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The Ultimate Flu Treatment is Flu Prevention

It’s officially cold and flu season, which means protecting my kids from yucky viruses is constantly on my mind! This is one of the reasons why I lean on natural flu prevention — all year long.

Protect your little ones from fevers to snotty noses by leaning on this simple list of natural flu prevention essentials!

Need something super simple to get you started on the right track for cold and flu season?

Check out this DIY Immune System Booster for quick and easy cold and flu treatment or prevention!

Already sick? If you already have the flu, I advise you to rest up, stay hydrated, and slowly begin adding some of these habits and products into your daily routine. I also highly encourage you to check out Simple Cold & Flu Remedies for even more tips on finding the best flu treatment!

However, if you aren’t already sick, listen up!

The below list can help keep you and your kiddos healthy all season long!

Check out my TOP TEN ways to stay healthy during a crazy flu season!

Natural Flu Prevention Top Ten

When we don’t stick to routine and put our health on the back burner, our immune systems become weak and allow viruses to attack! Thankfully, our house has been a sick-free zone for the past couple of winters in a row and I truly believe these 10 steps are the vital reasons why!

Check them out!

#10 Stay Away From Large Crowds

While this may not always be a doable option, especially if you have children enrolled in public schools or sports, this is huge!

If you don’t need to be somewhere during flu season, simply don’t go!

As a huge introvert, I tend to avoid large crowds all year long. However, I definitely take it up a notch during the winter months!

Sometimes that means grocery shopping on a Tuesday at 10 am instead of a typically busy Saturday sample afternoon.

Other times it might mean skipping that birthday party of an acquaintance and mailing a card instead.

Don’t let your mom cup fill up with guilt because you feel like your kids are missing out on all the fun activities. Simply remember that you are protecting their health and that will always be way more important than one missed activity!

Plus, there will always, always be other fun opportunities just over the horizon.

#9 Purchase an in Home Air Purifier

This!

Since purchasing a high-quality air purifier for our home, we have had fewer allergy difficulties and my husband snores less to boot. Not even joking, you guys!

Allergies aside, having an air purifier for the winter months is a huge must!

When someone drops by our home and we hear those 5 dreaded words “I’m getting over a cold…” we put our air purifier to good use!

While I can’t say for certain that having an air purifier will guarantee to protect you from cold and flu viruses, I can definitely account for the fact that ours cleans the air, as well as eliminates dust and pet dander! To put it simply, we feel better and breathe better when using an air purifier in our home!

That alone is a step in the right direction when it comes to cold and flu treatment or prevention — ridding your home of toxins is always a good thing!

#8 Take Daily Multivitamins

Taking multivitamins ALL YEAR should be a part of your daily self-care routine.

If you aren’t already doing this, start now! Seriously though.

Your body can’t function properly if it isn’t getting the vitamins and minerals it needs.

Not all multivitamins are created equal though!

Some vitamins on the market contain dyes and an excess amount of added sugar. It’s super important to stay away from any vitamins with artificial ingredients, as they may be doing more harm than good.

The current multivitamins we use in our are household are listed below.

My husband and I are both using this Master Formula as our daily multi. They are super convenient, as they are in grab-and-go packages. Added bonus? They provide us with all the nutrition we need from a multi!

We just recently switched our kids over from a local store brand of multivitamins to these Mighty Vites. Totally impressed with these, you guys!

My 5-year-old actually likes them, which has never been the case with any other natural vitamins we’ve used in our home! Plus, they have some good vital stuff packed in there!

While not a multivitamin, we also love to lean on Ningxia Red from time to time. My kids love drinking this and it’s packed with so many wonderful nutrients!

#7 Add Apple Cider Vinegar to Your Wellness Routine

If you don’t already know the power of a good quality apple cider vinegar, you’re totally missing out!

Our preferred brand is Braggs Organic and this stuff is gold!

Anytime someone in our family feels even the tiniest tickle in their throat, or the slightest bit of sinus congestion coming on, out comes the apple cider vinegar.

My husband prefers to do a quick shot & be done, while the kids and I would rather sneak it into a hot cup of tea combined with honey. Either way, Apple cider vinegar has great bacteria-killing qualities and works wonders as a flu preventative!

Already sick? Try drinking Thieves Tea as part of your flu treatment plan!

#6 Take Immune System Boosting Supplements

Yes! Immune system boosting supplements are essential for this time of year!

Our go-to options? ImmuPro, elderberry & zinc!

• Immupro

This is actually a new product for our household and boy do we love it! I highly suggest getting a bottle of ImmuPro for your medicine cabinet.

We definitely don’t use this on a daily basis, but it is wonderful to have around for the occasional use!

We take this from time to time when we feel a little off, have a big day ahead of us, have been around others that are sick, or maybe haven’t gotten enough sleep recently. I like to think of it as a “reset” button for our bodies.

*Note: This product does contain melatonin, which will help your body get the solid rest it needs to stay healthy, but it’s also why we don’t take it too often. Moderation is key.

• Elderberry

We have been taking this for around a year now and oh my word, it’s some awesome stuff!

Elderberry is full of antioxidants and other essential vitamins that can help protect your little ones from cold and flu viruses. Plus, it can actually help keep inflammation at bay, which is another essential part of staying flu-free all winter long!

We definitely notice when we run out or miss a few doses of our elderberry syrup! Love, love, love this stuff!

