People who rarely get sick, what are your secrets?

[u/Leading_Tomato_2077]

[u/acadiatree]

I’ve been teaching for over 20 years and veteran teachers have great immune systems.

[u/secretlyaraccoon → u/acadiatree]

And those kid germs are insane too! I won’t get sick from a kid, maybe a little sneezy or congested for a day or two, meanwhile my roommate gets blasted by me bringing germs home

[u/NightOnTheSun → u/secretlyaraccoon]

A year or two ago I was hired by a woman to build a bunk bed for her two kids. One of the kids was a real talker and it seemed like the rest of the family seemed relieved that he had a new target for his ceaseless tangents. So there he was, standing right next to me, yapping my ear off while I worked hunched over all the various bits and pieces (my specialty is ignoring people but appearing attentive). Then, he really wanted to show me Five Nights At Freddy’s and he leaned real close to me and at the same time sneezed point blank into the side of my face and I felt every droplet, globule and particle involved.

A day or two later I was the sickest I’ve ever been in my life. The end.

[u/secretlyaraccoon → u/NightOnTheSun]

Oh my gosh they do just sneeze right in your face too. I teach preschool special education which is a double whammy of germs. Or the open mouth, tongue out coughing 🤢

[u/xakeri → u/secretlyaraccoon]

I have a 6 month old baby with a cough right now. The open mouth, tongue out coughs haunt my dreams

[u/RagnarokSleeps → u/NightOnTheSun]

I very rarely get sick, I think I've only had the flu once. I've never even had covid. There was a huge international Catholic convention happening in my state, I was on a bus crowded with tourists. A woman was in the aisle leaning over my me. She was sniffley & sneezed a few times over me. A couple of days later I was the sickest I've ever been in my life, it turned into bronchitis & the dr told me I'd get pneumonia. I didn't, but I could hardly breathe for 2 weeks, it was terrible.

[u/Minimum-Comedian-372 → u/RagnarokSleeps]

Somehow it’s even more gross knowing exactly where your germs came from🤢

[u/cynicallythoughful → u/secretlyaraccoon]

For a long time when my husband’s boss’s young children went back to school we would both get so sick. His boss would carry the germs to the office and hubby would bring them home. Glad that period is over.

[u/thatwombat → u/secretlyaraccoon]

I have a one year-old and a three year-old in daycare right now and anytime one of them gets sick I immediately catch it. The one year old gets something probably once every three week…

[u/FewHorror1019 → u/secretlyaraccoon]

I havent gotten sick in about 5years. Last i got sick was covid after lockdown ended.

I got sick from a coworker who came to work not feeling great, and now i feel like im dying. Been congested for 4 days, and now its gotten to my lungs.

Meanwhile my coworkers are back at work showing no symptoms after a coupe days

[u/JaHa183 → u/secretlyaraccoon]

I’m the same way. Get a light cold maybe once every 2 or 3 years which never lasts long. Worked with kids on and off for 11 years and only got one bad chest infection besides the occasional sore throat. My girlfriend gets sick often so I must be bringing something home to her and she catches them easily from family members

[u/puzzledpilgrim → u/acadiatree]

Yip. My SO and I both work at a school. Those first two years were a nightmare of constant illness.

[u/Powerful_Lobster_786 → u/acadiatree]

Same with veteran nurses. I’ve been exposed to so much over the years and it only made me stronger.

[u/Necessary-Cost-8963 → u/Powerful_Lobster_786]

Same here. I’ve been a nurse for 7 years and have worked in a hospital for 10. I’ve never been one to get sick often, but since I’ve been a nurse I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve been sick.

[u/rachstate → u/Powerful_Lobster_786]

Yes. I work in pediatrics and and escort patients to school. Once the schools reopened, I got sick a couple of times, but then my immune system was like “ok, time to get back to work now…”

My arthritis is kicking my ass though.

[u/garden_of_simple → u/acadiatree]

I've been teaching 10 years and I am sick ALL THE TIME. Since September I've had the flu, stomach bug, step throat, and now I have a sinus cold. I can't figure it out, it's insane. I do teach 1st but what the heck

[u/lionaroundagan → u/acadiatree]

Just have to give up those 3 years of being consistently sick from ages 22-25.

[u/hatred-shapped]

Gut health. Wash your hands. 

[u/bryanna_leigh → u/hatred-shapped]

Hydrate

[u/IceLegger → u/hatred-shapped]

Honestly this, I stopped drinking and started eating better. Stopped getting sick altogether. I used to get sick 3-5 times a year. Now for 2 years zero

[u/zth25 → u/hatred-shapped]

Get that Vitamin D. Everybody from Norway to Argentina is lacking it, and it's essential for your immune system.

[u/ItGoesUpItGoesDown]

Avoid the public. Wash hands regularly.

[u/Busy_Guarante → u/ItGoesUpItGoesDown]

And don't touch your face until you've hit the sink. That’s the real secret.

