It's that time of year - I log onto Facebook and all I see are posts about people being sick! Now, I'm no germaphobe, but we have a lot of holiday events going on and I don't want to miss out because we catch something. I hate being sick, and I especially hate when my kids or husband (man-flu, anyone?) aren't feeling their best. The past few years we've been pretty healthy over the winter months. I really think prevention is the best form of medicine, so I've partnered with Saranoni to share our tips for preventing the flu naturally this winter. Plus, I may even have a giveaway for you!
If you know me, you know I like to do most things holistically. This is true for preventing and treating illness especially! Now don't get me wrong, there's absolutely a place for modern medicine and we're lucky to live in a time where we have access to it. That being said, I still like to treat things naturally when possible. Even better, I like to prevent ever getting sick in the first place! Check out how we stay healthy over the germ-y winter months.
Tips for Preventing the Flu Naturally
Wash your hands. This probably seems like an obvious first step in preventing the flu, but sometimes it's the most obvious things that get overlooked! When it's flu-season here in Minnesota, I make sure my kids always wash their hands before we eat, even if it's just a snack. I also tell them to avoid touching their face if possible, to keep germs out of their mucous membranes.
Take elderberry syrup. If you haven't heard of elderberry syrup, stop what you're doing right now and check out my favorite recipe here. Filled with vitamins and antioxidants, elderberry syrup will give your immune system a boost to help prevent illness. I have purchased some before but now I prefer to make it myself. It's simple and tastes great so my kids take it without complaint!
Drink tea with raw honey and lemon. I try to start every morning with a cup of tea mixed with honey and lemon. Tea, raw honey, and lemon are powerful antioxidants and contain a huge amount of vitamins, too. We buy local raw honey which is also helpful for allergies in the spring!
Add garlic to EVERYTHING. I love garlic as it is, but in the winter I tend to throw fresh garlic into most of our meals. If we've been around sick people, I start chopping up cloves of garlic and eating them raw (I chop and then swallow them in a spoonful of honey)! Raw garlic is full of nutrients and antioxidants so if you don't mind the potent taste, there are definite benefits to consuming it.
Visit a chiropractor. Our whole family visits a chiropractor regularly. When our spines are aligned correctly, our immune system can function at its best! I like to see my chiropractor at least once a month and the kids go once every two months for maintenance.
Make your own bone broth. If you've never had fresh bone broth, you're missing out! We make our own bone broth throughout the year, but I tend to use more of it in the winter. It's full of nutrients and minerals, and gives the immune system a great boost. When I make a batch, I usually freeze some and take it out each week to use in recipes. I love to make homemade chicken noodle soup with our bone broth when it's cold out!
Get good rest. This one is probably the hardest for me. I'm a night owl, and I always get the most work done after my kids have gone to bed. However, they're up with the sun which means I need to really strive to get to sleep at a decent hour. Our bodies need to rest and reset overnight to keep our immune system functioning properly. For myself and my kids, I know that adequate rest is a necessity. During the day, I make sure we have at least an hour of rest time where we snuggle up in bed and read stories. Our four year old doesn't nap anymore but we do quiet time while her little brother sleeps. Recently nap time has gotten a million times more comfortable because we're cuddled up in our new lush blankets from Saranoni!
Saranoni Luxury Blankets
One of my favorite things in life is a high-quality, super-soft blanket. I love curling up (especially in these chilly winter months) to watch a show on Netflix or read a good book. I've always been a fan of bright colors, so when Saranoni sent me two of their gorgeous blankets we had to open them immediately.
Saranoni is a family-owned company and that was immediately clear when I opened our package. There was the sweetest handwritten note with our blankets, and I was so impressed with this personal touch. It reminded me how much I love to shop small and support family-owned businesses.
The blankets are gorgeous and it was LOVE as soon as I unwrapped them. I chose the Caribbean Blue Gray Lush Blanket for myself and the Lipstick Gray Lush Blanket for our daughter. Honestly I meant to keep the Lipstick Gray blanket as a Christmas gift for her, but she caught sight of it and immediately wrapped herself in it. Once that happened, I knew I wasn't getting it back!
Soon after, our son grabbed the Carribean Blue Gray blanket and I realized I was going to end up without a blanket for myself! Thankfully it's HUGE so I was able to cuddle up with him, no problem. Saranoni blankets range in size from the mini (perfect security-blanket size) to extra-large which is 60"x80". We LOVE how big our Caribbean Blue is, and you can literally feel the quality in the weight of the blanket. For our daughter, I went with the toddler to teen size which is 40"x60". This is perfect for her and nearly covers her whole twin bed!
It used to be a struggle to get our daughter to lay down mid-day, but all I have to say now is "Rest time!" and she heads up the stairs to grab a book and her blanket. Our son is just about to turn two and one of his new phrases is "myyyyy blankie" because (of course) he has to be in competition with his sister!
I wish photos could do these blankets justice because they are so incredibly soft and luxurious. It takes some serious motivation to get up after putting our son down for his nap, when all I want to do is lay in bed with my comfy blanket! To keep it soft, I'll wash it in cold water and lay it flat to dry per Saranoni's suggestions.
As you can see, our kids are gearing up for Christmas with our amazing Saranoni blankets. If you're looking for a great gift idea, this is it! They're very affordable for the incredible quality. Plus, I haven't met a person yet who doesn't like to curl up in a warm blanket. In fact, if I get another one for Christmas this year (hint, hint hubby!) I would be thrilled to add to our Saranoni collection!
