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?
ahhh i feel like i am getting sick now, but i hope its not the flu!!
xo,
Sandy
Sandy a la Mode
This post is coming in very hand today as my son is on day 2 of a runny nose… Luckily no fever or anything else yet… I think we will need to get a humidifier in his room to help him sleep. He just gets so stuffy at night!
Our humidifier seems to be running all through the winter time! It definitely does wonders.
I have the Vic Humidifier and is great… Highly recommended. Thanks for sharing.
Great list of preventative measures. I’m all about prevention. Someone was telling me that Vicks on the soles of your feet works really quickly with coughs.
It DOES!!!! I do that often when my sinuses are clogged too! I do it at night and it helps me sleep well. Also good for coughs too.
Thanks for the reminder! There is nothing worse than dealing with a sick child.
Great suggestions. We always encourage extra vitamin c, lots of sleep and more water.
we run humidifiers around the clock here – and lots and lots of water is consumed
I am a firm believer in the flu shot – I had the flu once and once was enough! We should probably get a humidifier since the climate here is so very dry. I like the ones you spotlighted – they are so modern!
My boys have a Vick’s humidifier in their rooms because we have forced hot air heat and it gets SOOOO dry in our house. I never thought about it helping to prevent them getting sick, too – bonus!
Great list! I think our favorite prevention/remedy is hot tea. Chamomile tea is probably my favorite with just a little bit of mint. When I have a cold though, I prefer Orange Pekoe tea with honey. However, the rest of the arsenal you have there is much needed as well.
Great tips! I love the thermometer
Great tips here for sure. I have the Braun thermometer and it works great. I have my vaporizer out with vicks in it now as I am just getting over being sick!!!
we like to run our humidifiers too, it seems to help during cold season.
I need more homeopathic ways to recover from colds and the flu for both myself and family. We need a new humidifier, and I like that this one comes with those scent pads. The kids recently had a horrible cough, this would have come in handy!
I have a bottle of echinachea which I add a few dropperfuls to a glass of water at the first sign if a sore throat or sniffles—if I don’t catch it in time–Zinc usually does the trick. There are several over the counter medicines that contain zinc.
I am suffering from a cold. We really need to break out the humidifier. Thanks for the reminder.
We have this humidifier and used it last night! I have a cold… It works wonderfully!
Thanks for the recommendations, we got hit with the flu last year it was so so bad. I will follow your suggestions.
My Vick’s humidifier has a timer function that is very convenient with children and pets afoot. I know I can deliver powerful treatment that won’t run all night long. My biggest flu prevention is to wash hands, a lot!
We need to get out the humidifier this year. I have a cold and night time dryness is killing me.
We have two humidifiers! My kids are always sick. We have a new thermometer too!
I think exercise is one of the most overlooked things for fighting a cold. The winter I was fittest and stuck to a very strict workout regime was the year I was healthiest. It really is crucial to over-all bodily health. – Katy
Both of my kids caught RSV every time it came through the daycare so we ran a humidifier several times during the winter. I love the easy-care features on this one!
I heard that the Vic Humidifier is really great! I think I will get the one that lights up!
I have not been feeling well lately. We have all had our flu shots, but I need to get other things in order for the cold season too. Thanks for the great recommendations.
Oh this vic humidifier is really good. I wish we have that too. very good as kids tends to get sick during this season.
I so need a new humidifier; it gets really dry in my room at night and I feel like I wake up all crunchy. I’d crank that baby up all the way!
Since you are obviously better, can I borrow your humidifier. I have the flue right now and am miserable. Our humidifier broke 🙁 I will have my husband look at this one when he goes to get me a new one tomorrow.
Oh NO Jennifer!!! I am hoping you get better soon!
I’m still running our humidifier at night in our bedroom because of my seasonal allergies. Yuck. If I don’t run it, I wake up in the middle of the night completely clogged up in my sinuses. 🙁 I can’t sleep without a humidifier now.
I’m all stocked up on tissues and vitamins, now I just need a good humidifier to get me through the winter!
what a convenient thermometer!
I am out the door to make sure I have all the elemnts in your list. we definitively will be needing ahumidifier
I got knocked out by the flu really bad last year. I am taking note of all your tips. I actually just went out and bought a humidifier.
We always use the vicks humidifier! Such a great help when cold season runs around
We usually all get flu shots and try to wash our hands often. We got hit hard with the flu a few years ago so we know how bad things can get quickly.
I start taking extra Vitamin C along with extra zinc to boost my immune system.
Great tips! That starry night humidifier sounds awesome 😀
I honestly haven’t heard of the humidifier, but it sounds great for my sinuses right now.
I’m passing this on to my mom. She is really sick right now
I’ve never had a humidifier,but now that I think about it having the menthol dispensed like that would really make sleeping more peaceful.
I have a humidifier that I keep in my toddlers room. I do recommend everyone having one as well. Great list!
My elderly parents have the cool mist humidifier by Vicks and they love it. They make great products.
