The (Mostly) Hippie Mama’s Guide to Flu Season

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The (Mostly) Hippie Mama's Guide to Flu Season | Columbia SC Moms BlogFall is here, (HORRAY!), which means it’s time for pumpkins, apples, bonfires, and scarves. 

Unfortunately, it also means it’s time for colds, the flu, and other nasty bugs. I’m a bit of a germaphobe, and nothing stresses me out more than my baby being sick, so I try to do everything I can to keep my family healthy through the fall and winter months. Here are a few things we do to stay well all season long:

1. Get a Flu Shot

I’m all for natural remedies, but the flu don’t play. And they’re free at almost any drug store. Get it done. Most pediatricians offer walk-in flu shots for your littles too. No need to make an appointment.

2. WASH. YOUR. HANDS.

Often and frequently. For real. I also keep ample hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes in my bag at all times.

3. Master Tonic

My husband calls this my “hippie wizard juice,” and truly, it’s like a miracle. I used to need antibiotics for multiple sinus infections a year, and I haven’t had a single one once since I started making Master Tonic and using it all year long. It sounds SUPER gross, I know, but hang in there with me.

In a large mason jar, combine roughly equal parts chopped raw onion, garlic, ginger, horseradish root, and habanero peppers. (I do the chopping in a food processor.) Cover the whole mess with raw apple cider vinegar. Store for 2 weeks, then strain. The liquid is INTENSE, but taking a shot or two anytime you feel a sniffle coming on can stop the bug right in its tracks. Really! I usually make two big batches a year and it lasts us all year long.

4. Elderberry

Elderberry syrup or gummies are great ways to boost your immunity naturally. It’s easy to make, but you can also buy it over the counter.

5. Probiotics

A microbiologist once told me that taking probiotics is the single best thing you can do for your immune system. I take them every day, and so does my two year old. It’s prevention at its finest, and aids in digestion too. 

6. Kombucha and Other Fermented Foods

As any good hippie will tell you, fermented foods are fantastic for your gut health, and therefore great for your immune system. You can brew kombucha at home in a snap, or buy lots of tasty varieties in-store. Other fermented foods include raw miso, kimchi, and tempeh. Don’t knock ’em till you try ’em; even my toddler LOVES all these fermented foods.

What are your favorite natural remedies this time of year? 

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Kimberly Poovey
Kimberly is a writer, speaker, wife, and new(ish) mom. She directs the teen pregnancy prevention program for Daybreak pregnancy center, and is a founder of Pearls, an organization that serves women in the sex industry and fights human trafficking in the Midlands. She studied English literature at Florida Atlantic University, and though she will always be a Florida girl at heart, she has called Columbia home for the last seven years. She and her husband Braden have been married for a fabulous decade, and they welcomed their first child, Declan Finn, into the world on June 3rd, 2015. She is a contributor for Scary Mommy, the Huffington Post, and The Mighty. You can find her wandering around the great outdoors, drinking far too much coffee at her favorite local shops, and on Facebook.

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