If you never get sick, please tell me your secret!

[Zoraflora]

Im 45 year old female non smoker, rarely drink, stone overweight, eat mostly healthy diet, takeaway once a fortnight and sweets / dessert probably about 4 days per week.

Get enough sleep, exercise about 3 times per week, no major stress in my life.

Im clean, my home is clean. Practice hand hygiene etc

I seem to get sick a lot (not tummy bugs) Ive had flu, covid and a couple of head colds since last Christmas. Why, what am I doing wrong?

My husband on the other hand never gets sick despite eating similar to me & never takes vitamins.

Is it just down to an individuals immune system or is there anything I can do to stop getting ill so often.

This is my husband. Terrible diet but in all the years we’ve been together he’s never been ill except one cold. I get multiple colds a year and he never catches them. He slept next to me the whole time I had Covid and never caught it.

I could be wrong but I’m convinced it’s because he has a job where he’s outside for at least half the day all year round.

I think I've just built up immunity to the more common viruses from working in a Reception class. I'm surrounded by children who cough and sneeze over everything and everyone and need frequent reminders about hand-washing.

I'm an introvert. No human contact = no sickness.

Just luck.

My mum was never sick until she got cancer and died. Slightly concerned that'll be me too

My son never caught colds but had allergies. Used a Beconase nose spray for his allergies. Terrible diet, moderate to no exercise. I have a healthy diet and exercise regularly etc etc. For the last few years I too have been using the Beconase spray either when I get a scratchy throat or come into contact with people who have a cold. I used to get at least three colds every year but now I don’t get them at all. Occasionally I might get a minor sore throat or an achy body but it never develops into a full blown cold. I have never caught flu or Covid either (but I am vaccinated).

I literally couldn’t get out of bed for two days when I had flu and it took me another few days after that before I felt anything like normal, it completely floored me. The last time I had flu was 13 years ago.

You cannot take flu in your stride, it completely hits you like freight train.

I am never ill apart from Covid. Haven’t had a cold in 20 years. Normal blood pressure.

Shit diet, not much exercise. I do have a very over reactive immune system ( allergies etc) this is meant to be protective I’ve read somewhere.

I think it’s genetic

I think it’s luck. I don’t eat particularly well or make any conscious effort to be super healthy. We do have our bedroom window open all year round though.

We never get bugs, not even a cold over the winter.

I don’t think im often ill. Not been off sick in over a year. Had Covid at easter last year and really bad tonsillitis soon after. Only had one Covid vaccine.
My sleep is awful as is my diet.

I work with students and the public. Like pp I take vit D but not sure if it’s linked.

ive had cancer though.

I think there's a genetic element. I'm never ill despite being very overweight, rarely having my 5 a day and drinking too much at the weekends. My parents are never ill either.

Well, depends what you mean by 'never get sick.' I have a blood condition for which I take oral chemo, and am on BP meds (but I'm over 60, most people my age are) and have chronic sinus problems. OTOH I haven't had a cold for years, haven't had covid and the last flu I had was winter 1999/2000. Diet's OK but a real shirker as far as exercise is concerned.

Combination of luck and genes probably.

I never ever ever sneeze into my hands - always into the open. Haven't had a cold for about 10 years now, at least. Bizzare.

Wash my hands regularly and always have done, not just since Covid. Was shocked the shops ran out of soap in Covid I was like "don't you have any soap at home then"?

I had a dreadful run of Colds, flu and secondary infections (ear, tonsillitis, pleurisy etc) every 3 or 4 months for a few years, but since I picked up and have been actively rectifying low ferritin (iron) levels, I've barely had a sniffle. In fact, the one sniffle I've had all year was the first one where I have actually been able to "just get on with it".

I've also been taking doses of zinc at the hint of a sniffle, taking regular vitamin d, gargling with salt water at the first hint of a sore throat, and using First Defence over winter.

Right at the start of covid oncologist told me to start taking vit D if I wasn't already and I added zinc and Vit C to that.

A diverse gut microbiome makes a difference to your immune system function. Eating a plant based diet and taking probiotics helps.

