20 people who haven't been sick in a long time share their secrets to keeping healthy

Staying healthy and dodging illness is a goal many of us strive for, but it can feel impossible with constant exposure to germs and viruses. Some people, however, seem to have a secret recipe for avoiding sickness—whether it’s a strong immune system, a healthy lifestyle, or just plain good luck. So when Reddit user u/Rqpidily asked, "People who rarely get sick, what are your secrets?" Redditors had a lot to say.

The question sparked a lively discussion, as people shared some lesser-known and well-known factors at play that contribute to them rarely getting sick. Some individuals also shared that they have a stronger connection between their mental and physical well-being, utilizing practices like meditation or mindfulness to stay in peak condition. Here, we are sharing the top 20 responses from their personal experiences and tips on how they manage to stay healthy year-round. Their insights undoubtedly offer a fascinating glimpse into the diverse strategies they use to avoid illness and maintain their health.

1. Washing hands

"A little shy about admitting this, but I was terrible about washing my hands in high school and early college. I met a couple of people who set a better example for me, and I started washing my hands anytime they might be dirty. Well, the difference is night and day. That was about ten years ago, and I've barely gotten sick since. I used to think I had a crummy immune system. Turns out I was just kinda gross." -u/spandexandtapedecks

2. Staying away from children

"Stay away from children. You can sleep eight hours a night, eat as healthy as possible and stay perfectly hydrated at all times. But if you have any sea urchins around you, you're gonna get sick more often." -u/MonestDespot

3. Choose the right supplement

"I had always heard that multivitamins were a waste of money, but a few years ago, I decided to start taking one anyway for the hell of it. I was also a little bit low in my blood work in vitamin D, so I started taking a low-dose daily vitamin D supplement. It could be entirely coincidental, but ever since I started doing that, I get about 80% fewer illnesses. I used to get about five major colds per year. Now, it is surprising even if I get one. Also, I get an annual influenza vaccine and I've only caught influenza (and tested positive for it) once in about 25 years of being vaccinated." -u/Billionaires_R_Tasty

4. Wear a mask, maybe?

"Teacher here. I used to spend all of my sick and personal days on being sick each year. It was exhausting. It didn't matter how much I washed my hands, what grade level I taught, etc. I started wearing a mask during COVID mandates and it was the first year in my career I didn't get sick.  I wear a mask in my classroom every day now, and it's been four years since I've gotten sick from students. My quality of life has gone up substantially now that I don't have to spend weeks with a lingering cold every school year." -u/anasirooma

5. Drink water

"I'm a physician constantly exposed to sick people and my husband is a kinder teacher, always bringing home colds. I never get sick. I pretty much only drink water. I like coffee, but none of the sweet stuff. Americanos with a splash of cream. I don't drink or smoke. Frequent handwashing because of my job. I go to the gym at 5 am thrice a week. Another poster said Mexican genetics lol, I'm also Mexican. Maternal Grandpa died at 98 in his sleep, smoking like a chimney all the way to the end. Parents don't have any medical issues. Mom is 75 on zero meds." -u/dr-locapero-chingona

6. Avoiding "too much" sanitizer

"I'm considered obese. I don't get enough sleep. I don't eat particularly healthy. However, I hardly ever get sick. As a kid, I got one cold a year between April/May. I got the stomach flu once. As an adult, I don't even get a cold yearly. I only had COVID twice in four years and my symptoms were incredibly mild. I have no secrets except to wash your hands and avoid too much sanitizer." -u/kswan3

7. Sometimes it's genetics

"Yeah, sorry to all the people putting all this effort in, but it really does come down to genetics sometimes... I’m a similar description to this person and just rarely get sick. I never had COVID-19 and gastro (or the ‘stomach flu’ as I’ve seen it called down here somewhere). Sometimes, I get a head cold for a day or two, but I can usually clear it up pretty quickly. I usually take most of my five government-paid sick days randomly throughout the year when I decide I want a little bit more sleep or need to do some cleaning. I did take one earlier this year because I felt a cold starting and wanted to nip it early and not pass it on to my co-workers." -u/innocuous_username

