How to get sick less?

I recently moved to the city for work and noticed that I’m getting sick more often since then. I used to live in a small town, so I’m currently being exposed to many more environmental hazards as well as human beings. So, it makes sense that I would get sick more.

I’ve been getting the “common cold” symptoms as outline in your podcast with the same title.

I started to wear a mask every time I go out and also carry hand sanitizer with me and apply it whenever I come into contact with potentially contaminated stuff like strangers’ hands or things that those hands touched.

But I’m not seeing much of an improvement. I get sick at least once a month and I get a sore throat every now and then.

I went to see a doctor but he prescribed Strepsils and vitamin C. I’m not sure how these will help.

While hopelessly searching Youtube, I came across this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKhrhcrbJ0Y which talks about a bunch of dietary changes and supplements to boost the immune system. But I don’t know this guy or the methods he proposes, so I’m unable to determine the efficacy of the advice.

As for my diet, I eat balanced meals similar to Jordan with grains, fruits, vegetables, no red meat, high quality protein sources like chicken breast, fish, and eggs. I fail to see how this can be further improved.

The only solution I see is for me to quit my job and move back to the country but I can’t do that because then I’ll be jobless and unable to pay my rent.

Are there any variables you doctors would recommend I tweak?

We had a similar recent thread here: Unlucky or immunocompromised? - Medical Q/A with Drs. Feigenbaum & Baraki - Barbell Medicine Forum

I would also be pursuing a second physician opinion here, as there are other possibilities. For example, whether these are truly infections, or whether they could be relapsing/remitting symptoms related to an allergy, to an occupational exposure (e.g., hypersensitivity pneumonitis), to an autoimmune condition, or if they are recurrent infections – related to an acquired immunodeficiency, as mentioned in the linked thread. These are not necessarily the “most likely” possibilities, but they are things I would be thinking about in such a situation, rather than just giving someone lozenges.

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