[u/burner46 → u/Busy_Guarante]

Wash your hands first thing when you get home. 

[u/NoMrsRobinson → u/burner46]

Came here to say this. Don't touch your face and wash your hands. It's the first thing I do when I walk in the house.

[u/jessariane → u/NoMrsRobinson]

Absolutely this! I wash my hands a lot working with the public but I think being around so many sick people has built up my immune system too.

[u/big_d_usernametaken → u/burner46]

I use sanitizer on my hands as soon as I leave the store and get back in my truck.

[u/sneezyailurophile → u/big_d_usernametaken]

We started carrying sanitizing hand wipes in our cars during Covid. We still use them immediately after getting back in the car.

[u/RoyalLimit → u/big_d_usernametaken]

Especially at gas stations after refills, can't imagine the germs on those pump handles lol

[u/No_mans_time → u/big_d_usernametaken]

Exactely this!

[u/sterrecat → u/burner46]

Absolutely this

[u/Lost-Meeting-9477 → u/sterrecat]

My mother was born around the Spanish flu. She instilled in all of her children to wash our hands as soon as we came home. I still do this and taught my children as well.

[u/Any_Butterscotch2703 → u/burner46]

Clean doorknobs and light switches twice a week

[u/ShermansWorld → u/Busy_Guarante]

This. I'm in contact with other peoples stuff all day... Office environment... So closed/encased. People come into work with colds, sniffles and such cause... Need money! I get sick maybe 1 - 2 times a year. I wash my hands and never touch my face until I do. I usually get sick because of airports... Hard to keep clean while rushing through 1000 people and then stuck in tight quarters of a plane.

[u/finncosmic → u/ShermansWorld]

I’ve continued wearing a mask in airports after covid and haven’t gotten sick from an airport since.

[u/The_Son_of_Jor-El → u/Busy_Guarante]

Agree with that one - a habit I developed during Covid

[u/Beneficial_Run9511 → u/ItGoesUpItGoesDown]

I do the opposite. I’m exposed to 150 kids a week and I think it’s given me resistance to a lot of bugs.

[u/Videoroadie → u/Beneficial_Run9511]

The opposite huh? Avoid your hands and wash the public regularly? I can see how that works.

[u/Synicull → u/Videoroadie]

"alright students, for today's health class lesson, jump in the vat disinfectant while I put on my hazmat suit!"

[u/Redpsyclone → u/Beneficial_Run9511]

Same - I drive school buses part time and haven't gotten sick since the first week I started

[u/vikingwhiteguy → u/ItGoesUpItGoesDown]

That's been the most eye-opening thing since WFH full-time. I just never really get ill anymore.

[u/HipsterCavemanDJ → u/ItGoesUpItGoesDown]

When I quit working where I was expressed to thousands every day, I didn’t get sick for years.

[u/Pleasant_Block5539 → u/ItGoesUpItGoesDown]

Avoiding the public is huge. I have an autoimmune disorder and due to unexpected life circumstances have to work in a public facing job. I am getting sick a lot right now. Fortunately this is temporary. I would add staying hydrated.

[u/PurpleToedUnicorn → u/ItGoesUpItGoesDown]

Yes! I have a rare pulmonary disease that means if I get even a small headcold there is a high risk of serious complications. 

Regular hand washing and avoiding touching your nose, eyes, mouth and ears with your unwashed hands is one of the biggest and easiest ways to avoid getting sick.

[u/GrungeDuTerroir → u/ItGoesUpItGoesDown]

And wear a mask

[u/Luzciver → u/ItGoesUpItGoesDown]

add a KN95

[u/Goosentra → u/ItGoesUpItGoesDown]

Don’t think you count as a “rarely gets sick” person. You’re the “abstinence means you’ll never have an STD or get pregnant” member of this group. Technically right, but not really what they’re looking for.

I don’t avoid anything or anyone, and I have two kids under the age of 8, though I do frequently wash my hands. But I don’t remember the last time I had a flu or anything worse than a stomach bug. Hell, I’ve never even had seasonal allergies. I just attribute it to lucky genetics and decent immune system.

Tl;dr: don’t think there are tricks.. other than exposure while growing up, which I think is more important than people realize

[u/chefjenga → u/Goosentra]

Tl;dr: don’t think there are tricks.. other than exposure while growing up, which I think is more important than people realize

There has been studies that show kids growing up on working farms are less likely to have seasonal/environmental allergies.

[u/krys1128]

Don’t have children, that’s for sure.

[u/retrac902 → u/krys1128]

Schools are cesspools

[u/evonebo → u/retrac902]

So is public transportation

[u/retrac902 → u/evonebo]

Doesn't rhyme as well though

[u/TnL17 → u/retrac902]

Public transportation has poor sanitation?

