How to stay healthy during the cold and flu season
Unless you are in the Southern Hemisphere it’s that time of year when our kids come home with sniffles, and it seems like everyone around you has a virus of some sort.
The common cold is annoying! It completely disrupts our day, and wrecks havoc on our mojo! Everything seems more difficult and all you want to do is hunker down and rest. And you should! Your body is telling you it’s time to slow down and focus on healing. Yet we live in a GO GO society, where more is expected and heaven forbid you take a sick day.
If you are sick, resting and drinking lots of clear liquids are the top 2 treatments recommended by doctors. However, if you take a preventative approach and boost your immune system you might just squeak by without getting sick. Below you will find a few of my favourite tips to staying healthy during the cold and flu season and my go to’s if ever I or my family get sick.
16 Tips to stay healthy during the cold and flu season:
Drink 16oz of purified water every morning on an empty stomach
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drink purified and chemical free room temperature water to start your day. This not only supports your kidneys, bladder and colon but rehydrates the body after overnight fasting which allows for better digestion. Bonus: Your skin will love you, you might notice a glow to your complexion, why? Most people are chronically dehydrated and often mistake this for salt and sugar cravings. Not a fan of water? Add a slice of lemon, orange, cucumber, mint to your glass. Carry lemon, grapefruit, tangerine or wild orange essential oils with you and add a drop to your glass.
Drink celery juice
High in Vit C, K, folate and potassium which support a healthy cardiovascular system. Celery juice helps fight cancer and liver disease and reduces inflammation.
Drink lemon juice mixed with ginger and turmeric and a dash of black pepper
Create your own wellness tonic with 4 simple ingredients. Sip throughout the day, adding water for a thinner consistency, or drink it as a shot like I do.
Directions:
- Lightly peel 4 lemons.
- Add lemons, 2 inch knob of ginger and 1 inch knob of turmeric to a high speed blender, blend until liquid
- Using a fine mesh strainer or nut mylk bag, pour and squeeze/press mixture until all pulp remains behind. Add a dash of black pepper and stir to combine.
- Store in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator. Give it a shake before you drink.
Use essential oils
Make a flu buster roller
- Use this heavenly smelling blend on the back of your neck, chest, down your spine or bottom of feet every morning and night. This blend supports the immune system, and you will smell amazing!
Steps:
- 15 drops OnGuard Essential oil
- 5 drops Frankincense
- 5 drops Melaleuca
- Fill the remainder with Fractionated coconut oil
Drink
- Add a drop of lemon essential oil to your water throughout the day
Diffuse
- OnGuard, Eucalyptus, Cinnamon and Melaleuca (Tea Tree) are all wonderful antiviral oils to have alternating in your diffuser.
In an epsom salt bath
- Add a couple drops of either of these oils to an epsom salt bath
Inhale
- Add a couple drops of either of these oils to a large bowl of hot water for steam inhalation
- Place a drop in your palms, rub together and simply inhale, then massage what’s left onto the back of your neck.
- Your body is a natural diffuser. Add a drop to your pulse points. Across your chest, or massage into your entire body using a carrier oil. Give yourself a goddess massage after showering and you will smell amazing.
Get 8 hours of blissful sleep every night
Sleep is the number one thing you can do to help boost and support your immune system. Turn off all electronics and hit do not disturb. Try a meditation before going to bed to relax and unwind. Listen to calming music vs. falling asleep to netflix. Read a book instead of scrolling through social media. Choose non-toxic, organic bedding. Lightly spray your sheets with lavender essential oil.
Move your tush
Exercise boosts your immune system. Indoors, outdoors, in your undies at home. No matter how you move, just move your tush every day.
Spend time outdoors and breathe fresh air
Spend time in Momma Nature and breathe fresh air. Our homes are full of indoor pollutants from the chemicals and toxic ingredients in home and self care products. That’s a whole other topic read here for more info to detox your home. Vitamin D is naturally absorbed via sunlight no matter the time of year.
Wash your hands
Keep germs at bay by routinely washing your hands, especially if you are in public places. I carry the OnGuard hand sanitizing mist with me as a back up – a non toxic alternative to your typical store bought hand sanitizers.
DIY Foaming Hand Soap
- Whip up your own non-toxic foaming hand soap that smells amazing and won’t dry your hands out!
