If you manage to avoid most colds/bugs what’s your secret?!

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If you hardly ever catch a cold or bug what’s your secret to having a good immune system and staying healthy?!

Following for ideas but I suspect, no children/not working with children and regular hand washing!!

Being a grubby bugger!

Tbh I think it’s mostly having a strong constitution, I.e. luck.

But I don’t actively avoid people with colds, I’m very laissez-faire about hygiene etc. So I think plenty of exposure helps too.

Mainly I think it’s not being particularly bothered about dirt/germs, but that is something that builds up over years. Having pets. Vitamin D helps and a generally healthy and active lifestyle but nothing too strenuous.

Don't live in the UK. Live somewhere warmer.

I hate people and avoid them at all costs. 🤣. I hated all the kissing and hugging pre covid and have used it to establish new guidelines and so now will never go back to all the kissing. My FIL is most affronted he doesn't get to force me to kiss him now but if you don't get close to people you can't catch stuff off them. Fails if you are working with kids I agree.

Wash hands at home when I get in, but not using hand gel every 5mins
Eat well, exercise...so good immune system

Growing up in a filthy house

I never catch anything, havnt had a cold for about 5 years. I think unfortunately it's not having children!

I'm pretty inconsistent with using sanitiser etc, spend a lot of time outdoors so my vitamin D is probably at a good level.

I can't prove this, but I cook with a lot of onions and garlic and I've heard that can really help prevent colds and minor bugs.

Of course, that might be because nobody wants to come near me, but I'm outcomes-focused.

Exposure, yes, that's the word I was looking for. Honestly, I'm very laid back about dirt and germs. I won't have antibac stuff in the house (other than some bleach for the loo), I clean with water. I also don't use shower gel or shampoo.

The last time I needed antibiotics was in the 90s for a tooth abscess. I don't think I've ever had a sickness bug, or at least not that I remember. I normally get a one or two colds a year, as the seasons change for some reason. I've had flu once (when I was very run down after Glastonbury) and haven't had covid (yet!).

My hubby never catches anything and I think it's because he grew up with animals and played in the dirt, eating fruit straight off trees ect and has never been afraid of getting mucky. I on the other hand have been a germiphobe since I was a small child and I catch every little bug. I think your body needs to come into contact with lots of different bacteria to build up a good immune system!

It's all really boring;
8 hours sleep
Regular exercise (1.5 hours properly oit of breath every week)
Healthy weight
Plant based whole food diet
No booze
Multi vit containing vitamin D from September- May

Agree with @devildeepbluesea
Very rarely ill. In 10 years have been off work 3 times (x2 1 day and x1 2 day).

I eat my 5 a day, exercise most days, and prioritise sleep. I work with children and so frequent exposure to germs may help - I’m not a hygiene freak. But grubby if anything

No idea. Never use hand sanitiser, go out a lot to crowded places, don't get ill at all...never get d and v.
I'm in my 60s and eat very well....up to 10 fruit/ veg a day

Had 3 days off (Covid) in last 10 years.

I think I caught everything possible as a child so immune to these things. Yes we played in dirt - I never use bleach for example.

Even Covid was non symptomatic

Eating literal dirt and licking pavements.

My DS has never had a cold, as far as I can remember. And he's now almost 5.

He is severely autistic and licks things like floors, rubs his hands up against cars etc. you'd think he would constantly be unwell with all the crap he has put in his mouth

He has never had a sickness bug.

Also take Vit D daily, so that’s looking like a pattern across previous posts.

Pure luck.

I spend all day in a classroom with 30 small children and also have DC of my own. Somewhere along the way I seem to have built up immunity to most colds and bugs.

Now I've posted that, I'll probably wake up tomorrow with a stinking cold. 😆

I only ever get none contagious illness really (ear infections)

Norovirus did the rounds in my house, with two young kids at the time, DH and both of them were ill...bounced off me.

I did get Covid in February, but rarely get colds etc

I'd say it's exposure over lifetime. Played outside all the time as a kid, the lifestyle of out after breakfast and home with the street lamps kind.

My house is kept cleaning, but hygiene could be better (e.g. I'll use the same mug for tea all day, don't wash bath towels more than once a week and we share them, I don't use seperate chopping boards - though I do cut raw meat last)

More interestingly is that I can count on one hand how many antibiotics my kids have had between them, and my eldest is nearly 13.

They both ate a slug when they were kids so I'm saying it's that....

I think the not using antibacterial/bleach on everything is key here.

I use hot soapy water to clean, and loo cleaner and that's it

I have a compromised immune system due to RA, OA, & PSA but I hardly ever catch any bugs/viruses/colds etc. The last time i had a cold was more than 5yrs ago.

I put it down to spending the past 40yrs working with the under 12s

I feel like I have skipped most of the family colds since I started a low carb diet.

I honestly have no idea. I haven't caught anything in years. I don't eat especially well, am overweight, don't take vitamins and don't exercise a lot. And my sleep is rubbish. But I never have colds. I work in education (young adults though, rather than snotty kids) and am around people and I was careful without being OTT during covid (wore a mask longer than was required, washed hands, but still went to the theatre and on the tube). I think sometimes it's just luck.