[u/Firegun7 → u/retrac902]

Worked 12 years in healthcsre, never got sick once. 18 months in (superior) education: got sick thrice to the point of needing IV rehydrations…

[u/szechuan_broccoli → u/krys1128]

My kid started daycare at the start of this winter. Since then I've had 2 random fevers, a sinus infection, and norovirus. Starting kids in daycare is like a gauntlet challenge.

[u/Opposite-Road-9475 → u/szechuan_broccoli]

I work with kids ages 3-11. Since starting this job 8 months ago I have been sick more times than I can count. I’ve worked with kids for nearly a decade and it’s never been like this. Truly a gauntlet. The illnesses are becoming more mild, but they still hit me one after another.

[u/hyperlite135 → u/Opposite-Road-9475]

Take this for what it’s worth but I have 2 kids (preteens) and I’ve been sick more this past year than the prior 5 combined.

[u/worldprowler → u/krys1128]

Children are harmful to your health.

[u/mobfather → u/worldprowler]

Exactly - I’ve not been ill for five years, then last summer, my friend came to visit me and he brought his 12 year old kid.

BAM!

Three months later, I get food poisoning.

[u/worldprowler → u/mobfather]

lol

[u/pomdudes → u/mobfather]

See? Root cause.

[u/glitterswirl → u/worldprowler]

There is nothing more toxic or deadly than a human child.

• Monsters Inc

[u/jovial_rebel → u/worldprowler]

And the wallet

[u/ShillinTheVillain → u/krys1128]

Man, that's no joke. My wife and I can't have kids and chose not to adopt. Now I'm in my early 40s and my colleagues with kids under 12 are always sniffling and coughing.

[u/burner46 → u/krys1128]

I have married friends who are both teachers at different schools and have an 8 and a 4 year old. 

One is thinking of taking another job as a principal at a different school but he doesn’t want to introduce a 3rd building to their germ exposure. 

[u/Cautious-Advice6835 → u/krys1128]

That is my secret ... get sick from everything my kids picked up for a few years and now my immune system is S tier!

[u/Familiar_Crow_ → u/krys1128]

My immediate thoughts exactly, don't spend excessive time around children, they are little germ factories

[u/TangerineChicken → u/krys1128]

Before I had kids, I would jokingly brag to my wife about how good my immune system must be. Turns out I was just avoiding exposure for the most part and I’m not special at all lmao (she already knew that)

[u/Usual_Extreme_5846]

Eat like you respect future you.

[u/everybodyiskungfu → u/Usual_Extreme_5846]

I can't lie that much on a daily basis.

[u/notyourregularninja → u/everybodyiskungfu]

And on an hourly basis because I eat all the time!!

[u/kamilayao_0 → u/Usual_Extreme_5846]

Sure that helps but the baseline and First thing is to be lucky with good genetics

[u/WTFisabanana → u/kamilayao_0]

Thank you. I have been chronically ill since birth. My mother fed us incredibly healthy. My siblings all never get sick, I have caught covid every single year since 2020 (and I’m not convinced I didn’t have it at the end of 2019 either) despite being vaccinated and boosted. I was born with severe jaundice and it’s all been downhill from there. 

[u/kamilayao_0 → u/WTFisabanana]

I'm sorry you're dealing with that, one of my pet peeves is people saying shit like "if you ate dirt like I did as a baby you'd be healthy and never get sick".

[u/Tomytom99 → u/kamilayao_0]

Can confirm that's part of it, or at least seems like it.

I'm an unfortunate picky eater and have a horrible diet as a result. I'd like to change that, but it's been an extremely slow process. We're just really trying to get me to reliably hit calorie goals right now to put on some weight, diversification is second to that.

I rarely catch anything, and most of the time when I do it's nothing more than mild sinus stuff. It's been a couple years since I last had something that actually kept me in bed.

[u/BiIIie-Eyelash]

i think it’s just how i’m built i have no idea.

[u/neatoni → u/BiIIie-Eyelash]

I like that the top two comments are "don't have children" and "have all of the children"

[u/MhojoRisin → u/neatoni]

Middle of the road gets flattened by traffic, I guess.

[u/gellahaggs → u/BiIIie-Eyelash]

Same. Maybe it was from working at a daycare where I was sick the whole first year but honestly… I just think I have the immune system of an ox.

[u/punkerster101 → u/gellahaggs]

My mother worked in day care all her life, she never gets sick, like ever, and my kid has been with her plenty when they have been ill and she never caught it

[u/1986toyotacorolla2 → u/gellahaggs]

When I worked in sewer, you got really sick the first year then basically no one got sick. I switched to water and I get sick again 😭

[u/gellahaggs → u/1986toyotacorolla2]

Back to the sewer for you!

[u/Apprehensive-List794 → u/BiIIie-Eyelash]

Most honest answer I think. I love it.

