Try To Stay Healthy

[tallyfamily]

We are just back from WDW. The best advice I have is to do what you can to boost your immune system before your trip. You will spend ALOT of time in close quarters with LOTS of other people. The week before your trip take the time to make sure everyone is taking their multi-vitamins and that they bring them along for the trip too. Some people also like to take extra vitamin C and/or Echinechea to boost their immune system. If you are unfamiliar with vitamins/supplements, ask your Doctor or Pharmacist which may be best for you. You can find vitamins and supplements now in gumballs and gummi bears- great for the kids and adults who think their multi-vitamins are icky!

Anyways, we arrived at WDW healthy, but by the time we arrived home 5 days later we all had chills, fever, cough, etc. In all the excitement, we forgot to take our vitamins before and during our trip.

Also, I would like to recommend visiting WDW during the week. We were there for both week and weekend days. The crowds were sinificantly smaller, ride waits next to nothing during the week. It was beautiful and relaxing. The park hours are shorter during the week, but it really doesn't matter since you can actually get on more rides with the smaller crowds. It is also worth it to head back to your hotel in the afternoon for a nap- especially for young children. Even if it's only a 20 minute cat-nap, everyone will feel better later in the evening and tempers will not start to flare like they might after 10 or 12 hours straight at a theme park.

 

[Stepman]

thanks for the tip......I always get sick when I'm in florida and it sucks.

 

[DisneyFreaks]

One of us has gotten sick with every trip to Disney World. My doctor suggested eating lots of yogurt for about two weeks prior to the trip. Don't ask me why. It apparently has something to do with balancing out the immune system due to the fact that different places have different airborn germs. Sounded like gibberish to me but we tried it before our last trip and not one of us came down with anything. Not even a sniffle. Coincidence? Maybe, but we're going to do again before our May trip.

 

[Muffy]

Those are very good tips for boosting immunity before trips. Also implement frequent HANDWASHING before during and after your trips. It can make all the differance if you want to stay virus free!

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

We just got back about a week ago from our annual winter WDW trip. The crowds were minimal and it was wonderful!!! January is a great time to visit WDW. I even got a little sun on my face.

I had read here on the DIS about the Norwalk virus and other illnesses being rampant in Florida this year, so I had a talk with my boys about cleanliness. We washed our hands twice as much as we usually do, and I carried a bottle of Purell for occasional sanitizing. It worked, and we all came home healthy.

 

[jwfla422]

Yes, I agree, the handwashing is extremely important and those little Purell bottles are great! They can fit in pockets, fanny packs, purses, etc. We always use them just before we eat if we can't wash hands (even before eating snacks).

I also recommend liquid Echinacea for kids. I give it to dd just before we leave through the duration of our trip. Just 2 droppers full 2-3 times a day (depending on the age) in a little bit of juice. My dd won't do the multi vitamins at all so I give her liquid Vitamin C in her juice as well.

I also make sure to do the echinacea myself. In many cases the echinacea and vitamin C may not prevent getting sick, but I definitely must say it makes the symptoms less severe and and shortens the duration of the sickness.

 

[DisneyObsessed]

I'm glad to see this post. Now I know I'm not the only one who stocks up on Vitamin C and Echinacea before we go. Every year I do this, and every year we've been healthy. The problem I'm having this year, is my DS is 14 and knows everything and is not cooperating with me. I have read him all these posts. Thanks to the yogurt one, that's the only one he's willing to try.

 

[Muffy]

Yogurt? Tell us more!

 

[The Sybah Shelstah]

Anyways, we arrived at WDW healthy, but by the time we arrived home 5 days later we all had chills, fever, cough, etc. In all the excitement, we forgot to take our vitamins before and during our trip.

Ah... so now I wonder about my getting so ill the day after coming home. Perhaps delayed reaction? Or perhaps I just got sick from someone on the flight home? Had the same- major chills due to high fever (contrasted with the sweats when fever broke but then fever would crawl back up again), cough, even throwing up which I normally NEVER do. It was awful- and you guessed it, I didn't bring any vitamins for my trip. I'm not very good about taking them at home either (kids do, I don't- usually) but still.... should have on the trip.

