Holiday Wellness 101

Moms eager to keep themselves and their families feeling great during the holiday season and year-round gathered in The Motherhood on November 30, 2011, to talk about staying germ-free and high-energy.

 

Let’s take a look at the top 10 tips that emerged from the discussion about how to keep everyone feeling good during the holidays.

 

 

Tip #10: Be prepared

 

“In the event that someone gets sick, I keep on hand some staples. Jello, soda crackers, Ramen noodles, and ginger ale. Nothing worse than when your kids are sick and YOU are sick and somebody needs to get to the store,” said Deborah.

 

 

Tip #9: Keep sick kids home

 

“If my child is sick, I take them out of school right away and keep them out until they are totally well. I wish others would do the same,” said Suzanne, Mom Confessionals. “I know parents are busy, but then the germs are just passed back and forth.”

 

 

Tip #8: Stop germs at the front door

 

“Kids bring home germs from school often. Have them wash hands right away and even consider having them change clothes!” said Stefany, To Be Thode.

 

Suzanne at Mom Confessionals agreed, “I do that too and I work in a hospital. God knows what I bring home!”

 

 

Tip #7: Eat healthy

 

“Keep the foods as real as possible. My philosophy around food is all around quality and quantity,” said Betsy, B Moore Healthy. “Quality meat and dairy from a local farm if you can do it! Dairy, however, is not our friend when we have congestion, cold symptoms!”

 

“I drink a lot of smoothies. My pumpkin one last month was really popular. My kids like some of them. I use a green tea base instead of milk, and that’s great,” said Julie Pippert.

 

“We do green smoothies with kale and fruit.  Great way to get greens into the little ones!” added Betsy.

 

 

Tip #6: Include superfoods

 

“Super foods, in my book, are all fruits and veggies. They all have their own amazing qualities,” said Betsy, B Moore Healthy.  A few other examples:

 

– Kale

– Gogi berries

– Raw cacao

– Honey

– Pomegranates

 

 

Tip #5: Don’t forget about home remedies and supplements

 

“I’m big on eating healthy (lots of fruits and veggies) and taking Vitamin C or zinc when colds start coming on,” said Penelope, Penelope’s Oasis.

 

Caryn at Rockin’ Mama suggested “Probiotics!  I find we don’t get sick as often when we take probiotics. They are also helpful for digestive issues.”

 

“Daily vitamins are just good in general,” said Suzanne, Mom Confessionals. “It’s a good foundation to start with. I also keep lots of lemon on hand, nature’s sanitizer… And mixed with honey it’s great when I feel something coming on.”

 

“Another good concoction is a cup of very hot water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (the natural type if available) and a tablespoon of honey mixed in. It tastes like hot cider, is soothing, and is good for the digestive tract to boot,” said Becki.

 

 

Tip #4: Simplify and stay organized over the holidays

 

“We cut way back last year by doing the 3 gifts thing. That has helped my buying stress. I use a calendar to keep up with other stuff,” said Stefany, To Be Thode.

 

“I simplify and listen to myself. If I feel stressed, I need my de-stress time, and if tired, I need rest. I avoid as best I can the temptation to go go go!” added Julie Pippert.

 

 

Tip #3: Consider getting a flu shot

 

“An ounce of prevention goes a long way,” said Suzanne, Mom Confessionals.

 

“We are religious about it,” agreed Becki. “My daughter gets pneumonia easily when she gets a bad upper respiratory infection.”

 

 

Tip #2: Wipe down surfaces

 

“If I were to pick one thing to keep germs at bay, I would say to not touch public things too much! It’s incredible how babies can get sick from sitting in markets shopping carts (those germy handles) and I keep wipes and antibacterial lotion on hand because you can’t always avoid it,” said Penelope, Penelope’s Oasis.

 

Added Stefany at To Be Thode, “During your daily cleanup, grab a can of Lysol and spray surfaces! Get doorknobs, phones, etc. Clean the kids toys often or spray those down too when they go to bed.”

 

 

Tip #1: Above all, clean your hands

 

“Wash hands a million times a day especially if you have little ones AND wash their hands too,” said Betsy, B Moore Healthy.

 

“Hand sanitizers are okay but as a nurse, I have to say I am pro-water and soap. The sanitizers are great for on the go though,” said Stefany, To Be Thode.

 

 

Thanks to our fantastic, health-oriented co-hosts:

 

Betsy, B Moore Healthy
Caryn, Rockin’ Mama
Penelope, Penelope’s Oasis
Stefany, To Be Thode
Suzanne, Mom Confessionals

 

 

See the original Talk here: http://tmotherhood.wpengine.com/talk/show/id/62302