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3 Natural Ways To Prevent Colds And Flus In Your Family This Winter

15 December 2014

Michelle Hopkins

While there is nothing that can keep every member of your family from catching a cold virus all winter, there are natural steps you can take at home to help make illness an occasional thing in your home this winter and not a constant problem.

1. Humidify Your Home

Adding humidity to the dry air in your home is one step that produces several positive effects that can minimize illness in your family. Winter air is dry, and heating systems suck even more moisture out of this already dry air.

Dry air can cause your nasal passages, sinuses, and mucus membranes to become dry, which makes it easier for viruses to get past these natural barriers. A humidifier in your home will add moisture to the air that then keeps your family's natural defense systems functioning well.

There are also studies that show that drier air is able to transmit viruses more easily than air that is moist. This means that if a member of your family does contract a virus this winter, it is less likely to spread to the rest of your family through the air when the air in your home is humidified.

2. Choose Hand-washing Instead Of Sanitizer

Hand sanitizers definitely have their uses, but they should not replace proper hand-washing in your home. When on-the-go, sanitizer is quick and easy to use to kill some germs on hands. However, proper handwashing has been shown to kill more germs on hands than typical, over-the-counter hand-sanitizing solutions.

Set a timer next to your sinks that can be set to 20-seconds, which is the optimal time everyone should spend lathering that soap on their hands before rinsing well.

3. Make Bedtimes An Hour Earlier

Take a cue from nature when the sun is setting earlier and earlier each day to move your family's bed-times up an hour. Getting proper sleep is one of the best ways to keep your immune system working full-force. It may surprise you, but the optimal number of hours of sleep a child or teenager needs to keep their immune systems healthy is 10 hours.

While you can get a bit less sleep than this as an adult, going to bed an hour earlier than usual can help keep you healthy, as well. Also, think about adding in a nap-hour during the winter months after work and school.

Keeping your family free from colds and flus all winter is a difficult endeavor, but you can minimize illness in your home when you follow these tips.

For more information or advice, contact a clinic such as Entira Family Clinics.

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