Getting through Cold & Flu Season
It’s here…cold & flu season…by far my least favorite time of year. And just when I thought I couldn’t like it any less, we now have a triple whammy with Covid, the flu and RSV. Like one wasn’t enough to worry about.
No one likes being sick, and I am no exception to that. I find it tedious and a waste of time. I’m not as productive, I’m tired, my stomach is usually blah, I don’t want to, or can’t, workout, it’s an endless cycle of dirty tissues and dirty laundry. I’m over it just writing about it. But, sickness is a part of life, so I do what I can to prepare for it, avoid & protect against it, and when all else fails, give in to it and try to recover as quickly as possible.
Preparing Ahead of Time
I am a planner, no matter how hard I try not to be. I feel a sense of calm and ease when there’s a plan, even a loose plan, and in the chaos of being sick, especially if my kids are sick too, I don’t like trying to figure anything out in real time unless it’s absolutely necessary. To me, there are few things I like less than waking up feeling TERRIBLE and needing to go to the pharmacy or grocery store to get what I need. I just want to have it here already so I can get on with it.
Colds and viruses can crop up any time of year, so I like to do the following year-round, but really becoming more intentional in August/September, through the winter.
No matter how hard I try to avoid it, we will get sick at some point. And honestly, that’s usually okay. As kids, our immune system is being formed, so getting viruses, as much as they stink, builds our immunity to them as we get older. So instead of wasting energy on something that is inevitable, I try to focus my energy on preparing for it so I’m ready when it does happen. Nutrition is an integral part of staying & getting healthy during cold & flu season, so I like to take stock of my pantry and freezer and make sure I have the following on hand so I can make an easy chicken soup, or at least have an easy-on-the-tummy option to whip up quickly:
Bone broth (to sip; bone broth supports a healthy GI, is easier to digest and contains vitamins & minerals, including zinc, which helps to support a healthy immune system)
Chicken stock (to make soup)
Sweet potatoes (easy, mild veggie either baked and topped with a little butter/ghee or roasted with a little avocado oil and s&p; sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin C, which helps boost immunity)
Russet potatoes (great for baked potatoes or roasted with avocado oil and s&p; another good source of vitamin C)
Carrots (either roasted or in a soup; carrots contain vitamin A, which supports immune function)
Onions (for soups; onions have been used for hundreds, if not thousands, of years for their medicinal qualities, which include antioxidant & antibacterial properties, are high in lots of vitamins, including vitamin C, and support a healthy gut, which in turn supports a healthy immune system)
Ginger (fresh, for soups or smoothies; ginger’s main oil, gingerol, is what makes ginger such a powerhouse. Among many other qualities, it is anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant; a 2013 study showed that fresh ginger has protective qualities against RSV)
Garlic (fresh; keep reading for garlic’s healing properties)
Frozen chicken breasts & thighs (either for soups or baked for an easy, mild protein)
Frozen pork chops (baked for a mild protein when we’re tired of chicken)
Whole wheat pasta (put a little butter on it for something bland for GI upset)
Egg noodles (even plainer than whole wheat pasta)
Silver Hills Bakery Bread (in the freezer)
Mighty Classic or Dave’s Killer Plain Bagels (in freezer)
Rice (I prefer Lundberg Farms Jasmine Rice)
Apple sauce (always look for no sugar options; the ingredients should just be apples)
Rice cakes (I prefer Lundberg Farms thin rice cakes)
Graham crackers (either Simple Mills Cinnamon Sweet Thins or Annie’s brand)
You may notice there is a mix of things on here, from white breads and packaged foods to bone broth and veggies. Especially when we have GI upset, I rely on the basics and/or BRAT diet (banana, rice, apple sauce, toast). While I wouldn’t recommend white bread all the time, I do believe there is a time and a place, and Dave’s Killer Bread uses great ingredients. Their plain bagels have more protein than most, so that’s a great option when your stomach can’t handle too much.
In my ideal world, which I don’t live in nearly as much as I’d like(!), I also have a few freezer meals at the ready. We have a chest freezer in our basement which allows for much more space, so we utilize that quite a bit. For frozen meals, I like to try to keep:
Hawaiian Chicken (pineapple has an enzyme called bromelain which has anti-inflammatory qualities and can help alleviate sore throats; this is also a fairly mild meal (not spicy for sensitive stomachs) that I’d serve with some white rice)
Chicken burgers
Pre-made burger patties (we use bison, and will just patty them up and freeze them individually, that way they can just go right in a frying pan or on the grill for a quick protein when our stomachs feel okay)
Minestrone soup (there are so many recipes for this out there; try to find one that is lower in sodium and full of veggies)
You’ll notice that all of these, except the smoothies, are warm meals. Part of that is because these tend to freeze and reheat really well, but also because when we are sick, staying warm is important (not to mention comforting). Some recent studies have shown that keeping the body’s temperature on the warmer side helps stop a virus from multiplying. Which makes sense, as that’s also the role of a fever. Viruses don’t like heat, so when the body heats up, it’s naturally trying to kill the virus in order protect and heal itself. When we try to reduce a fever, we’re impeding our body’s natural healing mechanism. However, fevers can be dangerous, and I am not a doctor, so always check in with your healthcare provider when your temperature rises.
