed up with feeling tired all the time. I seem to pick up every bug going, including covid. What can I do to boost my immunity? I’m in my 30s with young children and work full-time.

It certainly sounds as if your body isn’t getting a chance to fully recover before being hit by the next bug.

What you describe is particularly common for people who tend to get multiple bouts of covid or are dealing with what is known as long covid. That deep sense of fatigue is a difficult part of recovery after any illness, which is why rest and hydration are so important.

One of the more effective ways to address this is by focusing on your gut health. Covid in particular impacts the gut microbiome, leaving us vulnerable to future illness, but can also make the recovery process long and arduous.

With this in mind, one of the first places to start is with a good-quality probiotic supplement to replace the beneficial gut bacteria. One of my favourite probiotic supplements is OMX by Dr Ohira, which is absorbed well and works rapidly to restore balance, support immune function, and improve energy levels.

Stress levels also play a significant role in immune health, which is easier said than done when you are working full-time and raising young children. The B vitamins are crucial for stress support and management, and they work best when taken together as a B complex.

It is a good idea to boost the family’s immunity by having an elderberry tonic on hand. Elderberries are naturally rich in antioxidants and have antiviral properties. Sambucol has a complete range of products made from elderberries (Sambucus nigra), including a syrup, pastilles, effervescent tablets, gummies, and capsules — so there is something for all ages.

Sambucol products range from €9.95 - €21.20. Check your local health store or online.

My teenage son gets strep throat almost every winter. What natural remedy would you recommend?

While strep throat tends to be a self-limiting condition that will naturally resolve on its own accord, your son can take steps to help speed up the process.

Bolstering the immune system is important when it comes to any recurrent infection. Echinacea works particularly well against streptococci infection, inactivating Group A strep and reducing the pro-inflammatory response against infection and promoting the ability of white blood cells in identifying and destroying bacteria.

It is important when taking echinacea supplements to take a course for 10 days only, then wait two to four weeks before taking another course.

Another excellent natural remedy for preventing and treating strep throat is active manuka honey. Manuka honey will help to treat infections of viral and bacterial origin, including streptococcal and staphylococcal infections. Have your son take a teaspoon of the honey and hold it in his mouth as close to the affected area as he can, for as long as possible before swallowing.

Zinc lozenges are a great standby for throat infections and tonsillitis, since the body secretes zinc into fluids to act as an antiseptic. By using a zinc throat lozenge every few hours (ideally in the form of zinc gluconate), your son will be able to target the affected area directly.

Herbal teas are another helpful way to soothe and heal any type of throat infection. Sage is a good choice (particularly for tonsillitis and laryngitis), mint can help to calm inflamed mucous membranes, and liquorice root contains a host of healing vitamins and minerals, as well as being a natural anti-inflammatory and immune supportive herb.