People who don't get sick all the time... what's your secret?

[blackcoffeenosleep]

Long story short since the end of September me and my family (DH and 3 kids) have had the following between us: Novovirus, normal cold, ear infection, bronchiolitis and now 3 of us have hand foot and mouth.

Once we are past this how can I build up our immune systems? We already practice handwashing before /after the loo, beforw eating, after changing nappies/blowing noses and when we come home and just generally throughout the day. Hand sanitiser used reguarly by the kids at school and in shops etc. We're in scotland so still wearing masks in most places. We all take vitamin supplements and eat a healthy varied diet.

Are we just unlucky? Today is halloween and my middle child has woke up covered in HFM spots after being up all night with a cough and temp. Im just getting over it and his baby sister had it last week. My oldest son has had a cough too so think its going his way now too... DH seems to be immune to these things (except Novovirus.. that one got him bad 😩) no trick or treating for us tonight. Luckily we have pumpkins to carve and halloween crafts to do to keep us entertained.

Really this is just a moan but any other advice is welcomed! (I will add we all tested for covid at first sign of cough/temp and all neg) we all do regular lft as well.

"Nor", not "now"

I completely agree about not being too clean. I think some exposure to bugs is important to build resistance. Me and DS have NEVER had any D&V illnesses and rarely get colds.

Have been a primary school teacher for 20 years so I have built up a very good immune system!

@WaterBottle123 has it right. I let my DC do the same. They played in mud, ate sweets off the floor, as did I. I rarely hand sanitise. My bedding also washed once a month - yep, I'm a filthy minger but I am never ill. Never. Build up your immune systems - a little bit of dirt never hurt anybody

I think a lot of it is just the way you are. I am rarely ill, and when I am I usually get away with a light version of whatever everyone else has had.

DH always seems to be picking something up. We eat basically the same, although I eat a lot more junk than he does. I drink lots more water than he does so maybe it's that. He really struggles to shake things off too.

I did grow up on a farm though, so maybe @insancerre is right. Good exposure to dirt as a child perhaps!

I would take another look at vitamins OP. Very good quality ones from the health food shop, concentrating particularly on Vit D3, very high dose, 2000-4000 IU per day minimum.

I don't have children.

We have the 5 second rule here too.
Insist on hand washing after poos but pretty lax the rest of the time unless cooking. (apart from very early on in pandemic).

Nursery / early primary years were the worst for kids getting slightly ill and us catching it.

We all eat lots of fruit and veg.

Prioritise sleep - kids have set bedtimes 8.30 and 9.30pm and it is extremely rare for these to be so they get 10+ hours. We are always in bed by 11, so can get 7-8 hours sleep. Lack of sleep is linked to a lot of issues.

We are seldom ill. Not a particularly hygienic home, cleanish but no anti bacterial stuff or bleach. Always had cats, sleeping on beds and generally all over the place. Once the children got through the nursery illness period they were seldom ill. DH is only ill on holiday but he is always ill on holiday. It’s a family joke that he takes to his bed for at least one day every time we’re away. The only time I’ve been regularly ill was when I moved from the windy, cold but mostly dry east of Scotland to the warmer but damp north west of England. I got flu, bronchitis and was constantly coughing and sniffing.

I think being outside a lot makes a huge difference. The amount of colds dropped hugely last year when people could only socialise outside.

I think the fresh air also helps just reduce house affected your are by some things. If I feel a bit sniffly and under the weather, I still try and force myself to get outside for a walk. Ds seems better breathing after a walk in the pram when he was ill last month.

I think it's a lot to do with luck and the fact that you are probably caught in a vicious cycle now as your immune system is low and being constantly challenged.
Loads of fresh air ( viruses love inside , dcs all together etc ) , plenty of fruit and veg, loads of garlic and a good multvit with zinc. If possible give you and your dc time to recover and build up their immune system after a virus. Loads of fluids and if dcs allow , rest! You'll get through it

I am rarely ill. Even when I worked in open plan and stuff went around

I’m generally healthy but probably luck of the draw too

You are over cleaning and sanitising. You need exposure to germs to build up resistance to them.

I’m certainly not! 😂 Mum was the queen of clean - she’d get ill all the time but dad very rarely.

I used to never be ill. I have had a bad run the past year (strange viruses) and now I am pregnant so feel like I have continous norovirus and seem to be picking up every cold.

I would have said previously Vit D, Fresh Air, clean but not too clean when its not actually dangerous (ie. kitchen meat juices obviously need cleaning but veg/fruit does not need prewashing etc.) - I work as a gardener so I probably get more of the above than most.

However I am just going to throw that all to the wind and say its all down to your bodys immune system and a bit of luck.

@cricketmum84

My DH is literally never ill. Never. I have no idea what his secret is!! He eats stuff that's gone off date, thinks nothing of cutting mould off bread or cheese, he will eat chicken that's been accidentally left out overnight.

In the 14 years we have been together he has visited the doctor once and that was to ask for a vasectomy. (Obviously apart from 2 covid jabs).

This is me. I am getting towards retirement and have never had to take a single day off sick. Only ever been in hospital to have my kids. I joke that I need to ring in sick for the last 6 months to make up for it! I eat tons of fruit and veg and am not big on disinfectant or bleach. Also must have just got super lucky I guess! I've also not had covid despite working in a huge high school with no ppe all the way through lockdowns.

Too much hand sanitiser - it isn't necessary. Humans need to be exposed to bugs etc, as that is how we build up immunity. Have never had bleach in the house either & very rarely ill.

Eat healthily and take vitamin D.

And avoid people

We eat well...mainly vegetarian, onions and garlic every day. Lots of walking and exercise. I never use hand sanitiser, am not obsessive about cleaning at all.
In our 60s and not been ill for years.

Yeah, another rudely healthy person who's a bit of a stranger to sanitiser.

I'll wash hands after the loo, am pretty careful when preparing food but I'll leave food out overnight regularly and eat it the next day (except in high summer). I have a dog who brings a load of germs into the house, a daughter with the same constitution as me who probably does similar.

The secret?
A strong constitution and not too much cleanliness.

I grew up in a developing country and now I don't eat any ultra processed foods and eat as locally/simply as possible. Lots of water, lots of fermented foods.

A good diverse biome in your gut supports the immune system, which is achieved by an outdoors lifestyle, plenty of gut healthy food and not too much sugars in your diet.

I'm outside a lot which is helpful I think. House is not excessively clean and open windows all the time. I think the following may be significant - my anecdotal experience is that those people I know who keep a truly immaculate house, bleach things all the time to the point of (IMHO) obsession and antibac to the nth degree are the ones who get everything going, colds, other bugs upset stomachs and all the rest of it.

I am very rarely ill. I don't have kids which is probably the main factor but like others I'm not fastidiously clean, have always had cats, and stick to the three second rule for dropped food

I have also had psoriasis (an auto-immune condition) since I was about nine, and was recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism, with antibodies present that are attacking my thyroid - I've often wondered if my over-enthusiastic immune system is what stops me picking up bugs.