12 Natural Ways We Approach Cold & Flu Season

Flu season is here. It seems as though the prior years season just ended and yet here we are again. I write this as I just ended a month long, on and off battle with illnesses in our house. Nova had the flu, then a cold that ended in a double ear infection and bronchitis. Knox fought his way through his first ever fever at 15 months old, which lasted almost 4 days, and is still fighting the cold that is hanging on from that.

Kids will get sick, it is inevitable. Their immature immune systems are developing and as they are exposed to germs their body is learning how to fight off illnesses. If they attend daycare or school outside your home, it is even more likely that they are sick more often. It is very difficult as a parent to see your child sick, but typically one day, this will lessen and their immune systems will be stronger.

I do a vast amount of research and am very holistic in my approach to healthcare. I know how important it is to strengthen your immune systems naturally and to provide your body the chance to develop antibodies.

There is always a place for modern medicine, and I am the first to embrace it if needed. Yet, there are so many things on a daily basis that you can do to prevent and treat illnesses. You can naturally support your body’s fight against those germs. Below, I share my favorite daily habits that keep our family healthy and strong in their fight against these dreaded illnesses.

I am far from a doctor and far from an expert on anything “medical”. All these opinions are my own; based on my own research.

1. Eat Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

Duh! Yes, this may seem like a no brainer, but it is the most important one. Your diet should MOSTLY consist of fruits and vegetables, yet how many of us can say that? It is not cheap. It is not easy. It IS worth it.

Knox, at 1 year old, will eat a whole container of fresh organic blueberries in a sitting. Nova goes in spurts of what her favorite fruit is and currently she will eat a whole container of raspberries. They are given fresh fruit at every meal and typically served a green smoothie 1-2 times a week as well. If you start feeding them that way when they are born, that is what their palate will crave.

Typically, we saute their vegetables in coconut oil. It is a high fat oil and due to Knox having a dairy sensitivity this is one way we incorporate more healthy fat into his diet. They both devour the mixture of broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions, garlic, and peppers like it’s a dessert.

Avocado is also a weekly staple in our home. Mashing it and putting it on toast with cinnamon and honey drizzled on it, is a favorite of theirs. Again, it’s a healthy fat which is essential for their brain development and our heart health. I just eat it straight out of the skin…yum!

2.Vitamin C, D, Probiotics, Elderberry, & Echinacea

We focus primarily on their diet and then incorporate vitamins based on what we know they need more of. Inevitably you and your kids will go through spurts of eating the right amount of nutrients. Therefore, it is helpful to have vitamins and supplements to help contribute to overall intake.

Earthley is our go to for all things natural. We purchase everything from elderberry, teething tamer, deodorant, soap, to magnesium night lotion. Though it isn’t a cold & flu remedy, their teething tamer is to die for. Truly, it is incredible! Not only did it help take the edge off the pain, Knox LOVED the taste of it. I highly recommend checking them out for all things natural.

Each day Nova takes a Probiotic, Vitamin C, Vitamin D drops, and Elderberry syrup. If she is fighting a sickness we also give her Echinacea for a few days to boost her immune system. I usually make the elderberry, but if I haven’t had the time I order it online. It is a very simple elderberry kit you can buy here.

Knox takes Vitamin D drops, Elderberry, and if he’s fighting an illness he also takes Echinacea. He is given Probiotics in his smoothies along with a Vitamin C supplement.

Nova is allergic to peanuts and therefore I have been very focused on healing her gut. She has been on Probiotics and Vitamin C consistently for 18 months and her H2 level has dropped by 42%! Yahoo!

Also, Vitamin D is one of the most important Vitamins to supplement during the winter not only because of where we live (North Dakota) but because it is essential in fighting the flu.

3.Eliminate Sugar Wherever Possible

Water is the only staple drink in our home. Aside from Knox’s milk consumption and Nova’s occasional milk, water is the only drink consumed by them. We don’t allow juice at daycare or with babysitters because the added sugar does not help build their immune system or health. Sugar contributes to gut health deterioration and when I am trying to promote gut health, especially in Nova, it is counterproductive.

