The Unofficial 5th Season has started in the area… The Flu! With two kids in school and two people working in healthcare, germs try their hardest to infiltrate our best defenses. I’m going to let you know a few of my secrets.
Here is my Flu First-Aid Kit that I re-stock every year:
-Baby wipes
-Lemon juice
-Local honey
-Fruit Cocktail in heavy syrup
-Electrolyte drink
-Elderberries
First, ignore the liquid alcohol sanitizer. It’s expensive for what you get and if you read the actual instructions, it’s not as convenient as it seems. With two kids, their hands get pretty nasty and as much as we try to remind them to wash their hands before they eat, how many times do they actually remember? A quick clean-up with a baby wipe, or two or three works really well. Baby wipes also don’t make a mess in our purse or bag if the lid gets loose.
Use the wipes available at the store to wipe the shopping carts. They do have some stronger chemicals than baby wipes to deal with the stronger germs that are out there. Wipe the cart down, wait for it to dry, and then you are good to go. If you want to follow up with your own wipe, it won’t hurt, just give the other one time to work. Wash your hands after you get home, before you start putting the groceries away.
There is something to be said for elderberry syrup for a preventative. You can buy pre-made versions, or you can make your own. The recipe I follow is 3-ingredients. It’s the elderberries, local honey and water. Depending on how much honey you add, the syrup should last in your fridge for at least a couple of weeks.
If a rogue bug does infiltrate the defenses, and we get that first sign of a sore throat, add some lemon juice- the regular juice concentrate available for around $2 a bottle at the grocery store and some local honey to a cup of warm to hot water (not boiling), flavored to taste and drank like a cup of tea. Repeat as needed, but usually 2-3 cups and the sore throat is gone.
For the stubborn stomach bug, sip a teaspoon of the heavy syrup from the fruit cocktail every 15 minutes or so for as long as it stays put. Set a timer if you have to. After an hour or so, gradually increase the amount. If you overwhelm your stomach, start back at the beginning. You can gradually introduce small amounts of the electrolyte drinks (commercial or make your own)- about the same rate as the fruit cocktail. It will avoid overloading your stomach and lets it get back to normal gently. The standard disclaimers apply- if things don’t get better, or something doesn't seem right, consult your doctor.
Hopefully these tips will help you and your family stay healthy well into the New Year!
