Prepare the Home for Winter Illness

This is the winter illness season for colds, flus, and other yucks! In our family we all have struggled with head colds, sore throats, headaches and achy bodies already and we’re only a few weeks into winter. There are a lot of people we know who’ve faced the crud and it seems to be lingering.

 

Just last evening Young Man ended up with a sick tummy, so it looks like it’s time for round two. Last week, I shared some tips for cleaning up after an illness. 

Yet, we can’t stay home 24/7. With homeschool classes, Bible study, grocery shopping and well, life, we are going to be in contact with other people and it’s in those scenarios that we come into contact with even more germs. It’s always good to be prepared in case one or more family member finds themselves sick, again. 

Please note, I am not a medical professional and I am not offering suggestions from an expert standpoint. I’m just a mama sharing some common sense tips and how I manage when illness hits in our home.

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9 Tips to Prepare for Winter Illness

 

• Stock up on extra boxes of tissue.

Of course when a head cold, or other upper respiratory illness strikes hands grab for tissues first thing. And no one wants to have to make a run to the store for these important little bits of comfort. 

So keep plenty on-hand throughout the cold and flu season.

• Drink Hot Tea with Honey

Buy plenty of Tea.
Make sure you have some honey on hand. Buy some fresh lemons, juice them and store the juice in the freezer, this way you are prepared to add it to a hot cup of tea when the need arises.

• Vitamin C 

Don’t forget organges, and organge juice for kicking up the Vit. C intake. You can use Vit. C tabs as well. I like to couple those with Vit. D. Because in the winter you don’t get nearly enough sunlight. 

But, even better is Elderberry. Buy elderberries, and make your own syrup at home with instructions from my friend Stacy at No Fuss Natural, or buy a a good quality pre-mixed elderberry syrup

Another great anti-oxidant to keep on hand is pure grape juice. I think it works great as a preventative measure. 

• Get a Humidifier or Diffuser

Do you have a humidifier that can help with a congested nose or chest?
(I prefer a warm air humidifier.)

This one is great for a bedroom.

 

This one is great for personal use. 

 

These can help you keep oils diffusing throughout the day. 

 

Oh and while your stocking up don’t forget the essential oils such as lavender and thieves.  Use essential oils by adding to a humidifier or diffuser. Also apply theives oils mixed with a carrier onto the feet and cover with those warm fuzzy socks.

• Prepare some bone stock

Whether beef or chicken preparing your own from the leftover bones has a tremendous amount of nutritional value. It’s not a coincidence that so many cultures have recipes for chicken stew ya’ll.

Find my method for making bone broth.

• Stock up on Essential Beverages

Drink plenty of water. Everyone needs to stay hydrated all winter long. And, having these bottled spring water makes it easy to do just that. Dispose of bottles in recycling, don’t re-use during cold & flu season to avoid passing germs from person to person. And, it reduces the amount of dishes you’ll need to wash.

Keep seltzer water which can help settle a sick stomach.  Mix with True Lemon & Lime drink mixes because lemon/lime soda tastes better than plain.

• Keep Ginger Root

Another good stomach settler is ginger tea or I like to keep ginger tablets on hand.

Ginger has long been used in Asian countries to soothe sick stomachs. Whether you prefer to swallow the tablet form or drink a cup of ginger tea, you’ll find it helps to ease the roiling feeling of the tummy that causes nausea. 

• Store Crackers in the Pantry

 When your hungry but worried about tummy yucks, saltine crackers are a good idea. The saltiness can help with nausea, but it’s also gentle on the digestive system.

I try to stick with the BRAT diet for my family when we start trying to eat again. A BRAT diet is a bland-food diet that typically consists of Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast. I don’t use this in the midst of stomach yucks, but I do when the tummy starts feeling better, and the appetite starts to return.

The blandness simply is gentle on the body. I also like to slowly introduce oatmeal, boiled eggs and chicken noodle soup.

• Lots of Hugs and Cuddles.

There is no greater way to help a little one to feel better than love. So pull out a basket, fill it with books, tissues, blankets, set up the humidifier nearby and settle into the sofa and cuddle with your little one, read them some books, take a nap with them, and just bring them a mama’s comforting arms.

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How are you providing for your family during this season of illness? 

 

 

Get these home essentials for comforting, coziness when family is sick. 

Chunky Knit Blanket

Weighted Calming Blanket

Children’s Bath Robe

Turkish Hooded Bath Robe

Don’t miss all of this Home & Keeping in Winter Series.

Acknowledgement:
This Home and Keeping in Winter post is a part of the iHomeschool Network Hopscotch.