People who never get colds?

[Dalesgirl16]

Please advise what you do to never get colds? I’m willing to try anything. I take multivitamins every day but that appears to do nothing to help!

[PebblesFlintstone]

Spend lots of time around snotty children to build up your immunity? I'm a primary school teacher and almost never get them. In reality though, I think apart from good diet, exercise and enough sleep, there's not a lot you can do. I used to take echinacea tablets, but I'm not sure how effective they were.

[Onecallaway]

I was going to say the opposite! Stop working with snotty children. I always had sore throats and various ailments when I was teaching but not had a single cold or anything in the three years since I gave up.

Good hygiene as well I think. When I was working I didn't always get chance to wash my hands before eating etc (sounds disgusting I know) but now I always wash my hands thoroughly after going out shopping etc.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I've rarely had colds just don't get them normally at all but had an awful one that lasted two week in February and currently have a horrible one.

[PoisonousSmurf]

I swear by Vicks 'First Defence'. It's a nasal spray that you use as soon as you feel that first 'tickle' of a cold starting. it's also useful to reduce the symptoms of a cold.
Buying vitamins is a waste of money as you pee it all down the loo anyway!

[PoisonousSmurf]

Also as above, wash you hands! Especially after being in shops.

[ferrier]

Lots of exercise and don't get run down.

[Landy10]

I don't think you can do anything to make yourself not get colds. I didn't get a cold for about 10 years before having my children and worked in a massive open plan office, travelled on the tube daily and was never particular about sanitising hands etc afterwards. Also didn't eat/drink anything specific. My husband tried all sorts of vitamins, carried hand gel etc and was always catching colds and moaning about them.

[welshweasel]

Plenty of outdoor exercise and a good immune system from a childhood in boarding school and a career in hospital. The only time I ever seem to get a cold is if I'm injured therefore not running.

[Anatidae]

Wash your hands.
Don’t touch your face or rub your eyes.

One major route of transmission is what’s called fomite transmission- that’s basically stuff on surfaces. You touch it then you touch your face/eyes/mouth and contrast whatever it is.

Get into the habit of washing your hands at all the usual times (after loo, before food) but also when you get into the office or come home.

Eat well. That’s just plenty of fruit and veg and a bit of protein, and not too much sugar/booze, by the way. ‘Clean’ eating is an eating disorder. There’s no need to cut whole good groups out.

Take vitamin D3.

If you go get a cold, vitamin C and zinc can shorten the duration very slightly.

[Kidsarekarma]

My mother insisted I didn't have my first cold until I was a teen, I don't remember but I very rarely get one, perhaps every few years. I have jinxed myself now, haven't I?

I think it's just the way a person's immune system works and luck.

DD (who gets lots of colds, poor thing) tried that 'first defence' spray and said it stung her throat so badly it was worse than having the cold.

[Badbadbunny]

Cleanliness and hygiene works for us. None of us barely ever get colds. We're paranoid about either washing our hands or using anti bacterial after we've touched money, door handles, rails, etc before eating or touching our faces. We always wash salad or fruit before eating and try to avoid buying any foods which are left in the open, i.e. cooked meats or pies on display - we'll buy pre-packed instead. We keep our kitchen worksurfaces clean too, with AB wiping round after every meal time. We can each go a few years between colds.

[Mammyloveswine]

I'm an early years teacher and am currently off with a horrible cold-im 7 months pregnant and can't take anything for it so hoping the rest will do me good! Although I have my toddler st home too so it's not as much of a rest day!

[BeyondThePage]

Develop the "medical stance", hands clasped behind your back when standing - do not touch stuff, do not touch your face without washing your hands - ever... wash your hands after handling money, or anything handed to you by someone else.

If you do get a cold try to live through the symptoms when you can - SO LONG AS YOU ARE OTHERWISE HEALTHY (e.g. in the evening stay hot, stay off the paracetamol - bugs don't like heat, you will get over it more quickly if you let your body fight it)

[StinkPickle]

Get lots of sleep.

[PoisonousSmurf]

Kidsarekarma. It could have been because she sniffed it up. You only spray it. Never sniff at the same time.

[Jecan]

Try not to touch things that lots of people touch (escalator handrails are my big no no) and like the others say wash your hands when you come in. I’ve not had a cold since the beginning of the year & im convinced I got that one from flying twice in 2 weeks.

[Anatidae]

Antibacterial wipes don’t work against cold viruses. They’re not that effective against bacteria in many settings and can contribute to resistance

• having said that good hygiene is key and wiping down door handles/etc is a good idea (it can just be regular cleaner, you dont need antibacterial stuff.) washing salads etc is VERY important.
  
  Some antibacterial products like triclosan are possible hormone disruptors too. We don’t use them - a good scrub (30 sec covering all areas of the hands) with any regular soap is most effective.

[Peanutbuttercheese]

I would be lying if I said I never had colds but I rarely get them.

Everyone washes their hands when they get home. I use lemon and bicarbonate to clean mainly. I don't take vitamins, I wrap up warm in winter, I have windows open 24/7 in my house. The only time we shut them was when it was -17 one winter.

If I'm out and about and want to eat a sandwich for instance I will wash my hands before. Touching door handles and then rubbing your eyes all that stuff means you are chucking germs in to your system.

[LoniceraJaponica]

I very rarely get colds. I'm not sure why, but here are some ideas:
Luck
I eat a lot of vegetables and salad - no need for multivitamins
Regular handwashing
Regular exercise
I don't come into contact with a lot of colds

[FinallyHere]

As an adult, I seemed to get one cold after another, with a post-nasal drip cough lingering for weeks and weeks. I always felt below par. Avoiding sugar (including grains & starchy veg) seems to help a lot, I like to think that it gives the virus less to feed upon.

A clove of raw garlic crushed and swallowed, first thing in the morning, was the thing that finally (sic) cleared up the runny nose. Followed it by a large glass of water and then a handful of fresh parsley to chew. I did that for several weeks, til i was sure the drip was gone. Now, first sign of a tickle in the throat, I swallow another clove and have been spared the whole cold circus so far, ever since.

Fingers crossed, is been a few years now. Nothing else has changed in my life, I've always slept well and mix with people at work who bring virus's into the large, open plan areas. I gather that it is an ancient Ayurvedic practice which seems to work for me.

[HargenDarse]

I rarely get colds. I have an excellent diet though. Lots of greens.

[EllieMentry]

I very rarely get colds - maybe once every few years at most. I think it's mostly down to luck. It's unusual for me to get whatever bug is going round the office.

I do eat lots of vegetables. I also walk a lot and while I'm careful about food hygiene at home and basics like washing hands after using the loo, I'm not too bothered about germs otherwise. I wouldn't wash my hands before eating in a café, for instance. Maybe I've built up immunity.

[Saladd0dger]

My DD12 is like this. Never has a cold. She’s only had chicken pox and a couple d&v bugs. Otherwise never unwell while the rest of us suffer

[Branleuse]

I do get them occasionally but not often. I always assume my good immune system is because my house is a bit grubby. My kids dont get ill much either.

If i do feel that tingly feeling like a cold js coming, i usually drink lots of water, orange juice, eat a bit of garlic and take some echinacea and it never really develops.
Im a terrible patient when i actually do get ill. Cant cope at alll.

[MuddlingThroughLife]

I think it's all down to luck!

Up until August I've spent most of my time since January in hospital with ds. I was living off microwave meals, crisps and chocolate with no exercise and very little sleep. Thankfully in all this time I've not been ill once, a relief as we were on an oncology ward and I would have been unable to stay with him had I become ill.