The noses have started to run and the sneezing has begun. Hello winter, is that you?!

In my family we love to share and so when one kid brings home a cold or even the fabulous flu, they can’t help themselves… they must share it with the rest of us.

To keep the spreading of germs to a minimum, we’ve drilled a few things into the kid’s heads:

1. WASH YOUR HANDS… A LOT!!  I know you’ve heard this one a good dozen times each and every day but in reality, we don’t wash our hands as often or as long as we should. Did you know that in a sociological study of bathroom behaviours, the majority of people only washed their hands after using the toilet and/or urinal when someone else was in the bathroom. Folks, that means if they were alone in the bathroom, they did not wash their hands.  
2. DON’T SKIMP ON SLEEP:  Your body needs a good night’s sleep to fully recharge its immune system. Studies show we need 7-9 hours of sleep a night and depending on the age of your children, more could be needed.
3. WET YOUR WHISTLE: Oh boy, I can hear my mother now, “How much water have you had today?” All my life, she must have said this half a dozen times a day. Yes, it’s true your body is made up of a whole lot of water and it needs to stay hydrated, but did you also know that it’s important to keep your mucous membranes in your nose and throat moist? Ever heard of the saying if a dog’s nose is wet he’s healthy… same goes for us humans. It helps keeps the germs away.
4. HANDS OFF!  You’re not always going to be quick enough to sneeze into a clean tissue but if you train your elbow to automatically swing up and over your mouth… you’ll be doing yourself and the rest of us a HUGE favour. Also keep to touching public surfaces and doorknobs to a bare minimum. 
5. DISINFECT ALL SURFACES AND DON’T FORGET THE DOORKNOBS!  Or the electronic devices either; keyboards, tablets, phones, game controllers, etc. Go ahead, embrace your inner germaphobe! I keep disinfectant wipes in the truck as well, I frequently wipe down the steering wheel, the inside side panels, cup holders and door handles.

K, I have to add a 6th on to this list. My mother would never let me live it down. At a very, very early age we learned to swallow a handful of Vitamin Supplements at a time. Horse pills I tell ya! Vitamin C & D are especially important as immune boosters and all around awesome healthy bonuses for your body.  You don’t get near the D your body needs in the winter time, so make a run to a health food store and ask the experts which supplements you should add to your diet.  My preference, find a Naturalpath but that’s only the personal opinion of this BC girl raised by a tree-hugging, bra-burning, granola-head. 🙂


DO YOUR VERY BEST TO STAY HEALTHY THIS WINTER!! Before you know it, winter will be over but until then… here’s a little something to keep you warm until the summer returns. 

2012 ~ Grand Cayman Cruise