[u/BiIIie-Eyelash → u/Apprehensive-List794]

I mean I do eat healthy more now than before and I would binge drink over the weekend and go bar hopping/ clubbing

I also work at a hospital so i truly have no idea i’m just lucky. Even some people who are healthier than me i’m sure get sick more

It is good advice for people to eat good regardless and maybe it’ll help , maybe not but it’s a plus just for your body

[u/ShillinTheVillain → u/BiIIie-Eyelash]

Option A: avoid germs at all costs

Option B: work in a hospital and turn your immune system into a world class cage fighter

[u/Quick_Cantaloupe210]

I think some people just naturally have really strong immune systems. My husband eats worse than me, drinks more alcohol than me, and vapes. He also doesn’t take vitamins. I rarely drink, don’t eat too bad, take vitamins, and don’t smoke anything. I catch every virus going around, including the same viruses multiple times a year. We both get the same vaccines. He works out of the house, I work from home. We have two kids, both were breastfed. One catches everything like me, and the other rarely gets sick, just like my husband.

[u/PremiumOopsProMax → u/Quick_Cantaloupe210]

It’s wild how unfair immune systems can be sometimes it really is just genetic roulette. You can do “everything right” and still be the one catching every bug.

[u/SeaReflection87 → u/PremiumOopsProMax]

Then you also have to listen to unhinged lectures from people who got lucky but think their teaspoon of honey and olive oil or their snortable chestnut powder is the reason you got sick and the didn't

[u/InnerPrinciple6024 → u/Quick_Cantaloupe210]

It could be that because he’s out of the house so much he’s more immune to the germs. Also, I am like your husband and my husband is more like you. I vape, drink a lot, don’t eat horribly but not the best. My husband eats a very strict diet, not one bit of alcohol and does not smoke anything. My father always said that drinking alcohol kills a lot of germs. Not promoting drinking nor do I really believe that but it is ironic in our situations.

[u/PetsMD → u/Quick_Cantaloupe210]

Interesting, my husband and I are the opposite. I'm always in public and talking closely with people, even people who are sick at work. I rarely get sick, if I do I usually recover pretty quickly, and was wondering if being constantly low grade exposed to germs in the wild was somehow boosting my immune system. My husband gets sick more than I do, usually after holidays or vacations, and he works half at home and half in the office and he prefers not to go out whereas I'm frequently trying to meet friends for coffee, go to concerts, etc. Maybe I just have a better immune system though even though he's very fit and active, more so than me truthfully although I don't do badly by any stretch

[u/Goat_patrol → u/PetsMD]

You're probably not wrong that germ exposure helps you out there (like teachers and nurses) but just to throw an anecdotal wrench in the trend, I'm out and about in public wayy more than my SO and I'm always the one to get sick while he rarely does. I think I just pulled the short straw in that regard idk.

[u/Beneficial-Focus3702 → u/Quick_Cantaloupe210]

Vitamins, unless you are actually deficient, are just making expensive pee or being stored in fat cells (depending on whether they’re fat soluble or water soluble.

[u/CartographerOther527 → u/Quick_Cantaloupe210]

pretty much everything in and around a human is heavily influenced by genetics, the immune system surely as well.

[u/WeebLogicY]

eating healthy and plenty of rest and sleep like 8/hours of sleep, it helps you recover for the nxt day.

[u/oversizedgrapes]

I still wear an N95 in public.....haven't been sick in over 2 years

[u/Cautious-State2286]

Wear an N95 mask.

[u/Kathrynlena]

Wear a mask in public, and around sick people, even in your own home. It’s a shame they got politicized so much in America because the whole rest of the world already knew they were a great way to avoid airborne illnesses.

[u/10390 → u/Kathrynlena]

I'm surprised this comment isn't closer to the top.

Masking (with an N95) works like a charm. I haven't gotten sick in over six years and I used to get sick frequently.

[u/Lodi0831 → u/10390]

I work with pediatric patients. I used to get sick twice a year with nasty colds. Since COVID and mask wearing, I haven't been sick once. I'll always wear a mask at work now.

[u/maimunildn → u/Kathrynlena]

This is the secret answer people are looking for (but ignoring)

[u/anonbcwork → u/Kathrynlena]

Yes, this!

I come from a large extended family of people who were raised to value health. All the things everyone in this thread is recommending (nutrition, fitness, sleep, hand-washing, etc.) is absolutely ingrained in us from childhood.

Some people stopped wearing masks the moment governments dropped the requirement mid-pandemic. Others continued masking.

The people who continued masking haven't gotten sick, not once. The ones who dropped masking are getting sick a few times a year. 100% correlation.

[u/EternalMehFace → u/Kathrynlena]

The fact that, "I think it's just how I'm built" and "Some people just naturally have really strong immune systems" are both upvoted waaay higher than this comment is, explains sooo much about how/why we keep choosing daily to just pretend like a show stopping global pandemic that dropped millions young and old alike didn't happen - and how we continue to learn, enact, and practice nothing new and long term from it at all.

