Flu Season is Here! Top Cold & Flu remedies to Keep your Family Healthy

In the search to find the best way to stay healthy this Flu season,  I received a Vick’s Humidifier and Braun Thermometer for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own.

Flu Season is here. I know quite a handful of friends who have family members that have already come down with the flu. And Colds are all over the place! I’m just getting over my own cold. At this time of year is it important to follow a few tips to keep your family healthy as possible to minimize your chances of falling sick this flu season.

Preventing Flu season from hitting your home

There are a few key tips you can do to keep flu season from hitting your home. Well at least dramatically reduce your chances of getting sick doing the flu season.

• Wash your Hands! Germs spread like crazy, it is very crucial that you wash your hands with basic soap and water after bathroom visits, before eating, and other times throughout the day.
• Eat a healthy diet. Being sure to keep your body well fed with nutritious foods will help keep your immune system at it’s peak condition.
• Exercise. Believe it or not; being physically fit can help reduce your chances of getting sick this flu season.
• Sleep! Make sure you are getting to bed at a decent hour each night. And sleep soundly. If your body and mind are tired from not getting enough rest; it dramatically increases your chances of getting sick this flu season.
• Drink plenty of water! Keeping your body well hydrated helps to flush the germs and viruses from your body and keeps it working at optimal condition.
• Use a quality Humidifier! There are many benefits of using a Humidifier in your home. Especially during cold and flu season!

Even with all the prevention above; sometimes you still get sick. It just happens. There isn’t anything that is 100% effective against cold and flu season. So what do you do? Make sure you always have your cold and flu season supplies stocked and ready to go!

Our top supplies for Flu season include:

• Herbal Tea
• Essential oils – Hoping to have a great guide to help know which oils to pick for cold and flu season posted soon. But life is hectic; it may be a few weeks.
• Zinc and multi-vitamins
• OTC medications such as Vick’s DayQuil and NyQuil.
• A good book to read and/or a few great movies to watch
• A clean blanket to wrap up in.
• Tissues! The good kind that won’t dry out your nose and make it raw!
• Chicken Noodle Soup and Chicken broth.
• A Vick’s Filter Free Humidier cleaned and ready to go
• a Braun Forehead Thermometer

A few months ago, my old humidifier broke. I was so sad. I used it all the time. And then the water basin cracked and it would leak like crazy. It was time to get a new humidifier. Knowing that Cold and Flu season was close at hand, I knew I couldn’t delay.

I’m so glad that I found the new models from Vicks! They have an amazing Starry Night humidifier that I really want to get for Miss Jade’s room. It lights up and puts stars on the ceiling all while producing a fine mist of moisture into the air.

But for the main living areas and our bedroom I settled on the Vick’s Filter Free Cool Mist Humidifier.

 

It is definitely one of my favorite Humidifiers I have used yet. It is a Filter free humidifier which means a lot less maintenance. It features,

Low Maintenance Design

• No Filters Required to Operate
• Quiet Operation
• Large tank opening for easy access for cleaning
• Translucent 1.2 Gallon Tank allows for quick and easy monitoring of water level

Easy to Use

• Variable Humidity Control for customized output
• Auto Shut Off when Empty
• Runs up to 30 hrs per filling
• Perfect for medium size rooms
• Integrated Dual Scent Pad Heater allows you to increase soothing scent intensity by use of 2 scent pads

I absolutely love that I can control the amount of humidity it produces. It’s such an easy knob dial. And I am able to adjust according to the size of room we are using it in just how much humidity it needs.

It has a large opening for the water tank. So it makes it really easy to fill. And the benefits of the dual scent pad heater is another favorite feature! I love using Vick’s medications with the humidifier when I get sick. And the scent pad heater keeps it mess free and dispenses the menthol medicine all on it’s own.

Remember how I said I just got over my own cold? Thankfully our humidifier arrived right before I got sick. I immediately plugged it in and started using it. Between following the healthy prevention tips above (they are still crucial to do even after you get sick), using some essential oils and herbal tea;  I was back on my feet in just 3 days. My In-laws however, have been battling the same cold for a few weeks. Using a humidifier really does help when you are sick!

Because cold and flu season often brings fevers; you also want to make sure you have an accurate thermometer on hand.

I love the Braun Thermometer because of how easy it is to use. Have you ever tried to take the temperature of a squirmy toddler with those old under the tongue or mercury thermometers? It just doesn’t work. But when they are miserable; you need to be tracking the fever to make sure it doesn’t get too high.

The Braun forehead thermometer features a large color coded screen for fever detection. Green for good; red for high fever. So easy. And even easier to use! Simply swipe across the forehead for professional accuracy. Because the last thing you want when you or your child doesn’t feel good; is to sit with a thermometer under your tongue or underarm and wait for minutes upon minutes. You just want it done and over with so you can return to your fetal position of misery.

I also love that it is easy to clean and hygienic. And no need for probe covers! Love that. I could never keep track of the extra probe covers and often go tired of buying more.

Even with cold and flu season in full force, it doesn’t mean we have to be caught in the middle of it! Here’s hoping you can keep your home free from the upcoming Cold & Flu viruses!

For more ways to prepare against Flu season; be sure to check out our Common cold remedies and our Flu Remedies posts. And always remember to clean your humidifier so that it stays a health benefit instead of a health hazard!

For more great supplies to help you combat Flu season visit the Cold and Flu shop and get your own Braun Thermometer at Amazon.

Want to win your own Flu season supplies? Come enter our VICK’s Humidifier Giveaway from 12/11/2013- 12/27/2013. The giveaway will be open to USA  Only! And a quick hint; the first entry is to comment on this post, so be sure to leave a comment before heading over there so you don’t have to return. (Saying, “thanks for the giveaway” is not a valid comment entry for the giveaway).

How do you prepare for Flu season?

What is your favorite Vick’s Humidifier feature?