Coughs, colds and other bugs Part 1 - Prevention

As soon as there is a chill in the air, children seem to "go down with something". It's automatic, to be expected. However, this is something that our family has never had much of a problem with and over the next couple of posts I will tell you how we manage to avoid serious issues as a family.

Here is an anecdote: a few years ago, while we were homeschooling, my youngest was so long without going to see the paediatrician that, when I finally needed to make an appointment, I had to re - register him! They thought that we had moved away or something of the sort.

Anyway, this will be a kind of "how we do it" series of posts.

Here are some steps which can be taken which I am convinced help us to avoid infection:

Food and diet
# Eat well and include lots of fresh fruit and veggies in your diet, all year long.
# Drink at least 1 1/2 litres of water, or water based drinks, a day.
# Always prepare meals from scratch, so food dyes, preservatives, "e" numbers and other unnecessary product ingredients can be kept to an absolute minimum.
# Prepare your own bread, cakes and cookies, yogurt, etc. This way you can control what you and your family eat.
# As winter creeps in, increase your intake of vitamin C. I also like to give the really active members of our family a twice daily capsule of brewers yeast.

One weeks shop of fruit and veg.

# Keep intake of sugar, sweet food and drinks also to a minimum.
# Keep fast - food and deep fried food as a treat.

Hygiene and general, daily health rules
# Fresh air and exercise should be daily, even if it is just a wizz around the block.
# Quality sleep is essential, even if only just for a few hours. Remember everybody has different sleep needs, however.
# Everybody coming into the house should wash their hands.
# Wash hands and face also before meals, regardless of when the last time was!
# ALWAYS wash hands after using the bathroom.
# Check finger nails regularly for length and cleanliness, once your kiddos are seeing to this for themselves.
# Never share face cloths, spoons, soothers, toothbrushes, etc.
# As a general rule each member of the family should have their own bath sponge,towel, etc.
# Avoid unnecessary visits to the doctor/paediatrician. The waiting room is a bug breeding centre.
# Avoid medication as a general rule. It is much better to let your body do its thing. Herbal remedies are helpful for many aches and pains. 
# Using paper tissues to blow noses is more convenient and they are easy to dispose of. I buy ones which are impregnated with aloe. They are much softer on sore noses.
# When shopping, avoid peak hours (even more important if you have little ones with you). This means you don't go to Ikea on a Saturday afternoon!

Laundry
# Wash all laundry as soon as possible, especially if clothes or bedding are soiled.
# Hang laundry outside, whenever possible. Fresh air, low temperatures and sunshine are powerful germ killers.

# Use a good squirt of vinegar as a clothes softener in your machine. It is a natural disinfectant, both for your machine and for the clothes.
# Try, as far as possible, not to leave damp laundry hanging around the house.
# I also like to make a point of washing the soft toys and cuddlies from time to time. The special Mr. Can'tsleepwithouthim should be washed even more regularly.

House hygiene
# Air your house, especially beds and bedrooms, at least 2 or 3 times a week.
# Don't keep your house too warm. It is healthier (and cheaper) to wear another layer than to put the heating up. Between 20º and 22º C is said to be enough for daytime and a little less during the night.
# Keep kitchen and bathrooms as clean as possible.
# Cats and dogs should be kept outside. Animals are a constant source of germs which your body will be continuously fighting against.