8. Balance your germs

"I had to scroll way too far to find this! Washing hands is perfectly fine, but sanitizers are behind many of the superbugs out there. We need to be careful about being afraid to be sick. There’s a balance that needs to exist between animals and germs." -u/HottieMcHotHot

9. Genes and luck?

"Not sure, but I haven't been sick, even with a cold, since early 2015. I have not had COVID. I still mask on planes, trains and in crowded places, and I'm fully vaxed and boosted for everything, but masks don't explain 2015-2020. No smoking, no drinking, no chronic diseases, somewhat more active than my same-age peers, but not excessively so. I'm in my early seventies. I sleep really well, often getting in the 90s on my Fitbit sleep score. That probably helps quite a lot. So maybe genes and luck? I probably just cursed myself." -u/miz_mantis

10. Water, exercise and sleep

"Sleep, exercise, water and drink alcohol rarely. Don’t touch stuff in public places. Frequent hand washing. I will say I was sick much more frequently when my son was little, so don’t have kids, I guess? Lol." -u/_Ruby_Tuesday

11. Get yourself checked

"I have a chronic illness, so I really need to avoid being regularly sick. I still mask in some situations, like health care facilities or when I get a vibe and generally through the winter. I get really overheated in the summer or I would mask more. I mask when traveling. The mask goes on when I get out of the car at the airport and comes off when I get to the hotel. I am obsessive about washing or sanitizing my hands no matter what. I always have hand sanitizer, wipes, and soap in my bag. I have a big jug of sanitizer in my car and it's become a habit to sanitize my hands every time I get back into my car. I also work from home and am a bit of a hermit. I do a lot of grocery delivery or curbside pickup to make things easier on me, but that probably helps." -u/aburke626

12. Play a sport

"Eight hours sleep per day, no addiction such as cigarettes or alcohol drinks. Being optimistic and playing a sport. These are my tips. Hope they work with you guys, too!" -u/RaakelJolt

13. Manage stress

"Eat fairly healthy. Things like garlic, ginger and vitamin C are great at preventing illness. Take daily supplements (I do vitamin D, multivitamins, fish oil). Get enough sleep (I need 8-9 hours) and sleep regularly, going to sleep/waking up around the same time every day. Stay active (daily 30-minute walks are probably enough). Manage stress when possible." -u/Menzingerr

14. Masking

"I haven't gotten sick since Feb 2020, including COVID and it's likely due to masking. I still mask nowadays just because I hate getting sick. I know it's getting socially unacceptable to visibly try to prevent illness, but whatever, the results speak for themselves." -u/alexds1

15. Stay indoors

"I haven’t been sick since 2019. I still mask in small spaces and I only do outdoor events. I haven’t flown or traveled and rarely go into restaurants. It was a pretty drastic lifestyle change, but both my husband and I are immune compromised, live on a farm, and love being with our animals vs. people, so it works okay for us."  -u/originalgoatyoga

16. Eat your antioxidants

"Sleep, exercise and eat strong and antioxidant foods like garlic, chilly peppers, onion, kimchi, bone broth, organs, wasabi, tofu, natural yogurt, natto, put natural mustard on food, etc." -u/Lysks

17. Keep surroundings clean

"I had cancer 17 years ago and wore a mask to college and wiped down my desk with Lysol wipes at the beginning of every class. Me and my non-existent immune system did not get sick that year." -u/Slytherpuffy

18. Taking "Claritin"

"I take Claritin every day. I discovered years ago that most illnesses I developed started with nasal allergies, the snot and phlegm would invite a nasal or sinus infection and then a cold or flu. By using Claritin, I don't get horrible seasonal allergies and then subsequently stay healthy. I also avoid school-aged children." - u/StanYelnats3

19. Avoid fast food

"This may be common and not a secret anymore, but drinking lots of water every day really helps as well as a proper diet, avoid eating unhealthy foods, especially chips and fast foods." -u/Ok_Clothes376

20. Not buying anti-bacterial stuff

"Not using anti-bacterial crap and getting dirty. I garden a lot and my hands are always dirty. I don’t freak out about cleaning them before eating something for example. Just rinse them off. The human immune system learns from input." -u/005056