How To Protect Your Family's Immune Systems During Cold & Flu Season

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It's officially my favorite season of the year- Autumn!  Unfortunately with the start of my favorite season also comes the start of my least favorite time of the year- cold and flu season.  In the past, cold and flu season has always been brutal for us.  Remember that one year we ended up in the hospital because JJ caught the flu twice and it turned into pneumonia?  This year we're protecting our immune systems and getting them in tiptop shape with the help of our new secret weapon- Sambucol Black Elderberry Gummies- and a few simple but effective steps.

5 Easy Ways To Keep Your Family's Immune Systems Safe

Take Sambucol Black Elderberry Gummies |  For the last six weeks, the kids and I have been taking Sambucol Black Elderberry Gummies daily.   We will continue to do so year round.  Why?  Well, it's long been known and proven that black elderberries are rich in flavonols, anthocyanins, and Vitamin C.  Both of these antioxidants and Vitamin C help boost and protect our overall immune system against cold and flu germs.

Back in the day, my Native American ancestors used black elderberries to treat a variety of ailments like infections, open wounds, and more.  I've heard my mom and aunts mention elderberries on more than one occasion, but mommy brain.

Anyways, better late than never.  I'm looking forward to there being fewer colds and hopefully, zero flu happening in this house this year.  The best part is that the kids really love the gummies.  There's nothing worse than battling with kids to get them to take medicine or vitamins.

The Sambucol Black Elderberry Gummies are soy, nut, egg, dairy, and gluten-free.  This is a huge plus for us because we have food allergies.  Also, they don't use artificial coloring, flavorings, or preservatives.  The gummies do have a tangy sweet taste, but no worries because each gummy only has 1 gram of sugar. 

Our Sambucol kit also included Sambucol Black Elderberry Syrup For Kids and the Sambucol Black Elderberry Syrup original formula (for adults and kids), which is great to mix into smoothies and yogurt just in case you have to get creative to get your kid to take his/her medicine.  And just in case we do come down with a quick cold, we have some Sambucol Black Elderberry Pastilles and Sambucol Black Elderberry Cold & Flu Quick Dissolve Tablets.

Invest In Good Quality Facial Tissue |  I've been a fan of coughing or sneezing into my bare hands or even the crook of my elbow.  My mom always raised us to keep a packet or stash of facial tissue handy for these purposes instead.  That way you don't end up with a hand or elbow full of germs that you will inevitably transfer to someone or something else accidentally.

Now, let me just say that all facial tissue is not created equally.  Some tissues are so thin that everything just bleeds through the back and ends up on your hands anyway.  Avoid those brands like the plague.  So you want to make sure that you invest in a facial tissue that is sturdy, soft, and thick.  Trust me it'll be worth the extra 50 - 70 cents in the long run.

Wash Hands Frequently |  I strive to wash my hands a minimum of 3 times a day not including washing after I visit the bathroom.  Why?  Because washing hands frequently is a great habit to have.  You would be amazed at how many germs linger on common household items like remotes, stove knobs, and table tops.

Don't even get me started on how many millions more germs are on public door handles, buggies/shopping carts, and desks in a schoolhouse.  Yes, hand sanitizer can help, but after 2-3 layers, it becomes ineffective and you need to wash those old layers off your hand in order for the fresh layer to work again.  Frequent hand washing is something I find that is harder for adults than kids because kids are generally always down for anything that involves water.


And if you're worried about drying your hands out, invest in a hand soap that also has a moisturizer as well as some quality hand lotion to apply after you've dried your hands.  Also, wash with warm water and not hot.  That will also help with dryness.

Leave Outdoor Shoes At The Door |  Have you ever sat down and thought about all of the places your shoes travel during the day?  Now have you thought about all of the germs your shoes are picking up from the places you're going?  When JJ was a baby, it felt like we lived in the pediatrician's office.  I felt like I was failing all over again because the same had happened with Moo.

Then one day his pediatrician asked if we wore our outdoor shoes inside the house.  I said yes and she suggested that we try ditching our sneakers and boots at the front door.   So, I cleaned the carpet and steam mopped all of the laminate.  Every day, I made sure we didn't go beyond the foyer with our outdoor shoes one.

It was annoying at first because we had a small foyer and we'd all be huddled there trying to remove our shoes without knocking each other over.  However, within three months, I saw a big difference in how often my son was getting sick.  Since he spent a great deal of time playing on the floor, he had been picking all of the nasty germs we tracked through with our sneakers and boots.

Ditch The Outside Clothes ASAP |  This is similar to leaving the outdoor shoes at the door.   So whenever we go the park, play outside, or hit up a place with lots of germs or do an activity where we work up a sweat and get dirty, we can't sit on any fabric surfaces before we've showered and changed out of our dirty clothes.

For example, the kids love horseback riding.  They actually got to go riding this weekend.  The sun was blazing and it wasn't long before we were all a sweaty mess.  When we got home, I spread out a blanket on the floor for Moo while she waited for me to help her brother bathe and get into a clean set of clothes.

Our shoes and hands aren't the only things that can hang onto germs.  Clothes do the same.  And when we sit down on fabric furniture like our couches or beds in clothes that are dirty, dusty, and sweaty.  We transfer those germs to those items.

I don't know about y'all, but I don't have time to shampoo couches and wash bed covers every day.  Our covers and couches would be threadbare in no time.  For me, it just makes sense to shower and change clothes before sitting on these pieces of furniture.

Well, I hope that you find these tips helpful and that they help you and your family to stay healthy and a lot less germy this cold and flu season.  And if you're interested in trying out any of the Sambucol products mentioned above, you can find them at Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Amazon, and the Sambucolusa.com.

How do you fight cold and flu germs during the cooler months?  Let's chat in the comments!