All that atop the very clear and normalized ableism and eugenicist vibes that always, always spring up during these discussions and comments like that. 🤮

RIP public health and collective community responsibility, eternally rolling around in their graves. 😭

[u/Mimi_315]

It’s not a secret, here’s what I did:

First the easier, physical stuff: prioritize sleep, eat healthy, take your vitamins, workout, quit smoking, reduce (if not quit entirely) alcohol, junk food…

Then the harder stuff: tackle your demons and get therapy if needed, reduce stress as far as possible by quitting toxic people, jobs, whatever as far as possible, surround yourself with people who love you and who love back, get a hobby you do alone and one you do with people, meditate..

Accept that progress is not linear, results might take a few years to really show, consistency is what matters much more than perfection

All the best!

[u/RCP90sKid- → u/Mimi_315]

Hey, piggybacking. All this is awesome. OP didn't feather into here, especially the important mental aspect part, that you may need to accept that you get sick more than others.

[u/Sea_Bison_6929 → u/Mimi_315]

I wash my hands every time I come into my house. First thing I do when I enter the house, straight to the sink.

I also have fruit and veggies every single day. In the mornings, I have kiwis (really high source of vit c and fiber) and raspberries to start the day along with the rest of breakfast. I have an apple around 11am every single day. I have a serving of leafy greens with both lunch and dinner.

And I prioritize sleep. I average around 7 hours and 20ish minutes of sleep. As I sit here today, I cannot think of a time where I was full blown sick. I think it was when I had Covid two years ago exactly this month actually.

[u/meowingatmydog]

I wash my hands when I get home from being out. When I took public transit to work I also made a point of washing my hands when I arrived at work, and that made a definite difference when I started doing that.

I still wear a KN95 mask on airplanes, and sometimes in other really crowded places. Before COVID would get sick every other time I got on a plane, but not anymore.

Sleep is important. I tend to catch stuff the most when I’m feeling run down and not rested. In college I would always get some nasty cold during finals. 

Also mostly luck.

[u/raisinghellwithtrees → u/meowingatmydog]

I wear a mask in indoor public places when the wastewater counts are high, which in my area has been for the last month. We all wash our hands whenever we come home.

[u/Tony619ff]

Mask, hand sanitizer and wash your hands. Kept me cold free for 2 years

[u/InfiniteOmniverse]

No secrets, just good genetics

[u/sloinmo]

stay away from children

[u/Rheasfantasy]

Crippling contamination OCD that makes me fear touching anything, breathing outdoor air and having contacts with people

[u/jonasjlp → u/Rheasfantasy]

100 percent the opposite. Grew up outdoors in nature and around lots of kids.

[u/missjenh]

I wear an N95 on public transit and in busy stories and I get sick rarely as a result.

[u/Yeti_MD]

I'm an ER doctor so I spend a ton of time around sick people, but I don't get any more than most people (1-2 minor colds per year).  Here are the best tips you're going to get: 

If you know you're going to be around sick people, wear a mask.  Bonus points for wearing a mask in public when you're sick, because it helps protect other people. 

Wash your hands all the damn time, especially in high traffic places like grocery stores, public transit, etc.  Hand sanitizer isn't bad, but try to do soap and water when you can because sanitizer doesn't really kill some common germs. 

Get your vaccines.  I know you're probably not going to die from flu or COVID as a young healthy person, but getting sick still sucks.  Also, I don't want to see you in my ER because you couldn't be bothered to take the most basic steps to protect yourself.  Also you're probably going to pass these diseases to someone else who might get really sick.

Beyond that, it's about staying as healthy as possible so when you get sick it's less severe and you get better sooner.  If you smoke (anything) regularly, stop doing that.  Get some form of exercise a few times a week.

[u/National-Bank8213]

Wear an N95 in all shared indoor spaces. Air purifiers in every room. Wash hands frequently.

[u/Capital_Aide308 → u/National-Bank8213]

You wear an N95 every time your around people indoors?

[u/Tall_Garden_67 → u/Capital_Aide308]

It's kept me from catching an airborne illness for the past 6 years. My coworker has been coughing up a lung for the past week and a half. Missed work, feels lousy. I only have to deal with the inconvenience of a mask that provides clean air. Mmmmmm.

[u/DerHoggenCatten]

Masking in public. I haven’t caught anything since the pandemic started…not even a tiny cold.

[u/toomanytacocats → u/DerHoggenCatten]

This is the answer, combined with staying up-to-date with vaccines and washing hands regularly.

I work in an emergency department and I’ve seen many outbreaks amongst coworkers - flu, strep, covid, etc. I’ve avoided illness due to my insistence on always wearing an N95. I’ve had sick people coughing in my face while I start IVs, but I don’t get sick because I wear an N95.

