“I’m going to stop at Shopper’s on the way home, do you need me to grab anything?” My spidey-sense went off. I knew something was up as soon as my husband told me he was going to stop at Shopper’s on his way home from work.
See, he has a compromised immune system. It’s one of the many not so lovely side effects of living with colitis, and it means that he catches everything that goes around, and I do mean everything. If one of the kids comes home with a sniffle, hubby is pretty much guaranteed to catch it. If one of his co-workers has a nasty bout of the flu, it is pretty much inevitable that hubby will bring it home within the next few days. Not only does he catch every passing germ or virus, but he also tends to come down with it harder than anyone else in the household.
So when he tells me he’s stopping off at the pharmacy on his way home from work, well it often means he’s stocking up on Puffs or cold meds because he feels something coming on. As his next text message popped up I read, “Oh and can you check the cabinet and see if we’re out of NyQuil?” Sigh. Yep. Just as I thought. Time for Hubby Has a Cold, the 2016 edition, episode 9.
The unending rounds of colds and coughs making their way through our household can be depressing. It feels like as soon as we get over one bout, somebody brings something new home. Between the finger sucking hair eating germ collecting kindergartener and the immunosuppressed husband, I sometimes feel like we just can’t catch a break.
If like me you feel like your family is caught in a never ending cycle of sickness and ick, you may want to keep these guidelines for surviving cold and flu season in mind:
Make taking time for yourself a priority.
Saying no to stress can keep your immune system strong. Find time to do whatever refuels your batteries, and always make getting a good night’s rest a top priority. (Seriously. This is important.You need sleep and not just when you’re sick).
Avoid picking up germs at work.
Be wary of sinks, office kitchen tools, and especially doorknobs. Wash your hands frequently and keep some antibacterial gel on hand for those times when you can’t run off to the restroom.
Know the signs.
Not many people realize they’re most contagious in the first 24 hours of symptoms. If you find yourself developing a cough or sore throat, a runny nose, headache or body aches and chills or general fatigue it might be a good idea to isolate yourself as much as possible from the rest of your family. When it comes to work, if you’re experiencing two or more of these symptoms, do your best to stay at home and enjoy some downtime (Hello Netflix!).
Double up on pillows.
Place an extra pillow on your mattress to elevate your upper body. This helps blood flow away from your head and will reduce the inflammation of your air passage. It can also be great for reducing body aches.
Tea? Yes, please.
Drinking herbal teas like chamomile, mint, or passionflower can help you relax while also helping to keep you hydrated. Personally I find hot beverages soothing to a sore throat, particularly when you add a dollop of honey.
Sweat it out.
Steam and humidity can help drain your sinuses and relieve some of the sinus pressure and stuffiness. I know some people go in for the whole bowl of steamy water and a towel thing, but personally I find nothing beats a piping hot shower. (Helpful tip: warm your towel or bathrobe up with a quick spin in the dryer, so you don’t feel chilled when you get out)
Try that Vicks on your feet thing.
If you are still all stuffed up and can’t breath try putting Vicks Vaporub on your feet. I know, I know, it sounds silly, but seriously, I find it works.
The people at Vick’s suggest that you treat all your symptoms simultaneously by using NyQuil and DayQuil liquid or caplets:
“Look for a medication that can treat the toughest symptoms while also helping you rest. DayQuil COMPLETE and NyQuil COMPLETE provide all in one relief for your toughest cold and flu symptoms so you can start seizing the rest of your day, and get the rest you so desperately need at night.”
What other tips would you add to the list? What do you find works best when you’re down and out with a nasty cold bug?
Don’t forget to visit www.pgeveryday.ca for coupons you can use to save on Vicks brand products.
We try to eat right, including lots of fresh produce even over the winter. We dress for the weather, in layers. And when we do get sick, we use vicks vaporub.
Lots of handwashing and a ton of extra vitamin c once I feel it coming on!
chicken soup and rest is how I deal with a bad cold
Lots of handwashing and vitamins.