Thanks for the tip- I'll have to remember that and yogurt on my next trip!

 

[Ilove8Trax]

Bringing Lysol is always good to for those germs in the bathroom.

 

[DisneyObsessed]

Muffy, go up about 9 posts. DisneyFreaks had good luck with eating yogurt and not getting sick.

 

[ahutton]

I've heard the cultures in yogurt do lots for your immune system. The pediatrician had me adding acidolphulus (sp??) to DD#2 bottles when she was under 6 months old and had severe reflux trouble to help her get good stuff going in her system.

I also read that the alcohol based hand sanitizers are often more reliable than just hand washing because most people don't get all the sides and between the fingers and wash for at least 30 seconds, which is the time required to help fight viral infections. I used a ton of it in December and we all stayed mostly healthy - DD#2 just got two teeth that week!

 

[minster22]

You are on the right track with the acidophilus suggestion. Taking a good quality acidophilus will put the "good" bacteria back into your intestinal system and help you fight off all kinds of bad bugs you can be exposed to when you travel....water, food and/or other germs. My best friend always gets a bit sick when we go to Disney and this past spring I suggested she take some acidophilus before our trip and she had none of those flu-like symptoms she had always gotten before. We are thinking of doing a Disney cruise this fall and if so, I will definately takes lots of acidophilus beforehand.

 

[Horizons16]

Thanks for the tip... i always take my C and B-6 and everything else... my mommy taught me well

 

[CarrieAP]

Great advice! My tried and true prevention strategy is Coldeze lozenges. I take them at the first sign of a scratchy throat or cold and have had barely a sniffle in years. Ditto the Purell advice; I love the 6 packs of the tiny bottles as everyone can keep on in their pocket.

Actually I went with my parents in December in the midst of all the illness and my mother drove my father and I crazy. Though I am a nurse and quite knowledgeable about infectious disease, she nagged me the entire trip. There was no arguing with her so all I could do was comply and hope that no one noticed each time she methodically wiped down every surface we might come into contact with or each piece of silverware any time we ate. On the plus side, none of became ill! Knock on wood, in our many trips we have managed to stay healthy.

 

[DisneyFreaks]

I recently saw a commercial for those coldeze lozenges on tv. Do they really work? I have been looking for them everywhere and I have yet to find them. Another product that is good is ZiCam. It is like a nasal spray that you rub inside your nasal passenges and it fights off the start of a cold. My DH used it recently and he was shocked. He was just starting to feel the sting of an oncoming cold. He used the ZiCam before bed and he woke up with no symptoms whatsoever.

 

[DisneyObsessed]

Zicam is amazing stuff. It definitely works!!

 

[Lucky4me]

DD and I stayed healthy!!!

I have immune system dysfunction and get sick at a drop of a hat. My doctor doesn't even want me in crowds or on planes. I doubled up my vitamins and used antibacterial gel religously the entire trip. DD got so tired of me squirting that stuff on her! I didn't let her touch door knobs, railings, etc. When she did, out came the gel. I also brough lysol and sprayed the bathroom and bedroom every night. It was the FIRST time I have ever gone to Disney and not gotten sick. Yipee!!! (I did have sinus problems on the plane ride home, but I don't think that was from any germs.)

 

[Ted and Holly]

I am taking a stab here but could part of the yogurt thing be calcium? Calcium is a VERY important part of our diet. Other than helping "build stong bones and teeth", it is important in the efficiency of neurons and has been attributed to help lose weight.

One thing I always dread is the plane. I know I encounter a LOT more people at the parks, but it is something about the stuff, recirculated airplane air. I geta sore throat every time.

Ted

 

[Kevs mom]

We just returned on Saturday from our trip and DS 5 was already running a fever Friday before we left for home and DS 11 was home yesterday with cough, sore throat, etc. I will make sure next time we dose up on our vitamins and wash, wash, wash our hands!!!