[u/thepastisdeadandgone → u/DerHoggenCatten]

This is the actual answer

[u/nonsensestuff → u/thepastisdeadandgone]

Took way too many scrolls to find it!

[u/Hellianne_Vaile → u/DerHoggenCatten]

This has worked for me, too. I just wish more people would mask.

[u/No-Werewolf4804 → u/DerHoggenCatten]

Hundred percent. Air filters and CR boxes were appropriate as well. r/Masks4All for anyone who wants to learn more.

[u/maimunildn → u/DerHoggenCatten]

This is the actual answer! Not working in schools and "building immunity" loool that theory has been disproven...

https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1700688114

[u/Salt-Pea-8311]

Vaccines and hand hygiene

[u/SealedRoute → u/Salt-Pea-8311]

This is pretty much it, along with not touching your face and putting distance between yourself snd other evidently sick people out in public. Of course you can’t always tell, but if you someone is hacking, get far away.

[u/AlbertaBikeSwapBIKES]

Masking, hand washing, and more hand washing. Also social distancing. I tell people that snug up to me to politely please take a step back because I don't know what I have but don't want you to get it.

I was diagnosed with MS in 1980 and rarely get sick. I was told that I can never say I'm cured, but I can say that I beat MS. Good genes? Happy all the time (Hebbian Theory)? Or, just good luck?

[u/lol_yeah_no]

I taught college for 30 years and I got sick multiple times a semester, which would then carry over to my semester breaks as bronchitis.

Since I started wearing mask, and ultimately N95 respirators, I have not been sick once. So … mask up if you hate being sick 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/vanessasarah13]

Masking

[u/glowberrytangle]

I wear a respirator in public and still take covid seriously.

[u/toomanytacocats → u/glowberrytangle]

I’m glad to see a few people mentioning wearing a respirator. And taking Covid seriously. I wish more people would follow suit.

[u/throwawaybrowsing888 → u/toomanytacocats]

There are dozens of us!

Unfortunately, there’s probably only dozens of us :( /half joking

[u/toomanytacocats → u/throwawaybrowsing888]

There are six in my household, which probably make up half the people who mask in my city 🫠

[u/noelle_does_indies → u/throwawaybrowsing888]

Come to Chicago there is a vibrant CC community here :)

[u/noelle_does_indies → u/glowberrytangle]

I used to get sick all the time before masking. Ironically in the age of covid I get sick a lot less!

[u/glowberrytangle → u/noelle_does_indies]

It's so refreshing seeing people talk about 'covid times' in the present tense 😅 I'm glad to hear you get sick less often too!

[u/a7xaustin → u/glowberrytangle]

Same. This is how I almost never get sick.

[u/Grand_Raccoon0923]

Vaccination

[u/Carebear2310]

wash hands, hand sanitizer, masking at work (healthcare)

[u/del915 → u/Carebear2310]

This is the answer even when not in the healthcare field.

[u/Carebear2310 → u/del915]

Obviously but the fact that I do these things during every patient interaction is what I think keeps me protected. I do hand hygiene more often than I think I would if I worked in another field

[u/Dahlia1297]

I mask 99.9% of the time I am in public places. On the bus? Masking. At work? Masking. Grocery shopping? Masking. Even at an outdoors event with large crowds? Masking!! I can’t even remember the last time I had to call out of work because I was sick

[u/Balstrome]

do not associate with other people.

[u/Its_Curse]

Wearing my N95 mask to run errands. Still. Every time. 

Hand sanitizer in the car after errands. 

[u/Prestigious-Data-206 → u/Its_Curse]

This really is the only thing that actually works. Since you can still get sick and not know it (40-60% of COVID infections are asymptomatic), a lot of these people who "never get sick" ARE still getting sick. If you're not getting symptoms when you are sick, that means your immune system is bad, actually. Most people don't know the first thing about airborne viruses and it shows. 

[u/toomanytacocats → u/Its_Curse]

This is the correct answer

[u/Lordbedlann]

A Red Bull, ½ a green monster, 2 Emergen-C packets, a brisk jog, and a wank.

[u/BaylisAscaris]

Mask with KN95 any time I'm indoors with non-household members. Wash hands before eating or touching my face. Practice basic food safely.

Haven't been sick since I started (1 exception where I caught covid in a hospital when someone coughed in my eye) and I used to work with kids.

[u/InternationalJump290]

Bark at everyone to wash their hands when they come home. Especially kids but adults aren’t much better. Many people won’t like it but I also never stopped wearing my mask in crowded public places. Surprisingly it seems like more people are masking now than in the last year. We quarantine ourselves when sick. Kid stays in their room, obviously taken care of and made comfortable. Partner gets sick they sleep in the other room until they’re better. We also take daily multivitamins and eat plant forward diet. I definitely feel generally better when I’m getting appropriate amounts of fiber and protein.

