We’ve all been there-You pick your child up from school and they excitedly tell you about a classmate blowing chunks all over the classroom. You freeze, panic struck as a weird twinge of nausea begins rumbling in your stomach. You are paralyzed by a feeling of doom. What do you do? Just wait and pray? Or, your cubicle neighbor just. won’t. stop. with the nose blowing, coughing and pathetic groans? I mean, how many times have you found yourself exposed to someone who is really sick?
My kiddos were exposed to strep this weekend and as I found myself going through my routine of doing everything possible to avoid the illness, I thought this might be a good thing to share with you all. I don’t know, it might be obvious to do these things but it also might ring a few bells.
I am terrified of the stomach bug and the thought of the flu makes me pretty uneasy as well. Keeping our kid’s and our own immune system in a healthy state is key. But once you or your child is exposed, it’s crunch time to try to avoid the sickness. It might not be too late…
7 Tips To Avoid Illness
- First things first-Throw that kiddo in the bath! If it’s yourself, take a shower, stat.
- Diffuse Shield essential oil blend continuously. 24 hours for at least 2 days. This is so important. Shield or Thieves or OnGuard kills airborne bacteria/viruses as well as supports the immune system. Putting a diffuser in your child’s room while they play or sleep could make all the difference. I recommend THIS diffuser. I love them both. Oh, and check out THIS post about diffusing in the car! Also, you could put a few drops of Shield in a spray bottle with distilled water and spray EVERYWHERE. I have been known to do this A LOT.
- Rub Shield on the feet before bed. This can be incredibly effective and even enjoyable to restless kids before bed. The feet are amazing when it comes to absorbing and transporting oils into our system. As I’ve said, and I can’t say enough-Shield helps support and build up your immune system as well as act as an antibacterial mist for the air when diffused. I never let my bottle of Shield get too low. It’s vital.
- Drop the sugar-The bottom line-SUGAR feeds sickness in the body. It hurts immunity. Cut it out.
- VEGGIES, VEGGIES, VEGGIES-Vegetables strengthen the immune system. Especially leafy greens like kale and spinach. Popsicles are great for getting veggies in. Spinach is undetectable when blended with fruit and I’ve found popsicles are much more exciting then smoothies so go HERE for an exact recipe. I usually will give my girls 2 popsicles a day for at least a couple of days. I also make sure lunch and dinner include a veggie.
- Vitamin D drops-Vitamin D is one of the most effective ways to beat cold and flu season. In fact, there is a pretty solid theory that cold and flu season occur in the winter because people don’t get as much vitamin D in colder months. This is where supplements come in. My kids can’t swallow pills yet so I still do Vitamin D drops in their water once a day. I get THESE. ALSO-Stay on top of their multivitamin-No brainer here but how easy is it to get so busy that giving kids their vitamins gets pushed too far into the day and before you know it, they are in bed and it’s too late. I use THESE vitamins. Zinc and/or Elderberry are also a great way to strengthen the immune system.
- Encourage a nap or an earlier bed time. A well rested body can fight off viruses much better then a tired body. If you’ve been exposed, get to bed as soon as possible.
There you have it! I obviously can’t guarantee that if you do all these things, you or your child won’t get sick, but doing them sure lessens your chances plus, there’s nothing quite as rewarding as being proactive, am I right? Anyone want to add to these tips? Share!!!
xx, Jenni
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