Are You Getting Sick Too Often?

Last Updated on February 27, 2023 by Jamie

Human beings are, without a doubt, the most superior species on this planet. We have achieved marvels in all aspects of life, including architecture, astronomy, travel and medicine.

However, despite this progress, we are still powerless and completely fragile in the face of severe diseases produced due to various causes. Even though medications and remedial tonics help offer protection against them, some people still fall victim to numerous diseases.

If you also happen to fall under this unfortunate category and have grown tired of visiting different specialists and consuming multiple supplements, then you have landed in just the right place.

In this blog post, we have collated every possible reason behind you falling sick, along with some helpful tips to help with recovery.  

So, without further delay, let’s get started.

What Causes You to Get Sick Often or Not Recover

Do you dread winters because of the impending doom it brings to your health? If yes, you should know that you are not alone in this battle against seasonal colds, flu and many other diseases that can completely drain your body’s energy and resilience.

According to statistics, adults get an average of two to three colds yearly, whereas children catch these colds more frequently. Bearing in mind that this flu is contagious and therefore passed on from one another rapidly, a person can take anywhere between a week to ten days to fully recover.

Of course, this span is not the same for every person and entirely depends on the resilience of the individual’s immune system. Many factors can cause you to become sick, but the most prominent ones include:   

Immune System Disorders

A body’s immune system is its major defence against life-threatening diseases. An immune system that fails to function properly makes the body vulnerable to multiple illnesses. Some problems are caused by viruses, while others are passed on by genes, but both of these can gravely compromise your body’s immunity.

Different types of immune system disorders can lead to sickness. The types include primary immune deficiency, acquired immune deficiency and abnormal immune reactions.

Primary immune deficiency implies to a person who is born with a weak immune system. In contrast, acquired immune deficiency occurs when a body’s immune system gets weakened after contracting an illness. Thirdly, abnormal immune reactions happen when your body undergoes an allergic reaction.

And let’s not forget about the autoimmune disorder. It occurs when the immune system malfunctions and perceives the body’s healthy cells as a threat. Consequently, it starts attacking these cells, thereby damaging the body. Examples of such diseases include AIDS and HIV.

You should take all possible precautions to eschew the contraction of such diseases unless they are genetic, in which case, you can do little to control their growth. So, it is better to consult your physician to rule out the possibility of autoimmune disease if you get sick too often.

Chronic Stress

Frequent illnesses and suppression of the immune system’s performance can also occur because of chronic stress.

Heightened stress levels leave as much of an impact on your physical health as they do on your mental well-being. This is because your body releases a hormone called cortisol in response to elevated stress levels, which is responsible for harming and notably slowing down your body’s healing rate.

On certain occasions, a person might not even realize that they are stressed because its indicators are often perceived as normal. Chronic stress symptoms include muscle tension, low focus, weakness, lowered libido, lack of sleep, and many more. 

Chronic stress can cause you to become less interested in forming habits that can healthily and effectively combat diseases. These habits include consuming healthy nutrients, developing a punctual sleeping routine and regular exercising.

Therefore, it is essential to consult a physician to ascertain whether you are suffering from chronic stress and, if so, how to take appropriate measures to reduce its levels. 

Sleep Deprivation

Sound and focused sleep are vital for a healthy immune system. Your cardiac rhythm, muscles, tissues and overall body systems benefit greatly from following a consistent sleeping routine, especially when you are sick, as it provides you with sufficient strength to ward off viruses.

Sleep quality is as crucial as its duration; hence, we suggest powering off all electronic devices at least an hour before you go to bed. Follow this advice, and you will quickly notice a noticeable and positive change in your body’s physical well-being.

Leukopenia

Leukopenia is a term used to indicate the deficiency of white blood cells in your body. These cells are responsible for keeping you healthy by preventing harmful pathogens from entering the body and causing havoc. Symptoms of leukopenia include frequent chills, weakness, sweating, fever, etc.

Leukopenia is developed due to being sick for a long time or from adverse side effects of medication.

This condition prevents the bone marrow from producing new white blood cells while rapidly diminishing the count of the existing ones. And with no means of reproduction, this lack of white blood cells causes you to lapse more severely into sickness.

Cold, flu, and other viral infections can significantly decrease the number of white blood cells in your body. If left untreated, this can hamper the production of new white blood cells and even lead to more severe conditions such as autoimmune disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

In some instances, a lack of white blood cells can also result in severe health disorders like leukaemia, HIV and AIDS. To avoid these dreadful disorders, we advise you to test yourself for leukopenia and rule out this problem as soon as possible.

Lack of Oral Hygiene

Brushing, flossing, and consistent oral hygiene maintenance promise to protect your gums and teeth from various cavities and other dental problems.

And surprisingly, oral hygiene also plays a vital role in a healthy human body. This happens because brushing teeth prevents bacteria from entering and attacking your body. So, make a point of cleaning your teeth twice a day for a better and effective immune system.