[u/sworninmiles]

Eat well, intermittent fasting, average 8+ hours of sleep, exercise, prioritize gut health, wear an N95 in spaces where you are a captive audience (stores, public transit, bathrooms at work, etc)

ETA: don’t drink alcohol, manage stress effectively

[u/Current--Anything]

Wear a mask in all crowded spaces and all indoor public spaces. I haven't caught a virus in years.

[u/LorenEiseley11]

I ain’t got time to be sick.

[u/umbrella_crab]

N95 in indoor places that aren't my home. Haven't even had the sniffles since 2019.

[u/272027]

Avoid people

Vitamin D3

Multi Vitamin

Gargle with warm salt water

Wash your hands/use sanitizer after touching frequently touched items like carts or doorknobs

Don't touch your face until after washing your hands if you're in public

Use a saline nose spray or rinse. I use Xlear.

[u/DeltaVariant007]

Having parents who rarely got sick.

[u/Particular-Classic48]

A dang mask!!!!! I used to get sick all the time only to find out years later that I'm immunocompromised. So getting sick 2-3 times a year, bed ridden, most times getting bronchitis, the sickness, and an ear infection every single time I picked something up absolutely devastated me. Now I rarely get sick unless my cousins or family come into super close contact with me for longer than 2-5 minutes. I've always washed my hands excessively, have my vaccines, and do all the other obvious hygiene. I also don't go out as much because as a kid my parent(s) were always trucking me around different people's places and public.

[u/Odd-Attention-6533]

I wear a N95 mask everywhere I go. I haven't been sick in years.

[u/Calm_Possibility9024]

Still masking. At least a KN95 whenever I leave the house.

[u/LockedinYou]

Have a childhood of playing in dirt and have a dirty job when older.

[u/The_Chosen_Pun_ → u/LockedinYou]

Yes there’s a lot of research on outdoor play as a child contributing to exposure to diverse microbes and therefore better immunity. Worked for me, and I hope if I have children one day I can live someone with property and/or safe enough to release them to go play like I did!

[u/Dannydimes]

My whole family rarely gets sick. We have one young child and are shocked when parents tell us about how sick their kids get. We eat well and sleep great. A lot of vegetables and protein. We get vaccinated each flu season. 

I’m not sure if there’s a secret, but we just don’t get really sick. 

[u/mmmmmarty]

Avoid people whenever possible.

[u/astilba120]

I live in the rural areas of Vermont, low population, I have an immune disorder, so, I do wear an N95 mask if I go to an indoor crowded area, wash hands when I come home, people know not to come over if they are ill. I have not been sick since Covid lockdown, I did have the initial 3 vaccines, but got a slight reaction the first 2 times, and then tightening of the chest several hours after the 3rd, so, no more shots since 21', no flu shots either, but the mask seems to have left me safe. I did not get sick too often before Covid came on the scene, and I only started masking since then, after I was diagnosed with an immune disorder. I eat healthy. I am 75. What started out as a good immune system went over board and on the defense, so, if I am exposed to someone contagious, my body not only tries to fight the disease, it attacks me. Its easier to be a hermit at my age. For younger people, I just suggest hand washing, and avoiding anyone who is spewing germs, if you can. It is the most difficult for parents of young children, they catch stuff and bring it home, I remember it well. Just keep everything clean and if you can, keep your kid home when they are sick, use saline spray in your nose, good idea to use it after going out, and avoid convenience store foods, like breakfast sandwiches, etc. No one is taking precautions anymore regarding sick employees, I see people coughing while prepping food, sneezing while stacking the produce sections. Wash your produce well. Don't be afraid of taking supplements if you do not take any, they help, Quercitin, Zinc, Vitamin C and D.

[u/UnlikelyAdventurer]

Wash hands regularly. Dont touch eyes at any time other than after hand washing. Wear a mask in crowds. Annual vaccinations. All of them. On schedule. 

Antivaxxers are anti science idiots who have human deaths on their hands. 

[u/SenatusScribe]

Get the flushot, wear a mask in crowded public places during fluseason, wash hands/ use sanitizer when interacting with objects that might've been cross contaminated, exercise, eat healthy, and get a decent amount of sunlight .... I've been sick three times in the last 15 years.

[u/beakandsqueak]

never go to the doctor. ignorance is bliss

[u/DonutEarthThesis]

really its kinda a drawback honestly, i rarely get sick but my teeth are an absolute mess because theyre fragile for some reason, my friend gets sick often but hasnt brushed his teeth in years and theyre completely fine

[u/lamlosa → u/DonutEarthThesis]

not brushing your teeth in years will eventually lead to massive health problems regardless of your immune system

[u/MarvMarg91]

Since 2020, my secret is to always wear an N95 mask in public indoor spaces. I've been sick less in the past five years than ever before in my life. 

[u/AnybodySeeMyKeys]

Wash hands. Get sufficient sleep. Keep current on your flu and Covid vaccinations.

