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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Cold & Flu Season Strategy

Oh Man!  It's that time of year...cold and flu season.  With kids in school and crazy everyday schedules, the probability of contracting something goes up...way, way up.

Given the "crazy" of the last 8 weeks, it's nothing short of a miracle that my family has only had minor encounters with colds and viruses.  I am tremendously thankful for this.

Prayer.
I have spent more time praying - especially over the kids as they head off to school each day.  I find myself praying God's protection over their whole being - that no flu, virus, bacteria or accident would come near their temple.  God's Word declares in Isaiah 54:17 that...

"No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord."

I'm taking this very seriously! 

I also credit our good health fortune this fall season to a few home remedies that I have worked diligently to maintain on a daily basis.  Here they are...


Vitamin C.  And lots of it.
When one of us is feeling "something coming on" I start the vitamin c and zinc.  A nurse friend informed me last winter that at the first sign of a cold, take vitamin c and a zinc lozenge several times a day.  So we do.  Nobody likes it, because the taste is less than pleasant, but it seems to work.  We do this several times a day - like 3-4 times a day until the symptoms subside.  Let me just add here - this has to be done at the first sign of symptoms...don't ask me why, but it does.

Elderberry Syrup.
I'm not sure where I first found this idea, but I've used it sporadically for a couple of winters now.  But this fall I decided to go all in and keep the kids and I on it daily.  About 2 tsps. in the morning. No biggee.

Then, when someone feels "something coming on" I bump it up to the Echinacea-added variety and increase the number of doses a day to say 3-4.

Here is my recipe for Elderberry Syrup...again, I'm not sure where I got it from, and I've tweeked it a bit, but if you search Elderberry Syrup you will get a ton of different options.

Apple Cider Vinegar.
This is something new I discovered.  The wonders of ACV!  I have personally added this to my daily routine, to combat headaches.  I am very prone to sinus headaches, and the ACV is known to thin out the mucus so that it doesn't clog up the sinuses and cause the headaches and infections.  I take about 8 ounces of water with 1-2tsp of ACV and some agave once or twice a day.  It seems to help as the headaches have definitely been less frequent.

A couple of times this fall, colds have tried to set in and I've given the kids the ACV a couple times a day and they seem to be better in a few days.

I've also been giving Anna ACV every morning - to help combat the skin issues she deals with, so she's been getting the added benefit as well.  Here is a site I found that lists the many health benefits of ACV - Natural Healing Home Remedies.  

These along with plenty of rest, lots of hydration and exercise has been what has helped keep us healthy this fall.

How about you?  What are your cold/flu preventative measures?

Lori
**Please note - I am not a health professional, only a Mom trying to keep her family healthy without frequent trips to the doctor's office.**

 
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