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Dehydration and Poor Diet

As the famous saying goes, “you are what you eat.” And if you eat right, it won’t be challenging for your body to fight different illnesses.

A proper and nutritious diet contains vitamins, proteins, minerals and other substances that are used as a protective shield against infections and critical illnesses. One of the core substances here is vitamin D which boosts your mood and controls the level of antimicrobial proteins in your body, which are responsible for fighting off invading viruses.

Another essential element behind maintaining a healthy diet is staying hydrated at all times. Not drinking ample water can cause chronic dehydration,  resulting in lower efficacy of your body’s immune system. As per doctors, you must drink a minimum of 64 ounces of fresh water every day and should steer clear of carbonated drinks.

Other Illnesses

People who suffer from illnesses like high blood pressure, diabetes, and hypertension are more likely to have a weaker immune system and, therefore, can contract seasonal flu more readily. This happens because their immune system has to work overtime under such circumstances, making it weaker and ineffective with time.

You should take adequate steps to counter these existing diseases successfully. For instance, avoid consuming sugar if you have diabetes or try to reduce stress levels through various mental and physical exercises. You can also ask your doctor to monitor your routine closely and suggest changes to help combat these underlying medical conditions.

Why Kids Get Sick Often:

Watching their kids catch a cold every month and fall victim to other viral infections is a cause of worry for numerous parents. However, we are here to tell you that it is perfectly normal for kids to get sick more often than adults. The main reasons for this are:  

• Children’s immune system is still developing into their final, effective form. Unfortunately, this means that there are plenty of diseases for which their body has not developed immunity, which can easily enter and damage their body systems for the time being.
• Kids are tenacious and profound explorers. They like running around, rolling on the floor, or even frolicking in the dirt at times. So, inevitably, their hands end up in their mouths, nose, or any other orifice, and from there the germs enter their body. These germs can then cause them to get sick.
• Children are not that keen when it comes to washing hands or maintaining proper hygiene. After playing outside for hours and hours, washing hands is the last thing on their mind, and they immediately rush to fill up their stomachs without giving a second thought to their dirty hands.  
• Since children are still learning to incorporate preventive measures into their daily life, a sick kid may pass his cold to other classmates by sneezing or coughing on them. For this reason, kids must be taught the importance of washing hands, using tissue and coughing in their elbows from a young age. 
• Unvaccinated kids are more prone to catching viral diseases or common colds than fully vaccinated children. So, ensure that you stay on top of your child’s vaccination schedules without any tardiness or delays.
• A lack of sufficient minerals and vitamins in a kid’s diet can also cause them to be constantly sick. Therefore, parents should ensure that their children’s meals are packed with the richest nutrients for kids their age.

What Can You Do to Recover?

There are different paths of recovery depending on the cause behind your sickness.

If you are suffering from chronic stress, we suggest consulting a psychologist, writing down every negative and positive thought that crosses your mind and finding various activities to focus on during your free time.

If high-stress levels trigger your illness, you can try practising breathing exercises, learning muscle relaxation techniques and meditating every once in a while. Another key tip is to improve the quality of your diet. You can do this by focusing on consuming small but nutritious meals throughout the day rather than having one extravagant meal and junk food in between.

How to Prevent Yourself from Getting Sick:

Having talked about the causes behind falling sick or catching a cold all the time, let’s move on to the steps you should take to protect yourself from constantly falling victim to these harmful diseases. These can be listed as follows:

• Practise proper hygiene by frequently washing your hands and cleaning surfaces you are in contact with. Make a point of washing your hands every time you leave the toilet, hold a baby, touch an unknown surface, clean up open wounds or finish dressing existing scars.
• Keeping in mind the contagious nature of viruses such as the common cold and flu, you must take all precautionary measures when surrounded by sick people. If possible, avoid contact with them completely or make sure that you are wearing a mask and not sitting too close for them to pass on their cold to you.
• In case of contracting a viral disease, call your workplace or school and take the day off. This will not only help stop the spread of contagious diseases but also give your body time to heal faster and effectively. After all, hectic work schedules and continuous straining only exacerbate your condition more.
• Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough and advise others to do the same. This will prevent germs from diffusing into the air and infecting others.
• Consume essential vitamins and prescribed supplements regularly to boost your immune system.

When to See a Doctor:

Unfortunately, people tend to fall sick even after taking all precautionary measures and following them by heart. If you have been practising all the pointers above in your daily lives but still see no positive change in your physical health, then it is about time you book an appointment with a specialized physician.

Simply put, once you realize that the situation has begun to spiral out of control, waste no time in getting a professional doctor’s opinion on your health.

Conclusion:

To conclude, no matter how destructive your current illness is, you can most likely circumvent its detrimental effects through consistent efforts, a healthy routine and following a professional’s advice.

Even though it sounds like a lot of work right now, your body will only thank you for it later on. Since no one wants to watch their life pass by while they lay tired and sick in bed for most of the day!