Tips for getting through Cold and Flu Season

Tips for getting through Cold and Flu Season is a sponsored post in partnership with Kinsa.

Cold and Flu Season is in full swing.  With three young kids who are always on the go we have our guards up and we are doing out best to get through Cold and Flu season with as few days out as possible.  Last year we made it through cold and flu season without even one kiddo getting sick! *knocks on wood* I cannot imagine we could be so lucky two years in a row but we are crossing our fingers! In a partnership Here are some quick tips that we use to help keep cold and flu at bay and also a few ways to ease the pain if you do get sick……

1. 1. Flu Shot – while it appears to be more effective some years than others, our doctor as well as most of the medical community suggests a flu shot at the beginning of each flu season.  If you have gotten a flu shot you should still follow the steps below, but a flu shot is always our first line of defense.
   2. Wash your Hands – We remind our kids every day to wash their hands before they go to school, before they eat, after using the restroom, when they get home, etc.  Making sure you wash your hands with warm water and soap is important.  We encourage them to get all the nooks and crannies of their hands and keep their nails trimmed short.  Colds and flu spreads very quickly, wash it down the drain!
   3. Eat Healthy and drink extra fluids – This time of year it is easy to forget to eat healthy.  Between school, sports, and the beginning of holiday planning we are busier than ever!  Eating plenty of fruits and veggies, drinking plain water, and reducing sugar helps boost your immune system.  Eating a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water could keep colds and flu away entirely, and if you do get sick it will help you get better faster!
   4. Watch for signs and be ready!  Catching the flu or a nasty cold in the very beginning is best.  Don’t wait until you have a full fledged cold or flue to start fighting it.  That first tickle in the throat or queasy tummy feeling should alert you to bring out your germ fighting arsenal. We have raw honey on hand to sooth sore throats, natural frozen juice pops to help barfing kids stay hydrated, a humidifier, and some conventional over the counter medications to combat from the first moment of sickness.
   5. Get a Kinsa! While any thermometer can provide you with your temperature – a Kinsa Thermometer works with the Kinsa App (FREE!) to give you so much more information. Kinsa offers a traditional thermometer (pictured below) that you use under the tongue as well as a brand new ear thermometer.  Both Kinsa thermometers use technology with your smart phone to give you a bigger picture.  Check out the information below…..

The Kinsa Thermometer is still fairly new to the market but can already be purchased at the following retailers – Apple Stores, CVS, Target, Amazon, and some Best Buy stores!

Never heard of Kinsa before? Here are just some of the things Kinsa can do for you!

*BONUS tip*  While it may not work for everyone, I HIGHLY suggest incentivizing your kids to get barf in the toilet.  Obviously this doesn’t work for the littlest of bitties – but I started paying my kids during flu season a few years back and it has kept me from cleaning up quite a lot of vomit.  Learn a little more about how my kids Monetized barfing season and why I am totally OK with it!  Maybe you don’t want to bribe your kids, that’s cool – but it works for us!  Not only does it get rid of germs more efficiently, it simply makes less icky work for whatever unfortunate grown up is on sicky duty at that moment.  Win Win in my book!

Remember to take it easy if you do get sick, stay home, rest, and remember that this too shall pass.