4.Stay Hydrated

You have heard me say before that I drink a lot of water, and that is for many reasons. It fights aging, it promotes gut health, it supports your immune system, it helps maintain a healthy weight and has so many other benefits.

If you happen to find yourself ill during flu season, it would be even more detrimental if you were already dehydrated when it hit. We each have our own water bottles and try to track our consumption daily. It is one of the easiest things to forget if you haven’t implemented a way to track it.

5.Wash Their Hands & Remove Their Clothes

You pick your child up from daycare or school and when do they wash their hands next? Implement the rule that when they get home they immediately wash their hands before doing anything else and be that example.

Who doesn’t love coming home and immediately changing into comfortable clothes?

When you walk in the door, change into your workout clothes or lounge clothes and make your children do the same. Yes, this adds to laundry, but it also helps prevent the spreading of illness.

6.Diffuse and use Essential Oils

I have quite a few favorite essential oils. Breathe is a perfect cough calmer. It allows your airways to open so there is less irritation. I placed one drop on Nova’s chest as she’s been fighting this bronchitis and she coughed once that night. Previously, she was unable to sleep and coughing so hard she was almost throwing up.

Lemon is another of my favorites for flu season because it is a natural germ killer. Placing a few drops in warm water and using a wash cloth to clean your house is my favorite because it smells like you just sliced a fresh lemon.

Plus, it has no chemicals so you do not worry about using it.

7.Bathe Them Every Night

You knew I was going to say it. Quit shaking your head, you know it’s important! Yes, it takes SO much time, and is very exhausting after a long day but it is essential during flu season.

If you shower in the mornings, you may consider exploring the evenings for the same reasons! It is not always possible, but it is worth considering.

8.Wash Their Sheets Every Week

Washing their sheets is even more important if you aren’t able to bathe them every night. When we have been too swamped to bathe them as often as we’d like, we try to be diligent about washing their sheets.

9.Wash Their Coats

It is easy to forget their coats when washing laundry. It is typically an item that isn’t washed often, if at all. Unless you see a stain or spill, you most likely do not wash them. Washing their coats, blankets and sheets has now become a staple in our home. You transfer them to and from so many places with germs and those coats are barriers and incredible carriers of those germs.

After our bout of illness I washed hats, coats, gloves, blankets, sheets, pillow covers, and believe me, I am sick of laundry. It is worth it though!

10.Use A Humidifier

The flu virus flourishes in dry air. An easy way to prevent that is to have a humidifier in your home if you live in a dry climate. Even better, if you can afford one for each room, that helps even more. You can be sure to purchase one that has the ability to add essential oils to it and that helps even more!

However, diffusers are also available separate from humidifiers and I highly recommend those too.

11.Use Garlic Oil for Ear Infections

In Nova’s 3 1/2 years of life she has had multiple ear infections but only 2 of those we have had to treat with antibiotics. As I said before, modern medicine has it’s place. However, ear infections are very common and typically remedy themselves. We haven’t yet had to treat an ear infection for Knox (knock on wood).

You can promote inner ear health by using garlic oil. You can purchase this or even make it! It’s very easy to make on the stove with olive oil and fresh garlic. You ONLY want to place it in your ear once it is body temperature.

I place a few drops in her ear and a cotton ball. She lays and watches tv for 10 minutes and I have her flip over and then I treat the other ear. It is simple, pain-free and oh so effective!

12.Let a Fever Do It’s Job

A fever is a body’s natural way of fighting off illness. Again, I remind you, I am not a medical professional and each parent has their own belief as to when treating a fever is necessary. However, I always use caution against treating fevers unless they are at a dangerous level, because it is your immune system naturally working.

We always treat a fever by keeping them comfortable. Very few, if any clothes, cool washcloths, a sip of water or smoothie every 15 minutes (or more frequent if tolerable). Lukewarm baths are also a comfort remedy and typically distracting for feverish babies and toddlers as well.

If their fever is ever accompanied by anything else, we do not hesitate treating it. We are the first to call the nurses hotline or take them in to be seen because when they are young and fragile, you do not experiment. I recommend contacting your doctor to find safe fever guidelines.

How do you keep your family healthy during cold & flu season?

XO,