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Last year was our year. The year we just couldn't get healthy during cold and flu season. I swear we had everything you could possibly get from December through March. This year has been a different story. Granted, we are all doomed to have a (pardon my French) winter from hell so these methods may or may not work for everyone. However, I have found them helpful this year and I also have peace of mind. Here are my top ways to keep your family as healthy as possible this winter.

1. Nasal Spray

I read an article a couple of years ago about using a nasal spray before traveling on an airplane. The dryness from the cabin can wreak havoc on your sinuses and a nasal spray can keep the moisture in your nose. The same holds true during winter months. The excess amount of time spent indoors can cause your nasal passage to dry out and crack, making you more susceptible to bacterial infections. Be sure to read your labels before purchasing a nasal spray. Many over the counter saline solutions have an added preservative to keep bacteria from growing in them. The trouble appears to be with the most common preservative, benzalkonium chloride, which can kill off important cells found in the nose. The brand I use is XLEAR and for my kids, Naturade. You can use a few times a day, but I find before bed does the trick.

2. Wash Your Hands

This seems pretty common sense, however I have seen recent articles about hand washing not being affective. I, on the other hand (haha) completely disagree. Since we are not often in an area with soap and water I always carry a hand sanitizer in my bag. My favorite is The Honest Company hand sanitizer spray. It is a safer alternative and is free from parabens, triclosan, synthetic fragrance, and benzalkonium chloride which is a known skin irritant. It ranks a 1 on the EWG Healthy Living App. Make sure to download this incredible resource to check the toxicity of your personal care products.

3. Vitamins

I am a firm believer in taking a daily multivitamin. I take one every day and so do my kids. It should not act as a replacement for any nutrition you get from eating a healthy and balanced diet, but instead help with nutritional shortfalls, especially during cold and flu season. My favorite brand for both myself and kids is Garden of Life. The kids organic line of gummies is packed full of real fruits and vegetables, and steers clear of processed sugars and syrups, artificial colors and flavorings, animal products, and GMOs. I also boost the girls Vitamin C intake during the winter with an additional Vitamin C gummy, UCUBES is the brand we use.

4. Essential Oils

Essetail oils have a ton of health benefits and can help plague common illnesses before resorting to less holistic measures. I love to diffuse a blend of oils during the winter, especially at night to help clear any congestion. There are many great essential oil companies and many to be more cautious of. I personally recommend Young Living and Rocky Mountain. Young Living also makes a Kidscents Sniffleease that I recently tested out and love! It is already diluted and you can diffuse or put a roller top on and roll onto kids chests before bed to help clear congestion. Both of my girls loved this!

5. Humidifier

Again, the cold dry air of winter months can cause a lot of problems. A humidifier adds moisture to the air and can prevent the movement of germs. I run humidifiers in the bedrooms at night to help breathing and congestion, and it is good for your skin. Make sure to clean your humidifier weekly to prevent any mold build up. I empty the basin every night and use vinegar to clean weekly. You can find great tutorials online showing you the best way to clean your humidifier.

6. Raw Manuka Honey

I could do an entire blog post on the benefits of Manuka Honey. It has incredible health benefits and is worth every penny at almost $45 a jar. Manuka honey is very expensive because of its medicinal value. It can boost your immunity as well as help fight the common cold and flu. Try taking a teaspoon of Manuka Honey 1-2 times per day as a boost to your immune system. I also love adding a spoonful to tea every night. You can also sip a teaspoon of manuka honey to help with a cough. Try taking about 15 minutes to sip a spoonful, it will soothe your throat and help decrease irritation. Manuka honey is also great for kids. The brand I recommend is Wedderspoon. I usually buy KFactor16. The higher the KFactor the higher the percentage of manuka pollen grains. This will also effect the price of your honey. I recommend a KFactor of at least 10.

7. Elderberry Syrup

My husband swears by Elderberry! Elderberries are an incredible source of vitamins A and C, which are beneficial in helping the body stay healthy. Elderberry syrup also contains bioflavonoid which boost the body's immune system by increasing antioxidant levels. Try taking 1-2 teaspoons daily. Our favorite company is a local Vermont father-daughter duo called Earth Soothers. Our favorite is cinnamon and the girls LOVE it too!

Here is a link to their website: Earth Soothers

8. A Cup of Tea

There is something very comforting about drinking a cup of tea during the winter months. We drink tea almost every evening as soon as the weather gets cool. Tea is another great source of antioxidants. I have been brewing the Yogi Echinacea Immune Support which contains black elderberry exact and mullein – herbs traditionally used to support respiratory function. It also contains peppermint, lemongrass and licorice to boost your immune system.

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