We're getting great rest thanks to Saranoni, and hopefully, that along with our other preventative measures will keep us healthy this winter! This time of year is too fun-filled and busy to waste time on illness. I hope our tips will help your family in preventing the flu also!
Disclosure: I received these blankets at no cost to discuss my family's flu prevention tips and facilitate an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own. Please always speak with your doctor before making any lifestyle changes. This post is not meant to serve as medical advice. Links to purchase are affiliate links.
Deborah W. says
We try and get lots of rest, get a flu shot, take our vitamins especially Vitamin C and drink lots of water.
Carrie Lancon says
We eat healthy rest properly, keep our hands clean and keep them away from our eyes and mouth when out and about.
gloria patterson says
Honey and tea is my go and a warm blanket and lots of napss
Danielle Papsis says
I make homemade soups, encouraged hand washing and vitamins.
Maureen says
We stay hydrated and have a humidifier going because it is cold out side and it becomes dry indoors with the heat.
Amber Ludwig says
We don't actually do a whole lot beyond the norm of following good handwashing, upping our vitamin C and making sure to remember to take our vitamins!! There are a few ladies in my natural mom groups who swear by drinking a ton of Grape Juice!! A few have tried it and it's worked according to them!! Needs to be real grape juice though!
LeAnn says
Get your flu shot! Lots of water, Vitamin C and probiotics!
Leela says
Stay away from sick people (if you can), keep clean and wash regularly.
Cynthia Brooks says
We're not perfect but we always keep honey on hand, local raw honey. And lots of teas of different kinds.
Michelle J. says
We wash our hands frequently.
Amelia Bayless says
We wash hands and try to stay away from anyone we know has been sick (to the best of our ability.) Also, flu shots!! I like your suggestion for honey and lemon - that was always my Dad's go-to remedy for a sore throat.
Rosanne Erickson says
These blankets look super cozy!
Mia says
We try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables and wash hands frequently.
Deborah D says
We wash our hands often.
Amanda Alvarado says
We wash our hands a lot, avoid those who are sick and eat a lot of citrus!
Jennifer Boehme says
Wash hands, wash hands! Also carry hand sanitizer on back packs or on my purse. I keep supplies of Kleenex and things in case someone gets sick though.
Sandy Klocinski says
I have never had the flu and I really don't do anything special. I do wash my hands frequently though
Jeane Campbell says
As a grandma, I am always handing out Kleenex to my grandkids. They are all really good about covering their mouths when they cough or sneeze. We wash a lot of hands around here!
Jan Lee says
The first entry to "vist the post" link goes to Page Not Found.... so I posted here on this post. I keep warm and keep washing my hands. I always have Kleenex handy. I take vitamins. I make sure to eat healthy foods. Things I do every day to stay healthy are the same things I do in the winter to avoid colds 🙂
Melissa A. says
We eat healthy all year long, and I wipe down surfaces with Lysol wipes!
denise low says
We wash our hands and we drink plenty of water. We also get plenty of sleep.
Debbie says
My family and I wash our hands very frequently.
Mandy Hammons says
Multi vitamins, try to get plenty of rest, wash hands often
paige chandler says
We take vitamins, wash hands,lots of sleep. Flu go away!
Linda Manns Linneman says
These are such great suggestions. Most of these I have not tried nor heard of. I often take whiskey, local honey and lemon when I have a respiratory. Thank you so much for sharing this
Sharon Rooney says
We constantly wash our hands, get plenty of rest and try to eat healthy.
Alicia Morris says
We got the flue shot and take vitamins
Ashley Chassereau Parks says
We try to get lots of vitamin d & fresh air by getting outside time daily. We also try to eat healthy and cut back on sugar (even though its hard around the holidays). My kids and hubby have never had the flu and I had it once 20 years ago as a teenager. Its not something we worry about too much right now.
Lori says
We try to fight the flu with frequent hand washing as well as zinc and vitamin C supplements.
Alyssa Lines says
We use On Guard beadlets & softgels, zinc, vit C, & echinacea, elderberry gummies to prevent sickness
Tatiana B says
To prevent the flu - flu shots, handwashing, avoiding crowded areas.
Linda Madden says
I have bottles of sanitizer in every room. We also try to eat healthy and excercize regularly.
Sarah L says
Lots of hand washing, drinking water and getting plenty of sleep.
Thanks for the contest.
Cheryl B says
We wash our hands and faces often, take vitamins and get extra rest.
Alice F. says
When my kids or husband come down with a cold or flu, I always make Chicken noodle soup! It is hard to keep children down but I force the issue when they are sick, I keep them indoors. It is so hard to see the little ones ill.
Vikki Billings says
I get a flu shot, wash my hands a lot and get plenty of sleep.
Julieh says
My tip is to wash hands often and well.
Lisa says
We wash our hands often and drink lots of tea.
Vicki D. says
We all get a flu shot.
Eileen Boyce says
Take vitamins, wash hands use Lysol.
Lauryn R says
We wash our hands often, especially when we go out in public. I also use hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available. My kids are homeschooled so fortunately I do not have to worry about the constant flow of sickness that goes through the kids at public school. When my daughter was in daycare though, it was almost impossible to prevent it!
Buddy Garrett says
We eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of liquids that contain Vitamin C , get plenty of rest, hand wash and use disinfectants. We also have our flu shots.
Laurie Nykaza says
We get the flu shot and keep our hands washed my son has a heart transplant so it is important