Lots of handwashing and a humidifier
Eat Healthy, get a flu shot in fall, take natural supplements and wash hands regularly and often
Mine is just sleep! I find that the thing that helps me the most is plenty of rest- if I can get it!
Due to my insane kids I don't get alot of great sleep so I fortify with vitamins and washing hands very frequently!
I take a daily multi vitamin and wash my hands often!
My life saver is Oregano Oil.
Washing hands a lot and staying away from others that have a cold
Wash your hands frequently
sanitize and rest
My tip is to make sure you are getting enough rest each night. It is one of the ways to prevent yourself from getting a cold (I read this in a book about colds!).
Wash hands and eat well are my best tips.
washing hands often
I find eating healthy,exercise and proper rest and washing your hands often helps protect me from colds/flu,s
I stay away from sick people, wash my hands often and get plenty of sleep
To avoid getting sick I take a multi vitamin daily, get a flu shot, eat lots of vegetables and wash my hands a lot to avoid germs.
I get my flu shot and try to avoid anyone that is sick!!
hand washing, drink lots of water and take vitamins daily
I wash my hands a lot, avoid sick people and try to eat a healthy diet. I've just started juicing and I think that will help get my immunity up too!
Take lots of juices and teas, more fresh air inside if possible.
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Wash & sanitize hands, hydrate, take vitamin C & D daily, use Vicks vapourizer for dry air, & avoid sick people,
i try to avoid people and places that germs dwell.. lots of hand washing, keep up with my vitamins and lots of fluids
I take vitamins and drink lots of juices and fluids and keep a cool mist vaporizer going all the time
Drink water often throughout the day, eat a lot vegetables and wash your hands often to help avoid getting a cold.
Loys of hand washing, chicken soup and sleep
I make sure to wipe all door knobs and light switches with disinfecting wipes to try to avoid the cold. When I inevitably get one, I find lots of sleep helps get rid of it quickly.
~Jonnie
Lots of handwashing and staying away from sick people.
I wash my hands often, drink fluids and try to avoid anyone who is coughing or sneezing…especially at the doctor's office.
Wash your hands a lot, stay away from large crowds, extra vitamin D and C
Avoidance – lots of handwashing, and not sharing drinks etc to help stop the spread of germs. Surviving – cold medicine, vicks vaporub, neilmed sinus rinse and lots of sleep.
I drink lots of water & get lots of sleep to try and shake a cold when I get one.
wash hands frequently, drinks lots of water and get a good night sleep
Wash hands often, and keep them away from your face. Hot toddies and sleep will help to survive once you catch something.
I am a big fan of nettle tea and onesie pajamas.
Staying active. Since I started incorporating fitness into my life, I went from having 3 or more colds a year to maybe 1 and the severity has been drastically reduced.
Lots of sleep and warm liquids while having a cold tends to help me!
Try to avoid colds by avoiding sick people. Lots of sleep helps me get better quicker.
Eating healthy, lots of homemade chicken soup. Lots of rest, vitamins and lots of liquids.
Lots of handwashing! And lots of rest
A lot of it is diet, keeping up with veggies and fruits in winter to boost immunity
lot of rest
eating oranges and drinking lots of water
we don't get sick very often over here……but we do a ton of hand washing and disinfecting of toys, devices, doorknobs, strollers/carseats.
My best tip is to drink lots of water and get outside for some fresh air and exercise.
I really think that lots of hand washing and good eating helps
Drown a cold (fluids) and starve a flu (no food) – my grandmother said that and its true!
lots of hand washing, avoid touching your eyes when out in public, drink lots of lemon water
Wash your hands , plenty of water fruits and veggies . Have a good sleep schedule
Washing your hands often, avoiding sick people and eating healthy all help a person avoid getting colds and flu. If you do get sick, keep hydrated and get lots of sleep to get better.
drink lots of water and take vitamin Cs
I like to drinnk warm liquids like hot toddies packed with goodies like vitamin C, honey, ginger, lemon, & some whiskey!
