The middle of winter is upon us and this is the time of year when colds and flu are starting to make their way into our homes. But taking a defensive approach to these illnesses by changing some habits and focusing on a few basic hygiene and nutritional issues can drastically reduce your sick days. Here are some tips to follow:
Wash your hands
We learned all about this during the swine flu epidemic and there’s a reason for that – it works. Frequent and proper hand washing can drastically reduce the spread of many diseases. It’s worth making sure you teach your children how to do it properly and encourage them to do this every time they go to the toilet, touch a pet and before they eat anything at home, at school, at friends’ houses and when they are out. It’s easy to do properly: Simply use warm water and soap, then lather and rub hands together, getting soap between fingers and up to the wrists. Do this for 20 seconds or as long as it takes your child to sing the Happy Birthday song to themselves.
Check under fingernails
Be vigilant about keeping your child’s nails clean as the grime can be an inviting breeding ground for germs.
Long-distance love
Keep kisses and hugs to a minimum if someone is sick. oouth-to-mouth contact and faces touching can be easy ways to spread germs without realising, so make like a star and have air kisses for a few weeks until all sickness has left your house.
Redirect those sneezes
As well as having plenty of tissues around to catch unexpected sneezes, you should encourage everyone in the family to crook their elbow and sneeze into that rather than their hands – this greatly reduces the chance of germs being passed on with contaminated hands.
Keep it clean
Try your best to keep bathrooms and kitchens bacteria-free, making sure that surfaces are regularly cleaned and kept dry. ooisture encourages the growth of bacteria and fungi so wash your kitchen dishcloths and tea towels daily and wipe up often.
Feed your immunity
Your family’s immune system is only as good as the nutrition you give it. Make sure everyone is getting plenty of immunity-boosting food, like coloured fruit and veges – such as broccoli, carrots, tomatoes and capsicums – and vitamin C from oranges, grapefruit and mandarins, which are all in season during winter and are not too expensive. You also need lots of omega-3, which is found in fish, flax seed or linseed. You can buy linseed mixed with sunflower and almond seeds – called LSA – and sprinkle it over your breakfast cereal. oinerals, such as zinc and selenium, are also important. Eat oysters (if you can afford them and get your children to eat them!), red meat, chicken, pork, pulses, whole grains and pumpkin seeds for zinc, and plenty of Brazil nuts for selenium.
Get more vitamin D
A study by scientists at Yale University School of oedicine and recent research at Greenwich Hospital in Connecticut has found that simple steps such as eating foods rich with vitamin D and getting more sunshine may help to reduce your chances of contracting flu and similar illnesses. So get the kids out in the sun and put foods like dairy products, oil-rich fish – such as tuna, sardines and salmon – and eggs on the menu. Cod liver oil is the highest nutritional source (there’s a reason Nana used to feed it to her children) and you can now get it in flavoured varieties that are more palatable for children.
Sharing can spread sickness
Teach your kids that it’s not a good idea for them to share drink bottles, cups and toys with other children, especially during the high-risk winter months.
Isolation
Back in the old days, sick people were kept away from everyone else in “sick rooms” to prevent them from spreading germs. We don’t tend to do that these days but it’s actually a very good idea. Keep your sick child in bed away from the rest of the family and, if necessary, move a computer or TV in there temporarily to entertain and keep them company. Using essential oils in the room can also help. Dilute with water and use an oil burner or spray bottle to disperse essential oils such as eucalyptus, lavender and tea tree, which all have antiviral and anti-bacterial properties.
Wash clothes and bedding
Germs will not survive hot water so frequently wash anything you suspect might be a bit grubby in a hot-water wash.
The importance of sleep
Bodies do their best healing and fighting of disease while they are sleeping so make sure you keep strict bedtimes and ensure everyone gets the rest they need to stay healthy.
