30 Nov How to Survive Flu Season and Keep Your Sanity

It’s THAT time of year again! It’s cold AF outside and my family is getting sick 24/7. Yes, people. I’m talking about Flu Season. FML. Given that I am the only woman in a house full of men, I have had quite a bit of practice playing nurse when everyone but me manages to get sick.

Side note: Am I the only person who believes that husbands are the biggest babies in the entire world when they get sick? When my husband, Dayo, gets sick- Lord help us all. First words he mutters whenever he even gets a little tickle on the back of his throat “I feel like I’m going to die”. Do you, Dayo? Do you? I guess I should just call our lawyer and have them update the will. My strong, tough husband turns into a whining, helpless, man child who believes I’m his personal slave. What a little wuss puss.

Anyway, over time I’ve had to really get my nursing skills up to ensure that I (1)  contain the virus, so the uninfected don’t get sick and (2) speed up the healing process, so I can stop being a prisoner to my own family.

Below are my tips on how I make it through flu season and still keep my sanity. Disclaimer: I am no doctor, but these are tried and true tips that have worked for my family.

1. Raw Organic Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar– This is the number 1 item I would suggest to any parent or human being for that matter. Whenever anyone in my family turns into a crusty, mucus monster I make sure to down this shit like three times a day to protect myself from being turned into a gooey, booger factory.FYI: It’s absolutely disgusting! Some people take a straight shot, but I’m not nearly that gangsta. I mix mine with water. It is important to make sure that any apple cider you get says “with the mother”. That’s the good part that helps to kill all the bacteria and stuff. I try to drink it at least once a day on a regular basis just to prevent any pesky germs from making their way into my system.
2. Aquaphor Advanced Therapy Healing Ointment– I know what you’re thinking “isn’t that for babies’ asses and shit?” but trust me, this greasy gunk is THE BEST! I normally use it for my baby’s butt and my dry skin, but this stuff is handy AF when your baby/kid/man-child-husband gets a fever rash. Not sure if that’s the technical term, but fever rash is what I call a fever induced rash (that makes sense, right?).. I’ve recently had to deal with this as Ashton gets fever rashes on his neck and back during his teething spells. Rub this shit on the affected area and the rash is usually gone within hours!
3. QQCute Digital Infrared Forehead Thermometer – If you’re like me, you are grossed about putting a thermometer in a phlegm-filled mouth or stinky underarm. This baby is a GOD SEND! All you have to do is put the thermometer on the infected person’s forehead, press the button and you get their temperature in one second! Literally one second! No more pinning your baby down while trying to keep a thermometer under their underarm or holding a thermometer in your kid’s mouth while sharing awkward eye contact.
4. Vicks VapoRub– This one is an oldie, but goodie. Vicks not only helps with opening up a clogged, mucus-filled nose. It relieves muscle aches and pains ( even headaches if you rub it on your temples) AND it can even reduce a nighttime cough if you rub some on the bottom of your child’s feet and cover them with socks before bed.
   Bottom line: VICKS IS THE SHIT!
5. Pedialyte Freezer Pops– Even when one of my kids has a high temperature and barely wants to move, they will never say no to a popsicle. These bad boys will not only help cool your little one down, they are also packed with electrolytes sodium, potassium, and chloride to help them feel better fast; while replenishing the electrolytes they’ve lost when dehydration occurs. These lifesavers also have super low sugar count, so you don’t have to worry about your child miraculously feeling better and running around like a crack head.
6. Homemade Ginger Tea- This is my go to and it’s super easy. Just buy two knobs of ginger, peel them with a veggie peeler and drop them into a pot of simmering water for about an hour. Once that’s done, turn off the heat and add a cup of honey and the juice of one lemon. Serve it hot or allow it to cool and store it in the fridge for up to four days. This combo kicks any cold’s ass! It will knock out the sniffles and a sore throat in no time.

If you don’t have the time to make your own ginger tea, crystallized ginger tea packets are not only convenient but delicious! You don’t even have to add sugar!

There you have it folks. Tips from my house to yours on how to fight the flu season. What are some of your tricks for keeping your family healthy this time of year?

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