My Top 6 Tips & Tricks that have kept me sickness free for years!
Some may argue that we don’t have seasons here in Southern California, but one season that no one has is the “Cold & Flu Season!” It is not a real thing. It is a perfectly executed marketing campaign. What’s real is people tend to not take care of themselves this time of year or take the necessary steps to avoid illness.
At Bootcamp this morning there was a brief conversation about illness and flu shots. One lady said she got a flu shot one time and got so sick after she said she would never do it again. Makes sense to me. I mean why would you put something in your body that will make you sick? That doesn’t make sense to me, but yet thousands, probably millions of people do it every year. I am trying to avoid getting into it about the flu shot, but all it comes down to is a matter of choice, and what you believe is best for you and your family. (Do your research). I personally have never had the flu and have never had a flu shot! Let me say it again, I have never had the flu shot and never had the flu. Sure, I’ve gotten the sniffles maybe once or twice in the last few years, but never knocked out with the flu. I honestly can’t remember the last time I was really sick. So I wanted to share my tips and tricks to hopefully help you avoid getting sick this year.
Before I get in to my personal remedies let’s revisit the idea that the flu is not a season, because it’s not! I want to point out how true this image above is. This time of year, or season if you must, we tend to stay indoors not exercise as often and eat all those comfort foods high in sugar, and even increase alcohol intake. This lack of fresh foods and veggies and increase in sugar lowers our bodies natural ability to defend itself against viruses and bacteria. Add possibly an increase in stressors like school, family get togethers, travel, work deadlines and holiday shopping inducing more stress and anxiety, and our bodies – immune systems simply can’t process of all these things. We don’t sleep and frequently look for non healthy stress relievers.
MY TOP 6 TIPS & TRICKS:
1. Exercise. Yes, I know you’ve heard it before and may be tired of hearing it, but your body needs it now more than ever. It’s reduces stress, boosts mood, and can help flush out bacteria from lungs and airways. To that last point, please do not go to a gym or workout class when you’re sick. Stay home and get that heart rate up instead! I am committed to working out at least 4 days a week – maybe 5 depending on how much recovery my body needs. What’s your goal? Make one now to exercise at least 30 mins a day, even if it’s a walk.
2. Move. If I ever hear someone coughing or sneezing next to me wherever I am, I move. I will literally move to another seat, another place in the store, get out of line, and especially move to a different bike at spin class or find a different treadmill. Just remove yourself from the germs! I have even asked a flight attendant to move seats on a plane before. Your health is the priority here. Don’t hesitate to move.
3. Nose Strips. I avoid flying at all costs this time of year in an attempt to limit the exposures of those people who are sick and out and about. Also, if I’m in a crowded public place like a mall, large group gathering, christmas event – especially if there’s kids around at a children’s musical etc I always wear First Defense Nasal Screens nose strips. Crazy side fact about these. They were on Shark Tank and the inventor tried to sell them to US mainstream markets and stores, and he was literally told they would not carry his product because they make more money off of people being sick! That’s how much they work! You can find them HERE on Amazon. You do not and will not look silly in them. I had a hard time wearing them at first, because I admittedly felt self-conscious about them, but they look and feel a whole lot better than a red, stuffy, runny nose and a nasty tissue in your hand. Plus, they’re less expensive than cold medicine!
4. Supplement. And you need more than just Vitamin C. Going back to not eating as well as we should this time of year and even if we are, it’s nearly impossible to get all the nutrients we need on a daily basis. And actually what our bodies need most right now is Calcium and Vitamin D – what we normally gain from the sun that strengthen our immune systems. As well as a probiotic. Your gut hosts the majority of bacteria in our bodies – both good and bad. Probiotics help your immune system keep this balance in check. Not all vitamin sources and supplements are created equal so the ones I personally use are from AdvoCare. I take ImmunoGuard™ – ProBiotic RESTORE™ ULTRA and C-Grams® daily right now. My husband and I have been using these products for over 10 years. So if what you’re taking hasn’t helped or you’re not taking anything at all you might need to change something. And if you’re looking for something these may be for you. OTC vitamins are not always effective, but their marketing and labels sure are at selling them and making you believe they work and are good for you… not always the case.
5. Drink Lots of Water. It’s cold outside, I get it. You’re not hot or feel thirsty, but your body needs a lot of water now probably more than ever. It is always a great, general rule to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water per day. So if you weigh 150lbs that’s 75oz of water. It’s possible, you can do it! Not to mention staying hydrated will help reduce the bloat from eating all those unhealthy foods and keeping your skin healthy and hydrated too.
6. Sanitize. I carry natural hand sanitizer, spray and wipes with me everywhere. Wipe down your seat anywhere you go and especially on airplanes! Be sure to get all armrests and those pesky folding trays. Wipe down gym equipment BEFORE you use them (and of course after), don’t assume someone else did. Sanitize your hands and water bottle immediately after working out. And please wipe off your cell phones & purses & bags. I use EO Hand Sanitizer Spray and find them on Amazon HERE or I get some from my local Doterra rep. (EO = Essential Oils) And of course wash your hands as often as you can.
You may have noticed I said nothing about kids. Primarily because we do not have any children of our own, but I will say that schools are probably one of the worst places for picking up viruses and bacteria. In addition to the sanitize recommendations, I would add changing your child’s clothing immediately upon their return from school, if possible (and washing hands after of course). Sure, viruses may not “live” on clothes very long but I am very quick to wash my shirt, jacket, etc if I even think someone coughed on something I was wearing or touched me who was sick. AdvoCare also has a delicious chewable vitamin suitable for kids 4 & up: CitriZinc™
Call me OCD, but all of these have worked for me over the last several years. I hope you found some of these useful. Oh, and for those who know me more personally, and might be questioning the beginnings of this post, I did have a crazy sinus infection a couple of years ago for the first time ever in my life that I solely blame on spending hours helping “organize” a moldy basement. Never again without a mask! 😷
Stay healthy, hydrated, active and proactive this season! And for some easy tips on reducing stress this is a good one: 10 Quick Ways to Destress
💜 Serina