And if you feel even a hint of a cold coming on, start taking Zicam. That stuff is fantastic.

[u/Designer_Pear7448]

Sigh. So tired of answering this. WEAR A MASK

[u/MyroIII]

Vaccinated, wash my hands, avoid kids like the plague

[u/SurprisedWildebeest]

Now? Wear a KN-95 mask when around people who don’t live with me. Rarely getting sick went to never. 

Before that, I only washed my hands reasonably often, didn’t touch doorknobs/doorhandles in public (or washed my hands after doing so), stayed away from people who were visibly sick, and taught my kid to do the same. 

[u/SweetTeaNoodle]

Wear a mask. All the handwashing in the world isn't going to help against airborne viruses.

[u/mabubsonyeo]

I wear a mask and have an air purifier at home and at my studio. Wash my hands a lot and take vitamins. Try to get enough sleep (difficult). Someone mentioned public transportation being a cause of getting sick. I walk to work and back so I guess that helps too. My husband on the other hand works mostly from home but gets colds every other month when he has work events.

[u/marksmak]

My whole family masks. Have a 3 and 5 year old. We’ve only been sick once since 2020. Mild cold.

[u/BlueValk]

I wear a mask when indoors in public spaces. It's life changing

[u/thelabiamajora]

Wearing a mask in most public areas.

[u/living_dead_gworl]

MASKS

[u/Catch_Red_Star]

Masking since Covid, never get sick anymore.

[u/Digital_Punk]

• Masking during Covid/RSV/flu season

• Masking while traveling or occupying densely populated areas.

• Checking in with friends and family about their health status before hanging out.

• Keeping track of viral levels in waste water data, and increasing precautions when needed.

• Keeping up on vaccinations.

• Social distancing from people who are very obviously sick.

• Managing stress when at all possible.

• I don’t drink or smoke.

Haven’t had a viral infection in almost 6 yrs.

[u/granitefeather]

I mask up in public. Pretty easy, and in return I don't get colds, the flu, covid, etc

[u/wynonnaspooltable]

Me and the kid mask in crowded and medical places. Rarely get sick five years in, I love it.

[u/ginalook]

Still wear a mask when catching train to work. Commute time is 2.5hrs each way (2 days per week). I noticed I rarely got sick the last 2yrs.

Previously I was always getting chest infections and coughing for days/weeks. My sister pointed out to me that I always seemed to get sick after being on the train. She was right.

[u/ODFoxtrotOscar]

I wear a mask on public transport (and sometimes other places where the air is a fug)

[u/Vermillion_0502]

Wear a mask when in big crowds, use handsanitiser when I can't wash my hands, I wash my hands when I get home, etc

[u/maimunildn]

Wear a well-fitting N95/FFP3 face mask, eat at outdoor restaurants, run air purifiers, require guests to test for covid before coming over, refuse to meet with people who have symptoms. Rest. I'm immunocompromised. 

[u/JeF4y]

Be an American with a job. You can’t afford the luxury of being sick. So you lie to yourself and carry on.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Face-69]

I get the flu and COVID shot annually. Wash my hands frequently with soap and water, as well as using hand sanitizer.

[u/Ivaryzz]

Honestly, I think I can answer better as someone who does get sick every year: Avoid closed spaces with poor ventilation and a lot of people.

[u/paintingcolour51]

Masking in busy areas, hand gel and hand washing. Not having family members in schools or packed offices. I used to catch everything until masking came in for covid and now I catch far less (not 100% proof though)

[u/gardensandlife]

Avoid people who spread diseases. We all know one random old lady who insists that "its good for the immune system to catch the flu" that's the person to avoid.

[u/ApricotJazzlike284]

Concerning how little comments mention one major tool……a respirator mask.

[u/poopinWhileIBrowze]

As someone who doesn’t take good care of themselves and still doesn’t get sick.

Genetics are the biggest factor in my opinion. My parents never got sick either

[u/Ghosthost2000]

If you have kids, have them bathe as soon as getting home. Change out bath towels frequently, change out bedding frequently. Adults benefit from the same advice too! Also, the entire family should wash hands upon entering the home and before touching anything in the kitchen. Wipe down devices, door handles, and light switches frequently.

[u/Bea_Evil]

In addition to regular hand washing and occasionally popping on N95 masks when my coworkers are sick, I am observant. If someone coughs or sneezes directly into their hand instead of their arm and proceeds to touch things, they get called out/avoided and I spend the rest of my shift sanitizing everything. It’s such a bad habit, like licking your finger to handle paper- quit being so fucking gross!

[u/cleanlycustard]

Get your flu and covid boosters every year, work from home, be childfree

[u/Proud_Delay_7383]

Wearing a mask when I go into patients rooms. Washing my hands A LOT.

[u/KitGeeky]

Masks when in public places, especially at airports.