Staying Green and Healthy During Flu Season

Here in Michigan we are in the midst of a huge flu outbreak. Tucker's school is cancelled yesterday and today due to illness and everyone is in a tizzy over vaccinations, staying in, and staying well. We really aren't worrying about it that much in our house, but we are taking some basic, green, precautions to stay as healthy as we can. Whether you are a flu worrying fanatic or just someone who wants to stay as healthy as possible in every way possible, here are some things that are helping us:

• Start healthy. We try to always eat a balanced diet with lots of (organic when possible) fruits and veggies. Yogurt is a daily staple for everyone (Ok, almost everyone. I can't get my husband on board yet.) because it is filled with the good bacteria that helps keep your system balanced and restore your body to where it needs to be, especially if you are taking antibiotics. We all take multivitamins daily. The truth is, if you keep your immune system up, you are less likely to get sick even if you are exposed and if you do get sick, you will get over it quicker.
• Wash your hands. This is common sense right? But sometimes it's tough. Like yesterday when Tucker kept putting his hands in his mouth and I literally had to ask him to wash his hands with soap over 20 times. Also, the kind of soap you use is important too. There a lot of studies now saying that over using anti-bacterial soap may be weakening our immune systems. So try to get a soap that's as chemical free as possible. If you want a hand sanitizer on the go, try for something that will still do the job chemical free, like Babyganics hand sanitizer.
• Change your toothbrush. It's a good idea to regularly change your toothbrush anyway, but even more so when you or someone in the house has been sick. Try Preserve toothbrushes (for adults and kids) that are made out of recycled toothbrushes and try to recycle yours when possible.
• Get the chemicals out. This may seem counter intuitive when you are trying to stay healthy, but being surrounded by chemicals constantly can actually make you more sick and weaken your immune system. Kind of ironic if the very thing you are using to clean is making you sicker. I try to wipe down high traffic areas (faucets, light switches, computers, cell phones, door knobs) every day with vinegar and water and a microfiber cloth. Remember, vinegar is the original disinfectant.
• Try not to stress. Worry and stress will knock down your immune system. So take the precautions you can and then try to let it go.

What are you doing to stay green and healthy (which are basically the same thing right)? What more do you want to do?

I am wishing all of you the very best health this crazy season!