I try to get plenty of rest and I take multi vitamins
I avoid touching door handles and use lots of antibacterial gel.
drink plenty of orange juice and rest up when you are feeling sick!
Lots of handwashing
I take vitamins daily and stay hydrated to avoid a cold/flu!
I wash my hands frequently and take vitamins.
Dress for the weather, esp this crazy -11 one day, plus 15 the next.
I take Zinc soon as I feel it coming on.
I drink herbal tea and take vitamins.
Lots of vitamin C! I like the candy drops!
Get lots of rest and some TLC
I load up on vitamin C and drink plenty of water during cold and flu season.
I double up on Vit D to fight off colds.
I get more sleep!
Vitamin c and sleep!
ginger,honey and lemon tea
Curling up with a blanket and Netflix. What did we do without Netflix?
I take 2 cinnamon capsules daily.
My best tip for dodging and surviving the cold and flu is to wash hands frequently and eat healthy. Drink lots of fluids if you are sick and get plenty of rest.
Loads of liquids, vitamin c and a lot of rest! As soon as you feel the sickness coming on you do these!
as soon as I feel a little off I reach for the buckleys. It scares it away almost instantly
Eats fruits and vegetables and wash hands often.
I take pic of oregano if I feel a cold coming on.
Should say oil of oregano 🙂
We make sure we get lots of sleep, when you're tired your immune system is weaker. Wash our hands and drink lots of water.
I think hand washing makes all the difference.
Get enough sleep and keep taking those vitamins every day!
We wash our hands all the time and take vitamins
Don't go outside without a jacket. Steer clear of those with a cold. drink/eat Vitamin C
Slathering the soles of my feet in vicks and wearing socks to bed breaks it up pronto!
I eat tons of garlic or sleep sleep sleep
Lists of hand washing, fluids and vitamin C.
A must have for our family is home made chicken soup as well as vitamins when any one has the flu!
We carry hand sanitizer around wherever we go. Drink plenty of water and lots of vitamin C.
Lots of Vitamin C, chicken soup, rest and Vick's VapoRub.
Eating healthy, sleeping enough, staying hydrated and wash hands like crazy.
Hand washing and eating healthier, taking vitamins !
wash hands, hydration, rest, reduce stress whenever possible. thanks
Washing hands frequently and should you get the cough – cough on your elbow not your hands to lessen the possibility of it spreading.
Wash my hands often
Expecting my 2nd little bundle of joy any day now so it was a long hard winter for me. Having a 16 month at him we both came down with a nasty cold and had a hard time finding ways to get comfortable and stay healthy. We both tried to get lots of rest, wash hands frequently, stay away from other sick people and enjoyed some of Nana's homemade chicken soup! My Mom told me about the Vicks on the feet thing and I was sceptical at first but I have to admit it really worked well! Thank you for an awesome giveaway! Good luck all!
The best thing you can do is get lots of rest.
https://twitter.com/jackalJarrod/status/719898930… the ferret was on the keyboard helping me so the last days twitter entry please
i have a cold right now – i guess i don't know how to dodge them. Once they are in the house, there is no getting around it. Getting lots of rest, and drinking lots of water are my remedies for a cold. It will eventually run its course.
I hand wash frequently and use hand sanitizer when I cannot wash traditionally
I eat healthy and I wash my hands frequently!
Take vitamins, eat healthy, drink lots of water, and frequent handwashing!
keep them hands washed up and avoid putting them near your eyes and mouths !
have plenty of fluids and eat healthy! also dressing appropriately for the weather
Lots of ginger and garlic!
I do the usual – try to get lots of rest, wash hands often and stay hydrated.
I am a firm believer in taking Oregano oil during cold/flu season. I think it helps prevent as well as shorten sickness for me.
getting lots of sleep and taking a multi-vitamin seems to help me
Lots of sleep and vitamin C
I tweeted for the giveaway: https://twitter.com/wandaTracey/status/926538132794826753
I love all the great tips and must try putting Vicks on my feet I do drink plenty of fluids and love drinking lemon infused water.