Already have the flu? Try doubling up on your elderberry intake for simple flu treatment that will help lessen your sick time!

• Zinc

This is a must-have for natural flu prevention!

Zinc should be a part of our everyday diet anyway and can easily be added in food or supplement form. Plus, zinc absorption is important for healing and can help boost your immune system function!

Just be careful you don’t overdo it. Simply do your research or talk to your doctor to find out just how much zinc your body needs, if you are getting the zinc you need solely from diet alone, or if you need to supplement.

#5 Protect Your Gut Using Probiotics

When I tell people that probiotics changed our life, I’m not being dramatic. I’m being completely serious.

Before probiotics, my kids were on antibiotics several times a year. After probiotics, the antibiotic usage in our house has diminished.

It wasn’t an immediate turnaround, and we weren’t completely consistent at first, but once we truly had probiotics in our system on a regular, daily basis, we noticed a huge change.

My husband and son both have digestive issues, which probiotic use aids tremendously! A healthy gut truly is the first step to a healthy, flu-free body!

We take probiotics year-round, and it’s no coincidence that my entire family has been much healthier since introducing probiotics into our daily routine.

Our primary sources of probiotics come in pill form. Life 9 for my husband and me, Primadophilus Junior for my older boys (ages 10 & 13), and Primadophilus Kids for my 5-year-old daughter.

We also enjoy homemade frozen kefir pops, kombucha, and probiotic yogurt from time to time, for an added boost.

Newest probiotic addition to our home?  Kidscents MightyPro. Oh my word, you guys! These are amazing!

My youngest takes this every single day along with her regular probiotics. The best part? It also doubles as a prebiotic!

#4 Double up on Vitamin C

Everyone already knows vitamin C helps keep us healthy this time of year and the first thing we typically think of is oranges.

While oranges are a great source of vitamin C, it’s unrealistic that we will be able to eat enough oranges every single day to get the amount of vitamin C we need, especially during cold and flu season!

That’s why taking a vitamin C supplement is crucial for this time of year!

Super C is our number one go to! This wonderful product actually comes in 2 forms, regular pills for the adults and older kiddos, as well as chewable tablets for the littles.

I’m not going to go too in depth on this one, I feel like most of us have a pretty good idea of why our bodies thrive on vitamin C.

Feeling a little off or already in the middle of a heated battle with the flu? Try doubling up your vitamin C intake to maximize your flu treatment!

*Note: I also double my vitamin c intake when I’ve been around large crowds or people that have recently been sick — just as a precaution!

#3 Don’t Skip the Fruits & Veggies

Speaking of your vitamin C intake, did you know bell peppers & kiwi actually have more vitamin C than oranges? Vitamin C is only one of the reasons it is so important to eat the rainbow. Eating fresh, raw foods can fill your body with lots of rich vitamins and minerals!

What you put in your body is important all year long — not just during cold & flu season.

Unfortunately, most people don’t really think of diet as an important factor when trying to prevent illness, but seriously, if you are filling your body with fatty, deep fried foods on a constant basis you are going to feel sluggish, and your immune system will not be able to function at its fullest!

However, if you are consuming fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins on a daily basis your body will be alert and ready to fight off whatever comes its way.

Combine a healthy diet with immune system boosters, probiotics, and extra vitamin C, and you are golden!

An apple a day seriously can keep the doctor away — just think about it.

Also, don’t forget your water intake! If you’re serious about keeping the flu away this year, staying hydrating will help tremendously!

#2 Try Using Essential oils

The new medicine cabinet — that’s how we view essential oils in this house.

I could seriously go on and on about this topic.

We use essential oils for so many things. Prevention, sore throats, fevers, rashes, sanitizing — you name it, momma’s got an oil for it!

Many oils can be used topically, orally, or diffused, which makes them extremely versatile. You can create anything from creams to capsules, and so much more!

One of my must-have concoctions for flu season though is this super simple immunity booster roll on, that uses my top 3 oil choices for this time of year – Thieves, Oregano, & Frankincense.

#1 Practice Good Hand Washing

I can’t stress this one enough!

Hand washing is essential to staying healthy during cold and flu season, but I’m not talking just after potty breaks.

In order to keep viruses away, you must practice good hand washing all day long!

My hand washing rules are as follows: after going to the bathroom, before eating or preparing snacks & meals, and most importantly, after every single public outing.

Trip to the grocery store? Immediately wash your hands. Kid had gymnastics class? Again, wash them. It may sound like overkill, but it’s totally not.

Kids are gross!

They pet the dog, play with their toes, and literally touch just about everything, then their hands go in their mouth! This is why handwashing constantly is a must!

With that said, there are times handwashing may not be an option.

Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier is our number 1 go-to in situations like this! We carry it everywhere we go.

Hand sanitizer is a great option for when you’re in a pinch, but old fashion handwashing with soap and water is always the best way to go.

Not all hand soaps are created equal though. Traditional soaps can be filled with harmful chemicals and unnecessary fragrances.  I personally don’t buy anything other than Thieves Foaming Hand Soap.

Cutting out unnecessary chemicals is another simple way to keep yourself and your family healthy all year long!

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If you have any questions about any of the products mentioned in this post or would like more information on essential oils, check out Essential Oils & Their Uses for more information on the oils we use in our home.

My Young Living