The change of seasons and holiday excitement brings so many good things, but unfortunately, that also means the beginning of cold and flu season.
By keeping in mind all of the ways to prevent these illnesses, we can protect our families and better enjoy the winter seasons and all they have to offer.
Healthy Habits Make Healthy Families
1. Everyone must wash their hands regularly and properly. It’s a great chance to practice singing the “ABC’s” or “Happy Birthday”.
2. Talk to your kids about germs and how to avoid them. Teach your kids to cover their mouths with elbow when coughing and noses when sneezing, and to keep their hands away from their eyes, nose and mouth.
3. Get plenty of exercise. We all miss our outside time during the winter months but we can still be active inside. Dance together, play tag or relay games and hide and seek. You can even make a game out of sorting laundry and quickly putting it away. Do anything that gets everyone moving! Plan outings to fun places like Backyard Adventures or Monkey Joes and burn off that energy.
4. Get plenty of sleep. Try to maintain regular sleep and nap schedules despite the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
5. Focus on Nutrition: Feed your family healthy foods rich in vitamins and nutrients including immune-boosting foods such as fish, citrus fruits, and leafy vegetables. Avoid processed foods and sugar.
6. Drink plenty of water. Avoid sugary juices and soft-drinks.
7. Watch your children closely for signs of sickness. Catching things early is always the next best thing to prevention.
8. When bugs DO strike, tap into your Grandma’s advice: Rest, liquids and lots of love!
9. Do what is right for your family: A mom’s day is busy enough without someone in the family getting sick, but when it happens, we all need to do what is best for our own families.
10. Use your resources: We all have our motherly instinct that will help guide us. We must consult with the amazing resources around us: We call our Moms. We ask wise family members, our friends, search the internet, books, health providers, etc., but above all, we need to use our gut. After all, we know our children inside and out and we usually know what is best for them.
When in doubt, use your online resources like Dr. Sears or WebMD, and/or consult your family’s health provider, chiropractor, etc.
The flu bug hit our house last night, so this is a timely topic for us. Our first line of defense in both preventing and dealing with illness is regular chiropractic care. Making healthier food choices also makes a big difference for our family. I’m looking forward to this series!