Tis the season- so of course we all look forward to the holidays this time of year but what we also know (and dread) what is coming is the flu/ cold season. Unfortunately, this has struck our household this week and its been NO JOKE!! I wish I would have prepared better beforehand- but hey, onward and upward. I want to share with you my top tips on how to AVOID getting sick this holiday season but ALSO what you can do to expedite your sickness if you (or a family member) happens to catch something this season.

Tips on how to AVOID getting sick:

• Make sure to get your Vitamin D: If you’re like me and live in sunny FL than this isn’t too much of an issue this time of year. However, if you live practically anywhere else in the county you can count on the fact that it is probably freezing in December. If you can’t get outside to soak in some Vitamin D for at least 15 minutes- make sure you are taking a Vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D can help your body fight off a cold- so either soak up that sun or take your daily dose of sunshine.
• Avoid touching your nose and eyes: This is hard (especially for little ones) but the more you are touching your nose and eyes the more likely (41% more likely) you are to catch something this winter. To help keep your hands clean- carry some hand sanitizer or make sure you are washing your hands (as well as your little ones) anytime they finish playing at a park/ zoo/ outdoors/ with a friend/ etc.
• Eat Greek Yogurt: By having one serving a day of greek yogurt this can help to reduce your risk of catching the cold or flu virus. The probiotics in the greek yogurt helps protect your body against the bug.
• Sip some green tea. Instead of reaching for that cup of joe in the morning, try sipping on some green tea. Green tea has a magic ingredient (EGCG) that can damage the flu virus particles and stop them from entering your system. Pretty crazy stuff but its totally worth drinking to help ward off the flu!
• Soak in an epsom salt bath (at least) twice a week: This stuff is magic! If you’ve seen my IG stories lately, you’ve seen that I’ve been “treating myself” to epsom salt baths this week in the wake of getting sick. The benefits of soaking in an epsom salt bath (for both mom and baby) are great! Instead of listing all the benefits I’ll just leave this little article blub here from epsomsaltcouncil.org for you to read:

• Keep moving: That’s right, keep your workout routine going! It proven that by continuing to workout you can cut the odds of catching a cold/ flu by 27%. Working out turns on your immune system response and helps your body to fight off the virus. So keep that workout going!
• Stock up on ginger: Ginger shots, ginger tea, ginger errrything! Ginger helps to not just fight off a virus but may help to even ward off the ability for the virus to replicate.
• Get plenty of rest: When your body has enough rest it allows it to fight off anything going on in the body plus help your body’s immune response. Get in bed early, turn off all electronics and get a good night’s rest.

So now that we covered what you can do to help AVOID getting sick, let’s cover the basics of what you can do if you do get sick and how to get over that cold faster!

• Essential oils are ESSENTIAL: No I do not sell essential oils but I believe these babies were so key in helping me to fight off being sick. If you want to know which ones I took specifically I can tell you if you want to shoot me a DM (I’m not here to sell or pitch anything) but I used essential oil diffusers, cough drops and little pills to help expedite the process of getting sick.
• REST: Just like above, I want you to rest, rest, rest. There is nothing that can cure the body like REST can. Make sure to give your body what it needs to help recover sooner than later.
• Steam shower: Putting some lavender or eucalyptus in the shower and letting baby or breathe in the oils is a great way to help with clogged noises. I did this for Jakey in his shower and closed the door to let the bathroom get all fogged up and steamy so he could breathe in all the steam before bed time.
• Drink lots and lots of liquids: From water, to chicken noodle (matzoh ball) soup, coconut water and tea- you want to make sure you’re staying super hydrated to flush your body of all those nasty toxins!
• Homeopathic remedies: I’m a huge fan of anything homeopathic. There are lots and lots of products on the market (esp whole foods) where you can spend lots of time and money on these products. Some of the ones I love and that are my go-to’s are: Elderberry, Umcka Cold Care, Vitamin C, Echinecha, Bee Propolis Throat Spray by Beekeeper’s Naturals and an essential oil on guard oil/ wellness line.

I hope this list helps you if you are 1. feeling like you are coming down with somethign and can avoid it 2. helps you recover faster and get back into the holiday season with family.

If you have anything to add to this list, leave me a comment below or send me a DM in IG and let’s connect!!

To health, wealth and happiness this season AND ALL YEAR ROUND!!!