Save Me from this Winter Plague!

I’d chance it to say that winter and I are developing a non-compatible relationship. While the freezing temps, icy roads, and endless cabin fever are adorable in and of themselves, it’s their accompanying plague of sickness that thrills me less. The past two years, we’ve been hit, and hit hard. There was last Christmas in all its near-death in-law-visiting fun, and then this year my daughter celebrated her baby cousin’s birth with some emphatic grabs for the puke bag as we barrelled down the highway. It’s been great!

Our most recent bout with illness left me setting up week-long shop on our couch and begging my Facebook fans for suggestions with how to pacify a feverish 3 yr. old. Which they gave in gracious abundance as my readers are rockstars. Thank you and xo.

I’m also thankful for OTCSafety’s careful reminders to read the drug facts label and to never give oral cough/cold meds to kids under the age of 4. When you are in the thick of dealing with a sick kid, it can be easy to forget things like this.

I know we’re not alone in all this illness. There is a lot of concern about the spread of the flu this year, and I’m sick of sickness. Encouraged by OTCSafety to help smartly tackle the flu during these cold months, so it’s time to try a different approach. A WAY different approach. The Let’s Not Get Sick in the First Place Approach. I know, it’s brilliant.

So how are we going to do that? I decided to ask some of the smartest ladies I know–fellow mom bloggers who have been there and who have some great ideas for staying healthy and staving off illness during these winter months. With their help, I’ve created an ENTIRE MONTH’S WORTH of ideas for keeping your family well.

A month of health with these tips and tricks is YOURS:

Day 1–Make sleep happen. It’s that important.

“I hibernate. Seriously, extra sleep helps me from getting the blahs.”–Funny is Family

“I highly recommend training the children to fetch their own frosted Pop-Tarts and leaving the Yoohoo on a low refrigerator shelf for weekend mornings when mommy and daddy need to catch up on their sleep!”–Dose of Reality

Day 2–Get your Vitamin D in, even if you can’t be out in the sunshine.

“At 10am every morning I take a Vitamin D to prevent S.A.D. from kicking in.”–Let Me Start By Saying

Day 3–You still need sunscreen!

“Sunscreen. I might be the only person on earth who still gets sunburns in February.”–Binkies and Briefcases

Day 4–Laugh about it. It helps, really.

“I curse the gods for sub-zero temps and count the angry screaming as a calorie burn.”–Nicole Leigh Shaw: Ninja Mom

Day 5–Dress for the season

“I wear wool head to toe (that way I can park far from the door)”–Our Small Moments

Day 6–Staying active and exercising matters more than ever.

“Workout like a maniac during the winter”–It’s Fitting

Day 7–Get that Vitamin C in!

“I take extra C if I feel a funk coming on (also lots of gargling).”–Divine Secrets of a Domestic Diva

” I try to eat more oranges and citrus food/drinks for Vitamin C.”–Confessions of a Mommyaholic

Day 8–A healthy smoothie is a tasty way to sneak in a bunch of the good stuff.

“Every morning I make a small healthy smoothie.”–Let Me Start By Saying

Day 9–Even if it’s cold, going outside can do wonders.

“Breathe in and out fresh air after mingling with dirty people.”–Our Small Moments

Day 10–Avoid the junk foods (get creative if you have to!)

“Get your six and a half foot tall husband to move your secret stash of Cadbury Creme Eggs to the top shelf where you can’t reach them.”–Becoming SuperMommy

Day 11–Wash your hands. Endlessly.

“We wash our hands as soon as we get home”–Cloudy, With a Chance of Wine

Day 12–Probiotics are a really good thing!

“I take a probiotic and a powdered elderberry pill every single day. I’ve seen a big difference.”–Toulouse and Tonic

Day 13–Hot tea can do wonders.

“I drink lots of tea and take my vitamins.”–Frugalista Blog

Day 14–Happy Valentines! Love on yourself by doing something fun!