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp castille soap
- 1 tbsp fractionated coconut oil
- 10 drops your choice essential oil
- water
Steps
- Pour soap and oil into a foaming soap dispenser, add essential oils and slowly top with water. Be sure to leave enough room for the pump! Voila!
Eat whole foods
Nourish your body from the inside out with pure whole foods grown in Momma Nature. Limit sugars, heavy fats, processed foods and junk. Fill your plate with a rainbow of veggies, fruits, grains, seeds, nuts, beans and legumes. Download my Free Healthy Habits Grocery Guide for inspiration.
Take an epsom salt bath with essential oils
Combine 1 cup epsom salts with a couple drops of any of the oils mentioned above to your bath water. To completely bliss out light beeswax candles and turn off any over head lighting. Play your favourite chill out playlist and put a do not disturb sign on the door so everyone knows this is your time.
Drink a cup of tea
It might not be scientifically proven to cure the common cold. But there are so many healing benefits to a warm cup of tea. Plus, emotionally it soothes, calms and supports mental health. You simply feel better sipping on a cup of tea. Tea can soothe your throat and break up congestion. Add a few drops of local honey, and you have a natural cough suppressant. Or, squeeze in a lemon and get a burst of vitamin C, which may reduce the duration of your cold.
These are my favourite cold busting teas:
Roman Chamomile is soothing and comforting. Flavonoids from the plant have a tranquilizing effect. Since getting a good night’s sleep is an important part of your cold-recovery mission, chamomile is an excellent choice to drink at bedtime.
Peppermint calms an upset tummy. And has been found to have significant antimicrobial and antiviral activities
Ginger wonderful for an upset tummy or nausea. The bioactive ingredients in it act as an anti-inflammatory and may also inhibit microorganisms that can lead to infection.
Elderberry filled with health-boosting antioxidants. Elderberry is known to reduce the length and severity of cold and flu symptoms. Rated even higher than cranberries and blueberries for polyphenol content.
Echinacea known as Momma Natures cold and flu preventative.
DIY your own Lip Balm
If you get a cold, you skin and lips feel dry. Licking your lips adds to the dryness and chapped feeling. Swap out store bought petroleum based lip balms for natures coconut, shea or coconut butter. Add in your favourite essential oil and some raw honey and voila you lips will taste amazing and love you.
Steps:
- 1 oz Coconut oil
- 1/2 oz Shea butter
- 1/2 oz Cocoa butter
- 1 oz finely grated Beeswax
- 10-20 drops of your favourite essential oil. (lavender, wild orange, grapefruit, peppermint)
Instructions:
- Measure butters and oils and place in a pyrex dish
- Fill a saucepan with an inch of water and bring to a boil
- Once boiling, add pyrex dish to saucepan
- Stir until ingredients are melted and combined
- Once combined, remove from heat, let cool for a few mins, then stir in essential oils
- Pour mixture into lip balm containers and let cool.
Dry body brush before showering
A fantastic ritual to enhance blood circulation and cleansing of the lymphatic system. Read more here.
Practice Tongue Scraping
Your tongue is the mirror to all your organs. Include this quick health hack to your daily non negotiable’s. Just like brushing your teeth, washing your face and shaving your legs. Except this simple practice can dramatically improve your mind/body/spirit connection. If you notice a thick coating, you are accumulating toxins. Increasing awareness of your internal body allows for healthier choices. Not to mention it removes bacteria, and foul odors.
Meditate
Even 10 minutes a day makes a noticeable difference. Research is showing that meditation can help your immune system work better. Plus, it helps improve your sleep, reduces stress and lowers cortisol. Listen to one of my meditation playlists here.
Listen to your body, if it wants to rest, rest. If you don’t feel like taking your HIIT class –– don’t!
Learn to be gentle with your body. It’s perfectly ok to go for a 30 minute walk, or try a yin yoga class. You are still moving, still nourishing your body only with a gentle approach.
Please share any of your favourite cold/flu busting tips.
Share our little secret with your friends and family. Tag me @amandavs on insta and use #Healthyissexy! Be sure to subscribe to my monthly newsletter to receive health tips, recipes, motivation mantras direct to your inbox. You will also be the first to hear about our product launch.
XO