I also believe that lots of time spent outdoors, especially exercising outdoors, helps. Certainly has been the case for me. Sleeping with the window open maybe too.

Same. I eat too much and spend my working life indoors. Never worry about touching handrails etc - germs are good for you in moderation. Touch wood, I don't get ill often at all, but it's not down to virtue or vitamins - pure luck how I'm built.

There are things you can do to cut down on colds. I'm paranoid about them because for years and years I'd invariably get secondary sinus infections from a cold and end up on antibiotics - not fun at all. So I've learned to watch myself very closely. As soon as I feel warning signs of a cold coming on (sore throat/slight shivering or wooziness/extra sneezing), I'll do

• one megadose of zinc (70mg, so about 3 daily doses) right away - that's pretty much the only medication with even weak evidence
• gurgle with a strong oral disinfectant - I use betaisadona solution, but salt water is better than nothing
• netipot several times a day to keep nasal passages clear
• overnight swear cure - warm bath, then 3 pairs of pajamas and double duvet. Makes for very bad sleep but does help
• if at all possible, stay home for a day and get lots of rest to help fight the virus. Better than taking several days once the cold has a firm hold!
• extra warm clothes including ski underwear for a couple of days.

Bit of a faff but it's meant I'm able to head off colds in about nine cases out of ten, and that's a big help.

I think it’s luck/genetics to some extent

I wash my hands a lot and I don’t really eat much processed meat
I give myself extra sleep when I start to feel run down

But
i do eat some other processed foods
I’m overweight
i drink a bit much
I only do a moderate amount of exercise
I work in an air conditioned office and see lots of other people
I eat some things past their date

I almost never get sick - although I suppose I have quite a high bar for what sends me off work, I didn’t take time off for covid etc - I haven’t had to be off work for almost 5 years

I’m the same, OP. I’m otherwise healthy - eat well, sleep well, exercise regularly, don’t drink or smoke, take vitamins, never had any serious illnesses, am not the sort of person who takes odd days off work for trivial ailments.

But I get at least one - sometimes two - bad flu/chest infection/tonsillitis-type illnesses a year, that absolutely floor me. I have always been like this!

I started a new role in March and then got covid (for the fourth time!) in June and had to take a week off work in my probation period as I literally couldn’t stand up or stay awake and was sleeping about 20 hours a day. I am dreading having to take more time off this winter if I get so sick again as it’s obviously not a good look at work. I’m thinking I’ll have to be wheeled in and propped up at my desk if so .

DH on the other hand is like Teflon. Hasn’t had covid yet, despite sleeping next to me every time I had it, and as far proper flu once in his life. He hasn’t had a day off sick in his life.

Really interesting replies, a lot must be down to the luck of genetics.

Im going to start leaving bedroom window open.

Windowless, air conditioned building, customer facing role
You get ill from viruses and bacteria that you catch from other people. So the more you are in close contact with people the more you'll pick up. Sounds like your job is a big factor.
I also think age is a factor. As you get older you get fewer bugs because your body has seen them before, it's why small children are permanently snotty.

I am rarely ill, 56 years old, can't remember the last illness I had, never had covid despite customer facing job. I taught v young children for 6 years, years ago, think I picked up every bug going then and it gave me an immune boost. I also wash hands the second I walk in the house after going anywhere, just a habit but probably helps. I do take vits, high dose Vit D and C in the winter.

I rarely get sick even with kids. Firstly it's genetic, my mums never sick either. Secondly exercise makes a huge difference. Third, if you feel slightly run down, sleep, dont push through. Fourth eat fruit and veg and drink lots of water.

My dd, super clean, good hygiene, gets sick quite regularly, every time she has a medical appointment. My ds, only washes and changes clothes when prompted, never gets sick.

i have noticed if I’m super cautious with hand hygiene, really washing well before eating, after touching any ‘public’ surface, trying not to touch my face, I do get fewer colds.

I'm never sick. I've been teaching for three decades.

Small children who sneeze right into your face. Mostly in classrooms with no sink and if there is a sink there is no hot water for safety reasons.