“Keep exercising, keep having FUN, and if you need it, take a sun-bed.”–Considerings: Life in Silver Linings

Day 15–You need to come in the house. Your shoes don’t.

“We take all shoes off at the door and backpacks never leave the entryway.”–The Not So Super Mom

Day 16–Keep your hands away from your face and mouth–it does make a difference.

“We avoid touching our faces as much as possible.”–Cloudy, With a Chance of Wine

Day 17–Turn the thermostat down when you go to bed.

“Turning down the heat after 9:00 so I don’t want to leave my snuggly bed for the kitchen. Also, the cold is good for the metabolism!”–My Dishwasher’s Possessed

Day 18–Veggies = a really good thing.

“Less in, more out. Hot, fresh, steamed vegetables to help you warm up.”–Considerings: Life in Silver Linings

Day 19–This brilliant concocotion from Meredith to Mommy knocks out colds with a punch!

“Knock out viruses quickly with apple cider vinegar, cinnamon and honey.”–Meredith to Mommy

Day 20–I love my sunlamp. I love, love, love my sunlamp.

“I take Vitamin D and use my “happy” light (broad spectrum lamp).”–Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Day 21–A glass of wine and a some unwinding? Super idea. And give yourself a little grace if things aren’t perfect.

“I drink at least one glass of wine before bed”–Cloudy, With a Chance of Wine

“I figure its healthy to put on 5-10 pounds in winter to stay warm. Just like the squirrels!”–Eubanks Eutopia

Day 22–You can’t avoid all the germs, but you can stay away from some of the epicenters.

“Stay away from the mall playgrounds. The end.”–When Crazy Meets Exhaustion

Day 23–Keeping that skin healthy is important!

“I moisture my hands constantly.”–Mommy Shorts

Day 24–Take time to grow yourself in unexpected ways.

“Chase after your dreams. I  know it only burns imaginary calories, but it’s exhausting, so it must be working.”–Elleroy Was Here

Day 25–I have been wanting to try acupuncture for forever.

” I get regular acupuncture to keep my immunity strong.”–Frugalista Blog

Day 26–Your go-to best friend? Hand sanitizer

“We use antibacterial wipes on our hands before we eat anything when we’re out of the house, after leaving grocery stores and toy stores, etc.”–Cloudy, With a Chance of Wine

Day 27–Figure out sneaky ways to cut sugar.

“We cut the amount of cocoa we use per mug in half then add milk to keep it satisfying. It’s easier (and cheaper) to say yes to the daily requests for cocoa that way!”–Domestic Pirate

Day 28–Ginger. Get it in, however you can!

“Ginger. In tea. In food. Candy. Anywhere possible.”–Mom’s New Stage

Day 29–Supplements can be a wonderful solution.

“When we were all sick, my husband felt it coming on too, so he took this herbal supplement I got a free sample of. He never got sick.”–Kissing the Frog

Day 30–Relax with a bath.

Sure, getting clean is a good thing. The older I get, the more I understand the value of intentional relaxation. DO IT.

Day 31–Pick up a good book.

I make no secret of my love of reading, but the thing is, cozying up with a book isn’t only sweet down-time, but it stretches your mind and allows you to explore new worlds = a very good thing.

Try one simple suggestion each day and give those yucky winter germs the boot. Don’t need ’em, don’t want ’em!

****I am compensated as an OTCsafety blogging ambassador for this post, but my opinion are my own.****

Third image credit: depositphotos.com, image ID:20053655, copyright:kalozzolak

Fourth image credit: depositphotos.com, image ID:29201369, copyright:halfpoint

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Meredith

Meredith blogs at The Mom of the Year, where she dedicatedly earns her title one epic parenting fail at a time, offering quick, relatable laughs for fellow parents and all their empathizers. She has been part of several best-selling anthologies, featured on prominent sites such as Huffington Post, In the Powder Room and BlogHer, and loves her role as the Executive VP/Operations Manager of The BlogU Conference. When she's not breaking up fights over Legos and juice boxes, she remains fully committed to sharing a less serious look at the world of parenting.

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