The holiday season is upon us. Oh how I love this time of year! The decorations, the lights, the music, all the yummy food and the time with family. But unfortunately the cold and flu germs like this time of year as well. It is the time of year where we tend to get sick a lot more. Especially since we are out shopping more than usually and around a lot more people. But don’t worry, there are things you can do to keep your family healthy during the holidays, here are my tips:
1- Sanitize Sanitize Sanitize– With so many bugs going around I like to make sure I always have sanitizer with me. I have a stock pile at home and travel sizes for when I am out. I have all our guests sanitize as they come into our home (yeah it annoys some of them, but I want to protect my family so I make them anyway). When I’m out shopping I always clean the cart handle & where my baby touches with sanitizing wipes. It is also really important to remember to sanitize your hands before you eat. Especially when you are eating while you are out and about. Check out the new PURELL® Advanced Hand Sanitizer holiday line. They are available in: Wintergreen Mint, Sweet Plum, Holiday Spice, and O Christmas Tree. So festive for the holiday season! However, keep in mind overuse of hand sanitizers and disinfectant wipes can cause skin irritations such as dryness or redness. Consider using sanitizers that are sensitive skin-friendly especially for kids All-natural biodegradable wipes are also a good option as they do not contain harsh chemicals. These plant-based wipes are CDC-compliant and are effective against 99.9% of germs.
2- Load up on Vitamin C– I like to give everyone in my family (besides the baby) Vitamin C supplements. I even get the chewable Vitamin C tabs for my 5 year old son. I make sure we all have one each day so our bodies have the extra Vitamin C which is so helpful in fighting off illness. You can also sneak in extra vitamin C in your family’s meals. Some foods that are a good source of vitamin C: Bell Peppers, Dark Leafy Greens like Kale, Broccoli Cauliflower, Red and Green Hot Chili Peppers, Brussel Sprouts, Kiwis, Guavas, Papayas, Strawberries and of course Oranges and Clementines.
3- Get Plenty of Sleep– While it is tempting to stay up all night chatting with your sister/best friend (which I often do). Try not to. Your body needs sleep to be in tip top shape to fight of all the bugs going around. Plus, you will need the energy to cook that delicious Christmas dinner!
4- Stay away from sickies– Let your friends and family know that you want to be informed if someone is ill so you can choose to avoid being around them. It bothers me so much when my friends or family come to a party or to visit sick and don’t tell me. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they can’t come out. I just want to be aware of the illness so I can keep my distance and not pass my little baby to them.
I really hope that we can all stay healthy during the holidays. Fingers crossed that we do! I would love to hear your tips and tricks for staying healthy during the holidays as well.
Also be sure to print off your PURELL® Advanced Hand Sanitizer Coupon for $1 off when you purchase 2!
I wrote this blog post while participating in a paid SocialMoms and PURELL® Advanced Hand Sanitizer blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. To read more posts on this topic, click here.