I need a new humidifier since ours broke. I really like the looks of the filter free cool mist humidifier!
I love your review on the humidifier, we have been considering one for a while now and this is some great info
We still need a humidifier for our room – we got a good one for J’s room at least. We’ve used Vicks in the past, I’d probably opt for one again.
I hate this time of year. I always wind up with a cold.
I get a flu shot at the Dr to help prevent getting the flu but I don’t think that there is a shot to prevent the common cold.
I do like that the humidifier shuts off when the waters gone. I sure could use a humidifier when my head gets stuffy feeling m
How do we prepare? We get flu shots and try to wash our hands! But I didn’t think about using a humidifier until this post. Thanks for that! I like the Vicks Starry Night Cool Moisture Humidifier! Awesome light up feature!
I work in an acute care clinic and I can’t stress enough how important hand washing is. Seems like kids now a days are not taught to cover their mouth when the sneeze or cough, these three things can prevent so much.
I have heard alot of good things about the vicks humidifier. I got the flu last year and I swear I thought i was dying. I am doing everything possible to keep from getting it this year. I am using alot of hand sanatizer and taking extra vitamin c. i also took a flu shot.
I wash my hands a lot and carry hand sanitizer to use when I can’t wash them. I also take zinc lozenges when I feel a cold coming on.
We wash our hands a lot and take vitamin d3. It seems to help ward off sickness (and anxiety/depression during winter). My fave feature is using the vicks menthol liquid in the vicks humidifiers.
We always try to wash and sanitize our hands. I like the light up features and the easy care of the humidifiers.
we make sure we have all meds, flu shots done and vicks ready for all cold and flu seasons
as someone with asthma, this would be wonderful for me. Recommended by my doctor.
I get a flu shot every September. I don’t get the flu, but I still get lots of colds.
Great tips! I always recommend keeping hand sanitizer in your purse or diaper bag. Especially during the holidays when you are going to be out a lot doing shopping, you never know who has washed their hands or not.
i am pretty sure the reason i keep getting sick is my lack of sleep. miserable holiday season. 🙁
I love the vicks brand. I am hoping to purchase a starry night humidifier soon
I never owned or used a humidifier so i’m pretty excited.
my family could really use this right now we are all sick and tomorrow is christmas 🙁
I’d love to try this humidifier. Chicken soup is great.
Excellent tips! Sleep is so important to keep healthy, we tend to forget that in our busy lives. Really need to get one of these humidifiers, thinking the Starry Night would be neat in my room, not just for kids! LOL
Thanks for all the Tips. I think the most important thing is to wash your hands on a regular basis.
Thanks for the review. I’m in the market for a good humidifier. For some reason, the dry air is really bothering me this year, although I’ve made it 30+ years without a humidifier.
i would so get this my family where always sick and this looks easy to set up and turn on and it has No Filters Required to Operate.
In a house of 5 people it seems like one of us is always sick! lucky me it is my turn now!
Ever since my diet improved so has my health.
i love the dual scent pad heater- i just have a regular humidifier and i wish it had this!! i prepare for cold and flu season by taking my vitamins, drinking green tea, and washing my hands!
I enjoyed reading this post on ways to prevent or at least help with cold and flu season. I am going to use the vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice methods to help keep my current older humidifier working at optimal level. I liked the idea of simply add a few tablespoons of vinegar to your water solution each time you use the humidifier to prevent any further mineral build up.
I love that the humidifier has an auto shut off when its empty. I am very forgetful sometimes so that would be a very helpful feature for me.
My house is so dry in the winter.. at night it is awful. I need to get a humidifier to help my nose
I am glad I read this. Flu season hits us hard each year. I would love that starry night humidifier.
I always try to prevent all this but I try and keep things that will ease the complications with the flu and cold season
We definitely need to follow more of the things on this list….things I know we should be doing but they get overlooked sometimes. We use humidifiers in our house in the winter as it gets so dry. With a kindergartner we always seem to be sick.
To prepare for the cold and flu season I make sure that everyone gets their flu shot. I also make sure we eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as drink a lot of water. I have hand sanitizers in the bathroom as well as mini ones in my purse. I love that this humidifier does not have a filter which would make it so much easier to take care of!
I agree with the right tissue..woke up Christmas with a cold while out of town. Had to wait a day til stores near us opened to get good kleenex. My nose is still raw from using TP for a whole day!
I prepare by stacking up on tylenol and tissues! I love that the humidifier helps children of all ages!
I’m pretty sure the reason I have been getting sick a lot lately is lack of exercise. Thanks for the tip.
I love the Vicks humidifier. I take a 500 mg. tablet of vitamin C everyday and haven’t had a cold for years. A pharmacist told me to do that years ago and I think it does help. Thanks for having this contest.
Such great and effective tips for preventing illness yet so many ignore them to their own peril.
We have fortunately all been well so far this year. We drink juice and take an extra vitamin C and Zinc tablet during cold and fu season to try and help ward off sickness before it gets here.
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