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.

When my dd was in primary school, there was a year where she got everything going and the doctor just kept on prescribing antibiotics for her. I finally took her in desperation to a family friend who practiced Chinese medicine and he prescribed Chinese herbal medicine and she didn't get sick again for another two years.

Since then we only take antibiotics under extreme need and mostly use vitamins and herbs on the rare occasion when we do get sick

I work in a secondary school and am often the only one who doesn't get sick when there's something going round. I think I have always had a pretty good immune system and I (disgustingly) always thought maybe it's because I was a chronic nailbiter for most my life lol! But I also notice the following differences between me and my co worker's:

• I spend a lot more time outdoors
• I get enough sleep at the right times of day roughly 9:30pm-5:30am.
• I supplement vitamin D religiously (magnesium, zinc, vitamin C too but not as strictly)
• I don't over indulge in central heating/AC and often have a window open
• since beginning of Covid I do a nasal saline rinse every evening and gargle with saltwater am and pm.
• I don't drink at all (just my preference)
• I don't use antibac, but I do regularly wash my hands.
• first sign of a cold and I swear by pukka elderberry syrup, I never develop one!

Really interested in hearing others immunity tips!

I’m rarely ill. I wash my hands frequently and the house is clean but not spotless or anti-bacced and I had an averagely grubby childhood. Other than that, just plain old luck.

I’ve had more coughs and colds since I had DD 4 years ago than in my entire adult life before that. Sometimes she’s not even ill but I am. And I worked (pre lockdown) in an open plan office and took public transport every day so should have had plenty of exposure to bugs. It does seem to be worse this year than previously though which I assume must be the lockdown effect.

Some interesting replies here. Thanks to all!

Agree probably could calm it on the hand washing but the children are made to wash hands 6 x a day at school/nursery and use hand sanitiser too so they (my eldest especially) are in the habit now.

We are outdoors alot, they love playing in the garden with the slugs 😂 and looking for bugs or digging the mud with sticks or going out in the rain in their wetsuits to jump in the puddles. They play outside almost everyday with 5/6 other friends. I open windows and air the house everyday too but do wash bedding once a week.

I think maybe the anti bac and cleaning is the problem maybe im over doing it. For those saying they dont use anti bac, what do you use to clean your home? Kitchen table? Food surfaces etc? I just use a normal anti bac spray to wipe surfaces down , i do focus on touch points - maybe i shouldnt? and occasionally the dettol spray on soft surfaces that cant be washed in machine after a bout of sickness.

I remembered after posting that we also all have a probiotic yogurt thing every day... is this doing anything or worth stopping?

We are rarely ill as a family and are also the type to not worry much about germs, hand washing etc. Will pick up and eat food dropped in the floor, wash bedding monthly etc.

Luck and eating 6 of my 5 a day.

OP, I probably use a cleaning spray once a week or so on the kitchen surfaces, otherwise I just use hot water (unless I’m cleaning an area where raw meat has been prepared).

I'm not often ill but I think it's luck. I eat a healthy diet, exercise the dog loads, don't fuss too much about hygiene but beyond that it really is luck. We all get sick sometimes, that's life.

I've no car, so every day I walk at least 4k. Don't smoke, don't drink much. Love avocados and nuts.

Message to the smug among us: life can turn on a sixpence and even people who are never ill will get sick with something at some point.

Definitely luck. I never got sick as a kid but now get everything going badly. I have also lost all immunity to illnesses I’ve had. No longer immune to chickenpox, don’t respond to vaccines, can’t get Hep B immunity despite 3 vaccine courses, got COVID badly despite vaccination.
We’re very grubby, don’t own anti bac spray but still always sick.

OP. I just wash over the kitchen surfaces with a cloth and the hot washing up water. In the bathroom I just use a multi surface cleaner

@Joystir59 people aren't being smug. OP asked for information about what people who don't tend to catch every cold or sick bug did differently and people have provided that info

So true @Joystir59!

My Dad (who I mentioned upthread as being someone who never got ill) unfortunately got melanoma in his 60s which spread very quickly to his brain and killed him, 4 weeks after his diagnosis. I’d rather complacently expected him to be around until his 90s, as his parents were. Ironically, he perhaps wouldn’t have got melanoma if he hadn’t spend so much time outdoors (which is undoubtedly one of the reasons he was so healthy in general).

Pretty sure it’s just luck….and maybe not being too clean! I play with mud professionally ( potter) and am not the best housekeeper. We last had a tummy bug do the household in 2015 ( certain from centre Parcs) and I last had a day off work from a cold in 2011….but I had a “sick day” 2018 to attend a tricky job interview.

I think it's luck / genes most of the time.

We don't often get ill, but when we do, it's normally a run of illness, most recently covid, followed by the stinking cold that's going around a week later, followed by hand foot and mouth (dc) 10 days after we had recovered from the cold. I think that often happens - you catch a bug, you get run down and more susceptible to catching other bugs, feel like you are always ill.

Once that's sorted and out of our systems, I expect we'll all stay well for another couple of years - that's what has normally happened.

@Paperyfish

Pretty sure it’s just luck….and maybe not being too clean! I play with mud professionally ( potter) and am not the best housekeeper. We last had a tummy bug do the household in 2015 ( certain from centre Parcs) and I last had a day off work from a cold in 2011….but I had a “sick day” 2018 to attend a tricky job interview.

Funnily enough we caught novovirus whilst away at caravan for the weekend. Its been downhill ever since ...

I think i will change a few things based on these replies but i think to a certain extent it is just our bad luck.

Our house is clean and tidy(ish) but we don't go overboard on anti-bac and hand sanitiser.
We eat stuff if it falls on the infrequently cleaned floor

DH is a young version of Martin from friday night dinner and is always eating out of date stuff and weird things. he is almost never sick and if he does it is a super mild 24 hour version.

If you have young children ,then illnesses seem to be par for the course sadly! Maybe some high quality Vit C or Vit C and Zinc may help . Just try to eat lots of fruit and veg, and get as much sleep as possible (not easy with DC I know) .

Also I air the house daily even when freezing ,(much to DH/DD horror) just to clear any stale air for 30 mins say

I honestly think it's pure luck. I don't have a very healthy lifestyle but rarely get viruses or suffer badly with them. It just seems random to me ... or maybe something to do with gut health?

Im rarely ill, i put it down to eating fruit and veg, taking a multi vit (good quality) every day. No idea if this is why really, but thats my thoughts.
I did get covid, but thats the first time ive had anything even a cold for years.

Genetics and a hefty dose of filth. I only use hand sanitizer when there’s someone sternly watching at the shop door.

Someone mentioned “farm kids” have sturdy immune systems. The running joke here this summer was whose child hadn’t been bathed the longest! Filthy flibbets - they thing nothing of french-kissing the dog or caddy lamb either.

I used to get sick all the time. I don't now. I put the difference down to daily exercise and a daily vitamin D tablet.

I think it's luck. My DC have strong immune systems, so aren't bringing stuff home for us to catch. I do eat a very healthy diet, drink a lot of water and take a daily multivitamin - but DH does none of those things and rarely gets ill either.

I think we're just a luck hardy family.