Lately, I’ve seen a lot of Facebook/twitter updates about friends contracting all the ailments that arrive as the weather changes. Sniffles, coughs and congestion are the major complaints. Just part of winter, you think? Maybe not. It is possible, if not to avoid getting the winter sniffles, to at least minimize the length of colds and respiratory illness.
First – here’s what we do to avoid getting sick in the first place!
1. SLEEP. It’s my theory that in the winter months when the days are shorter, our bodies may actually need more sleep. Darkness and cooler weather lull me to my bed early and I often sleep 10 hours at night. My kids sleep between 10-12 hours. We follow this schedule during most of the holidays as well (sometimes to the annoyance of family who think we should make exceptions for late night celebrations). But, this way our kids maintain their good tempers and health even while the winter colds go round.
2. Fresh/cooler air. In Arizona, we are fortunate to enjoy good weather in the “winter”. Instead of bundling my children in winter clothes at the first sign of chill and turning on our heater, we make our way into the yard to play. Fresh air and sunshine offer a little Vit D and exercise, both musts for good health! And, per my favorite pediatrician’s advice, we keep our house temp between 68-72F instead of turning the heater up to 80F. Yikes! If we’re cold, we just add socks or a sweater. Here’s why:
Hotter temps + Dry air = dried out nasal passages and eyes, making them more susceptible to cold and flu germs. Also, bacteria and viruses grow faster in hotter temps. Simple!
3. Avoid dairy/orange citrus/caffeine and Sugar when illness threatens. As soon congestions appears, we cut out any phlegm producing dairy or orange citrus. Contrary to popular belief, a big ole’ glass of OJ is not a good idea when congestion rears it’s ugly head. If you want some Vitamin C, squeeze a lemon into 8 ounces of warm water and add some raw honey. Caffeine dehydrates the body and sugar weakens the immune system so we leave them alone till we’re back to full health.
If one of us does succumb to respiratory type illness, here are a few things we do to get better fast.
*As always, I’ll remind you that I am not a doctor. These are common sense remedies I use for my family, especially because they support the immune system rather than simply masking the symptoms of illness. I have taken the time to research any herbal recipes carefully myself and have consulted with my local herbalist and doctor. I encourage you to always do the same before choosing to take or administer any kind of remedy, whether herbal, prescription or off the shelf at a local drugstore.**
i loved this. you telling everyone else to rest! 😉
and when i read elevate, at first i thought you were going to say positive mental attitude or something for some reason. hee hee. but that pillow stuff is good too!
L – this comment made me laugh out loud. 🙂 Esp. the “elevate” part. Haahaa!!