I strongly believe that food is medicine, and I also believe that medicine is medicine, so I’ll take inventory of our cold medicines and other “remedies.” I make sure whatever we have on hand hasn’t expired, and then fill in with whatever we’re missing. We rely heavily on supplements and more natural remedies to help keep us healthy, but we do fill in with other medications as necessary, depending upon symptoms. I’ve linked what we use at the bottom of this post. These items are simply what work for us. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting or changing any supplements or medications, as these may interact with other OTCs or prescription meds. Always consult with your child’s pediatrician on new supplements or medications, especially regarding dosing information.
Avoiding & Protecting Against Illness
From a non-food standpoint, we do the basics to stay healthy: we wash hands regularly, we get lots of rest (during the school year, we have a hard 7:00p bedtime for the kids, even on the weekends, and I’m not usually too far behind them), we hydrate with both plain water and electrolytes, we take our supplements (including probiotics) and we get lots of fresh air & movement. As soon as the kids get home from school they leave their shoes in the mudroom, change out of their school clothes and wash their hands. I also make sure the air filters on our heat pumps are clean, I pull out our cool mist humidifier and keep that running during the day (this helps to keep nasal passages moist, which deters viruses from taking up residence), I keep all of our windows cracked (as much as possible as the temps begin to drop) to get fresh air in the house, and I make sure we have sanitizing wipes & disinfectant spray in our mudroom for quick wipe downs & spraying of doorknobs.
Nutritionally speaking, I focus on lots of fruits and veggies, making sure we’re incorporating foods that are not only high in vitamin C, but also those that support GI health, too. Did you know that 70% of your immune system is in your GI tract? Which means a healthy gut is imperative to a healthy immune system. These foods include citrus, strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, tomatoes and white potatoes. White potatoes generally get a bad rap, but they can, and should, be a part of a well-rounded, balanced diet. One medium white potato has almost 30% of your daily recommended value for vitamin C, so don’t eliminate those guys all together (unless, of course, you have a sensitivity)! We also do lots of sweet potatoes and carrots, and blender muffins with various greens. My kids love fruit, thankfully, so we do lots of berries, and will top apples and pears with almond butter. A lot of these foods already support gut health, but I regularly incorporate full fat Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, as well.
Kefir and fermented foods are awesome for GI health. We admittedly don’t eat much of either, but my goal for this fall/winter is to start incorporating more fermented foods. I saw someone top an avocado toast with a fried egg and sauerkraut which looked pretty yummy.
If you have small kids, you may find that getting them to eat fruit isn’t a problem, but they will not touch a vegetable. I get it. But please, do not get hung up on them eating vegetables in their full form (i.e., a broccoli floret). Sometimes you do need to hide it in their food so that they will consume some of it. It’s a balance; it shouldn’t be all or nothing. One way I’ve gotten broccoli into my kids has been to finely, FINELY chop it, put it on a pizza crust, and cover it with sauce and toppings. I will then also serve roasted broccoli florets on the side. It’s a win-win (usually). My kids are also not huge tomato fans, unless it’s a tomato soup, a tomato-based chili or spaghetti sauce. Those count! Don’t discredit things just because they’re not in “whole” form.
Leaning into Illness
No matter what precautions we take, we will end up getting sick at some point, it’s inevitable. In fact, as I write this, we have had two months of school and we’ve had two different colds, a stomach bug, a double ear infection and a post-viral gastric delay (who knew that was a thing). So when this happens, I do as much as I can to make it as short-lived as possible, which is a job in itself, but usually it’s worth it.
The second I feel a scratchy throat or a tingle in my nose, I up my supplements, make a concerted effort to drink more water and add a few more herbal teas into my day. I’ll make a batch of chicken soup and whip up a green smoothie or two. I’ll also try to get some nice sun exposure, preferably in the morning and specifically before 10am, as the sun has lots of healing properties, especially its ability to provide us with critical vitamin D. A 2011 study showed a vitamin D deficiency was linked to increased infections. But again, it’s a balance because we also want to avoid sun burns, so just use common sense and limit (don’t completely avoid) your time in direct sunlight.
When those signs of a cold start, I’ll also chop up a garlic clove, let it sit for about five minutes, and put it on a sourdough toast. Garlic is high in allicin, a compound which is anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-fungal; however, it needs to sit for about five to 10 minutes after being chopped in order for the allicin to start releasing its healing properties.
I am also really diligent about my bedtime routine. I head to my bedroom about a half hour before I want to go to sleep, which is around 9-9:30, and brush teeth, use my tongue scraper, wash face, etc.; I make sure the humidifier is full and I fill up our diffuser, putting in some combination of lavender/eucalyptus/peppermint essential oils, I shut off the TV, put my phone away and pick up a book. Sleep is crucial when you are sick, and I don’t shortchange it.
This one always gets me a little bit, but depending on how I’m feeling, I may scrap our meal plan for the week and pivot to soups and bland meals. This is when I lean into the list above and take out some of the pre-made soups from our freezer.
I’ll also open our windows as much as possible, even in the winter. If it’s freezing out I may only crack them for two minutes, but to me there’s no harm in airing out the house, and there’s nothing quite like airing out a room in the morning after a sick person has slept in it all night. I also find hot showers always feel good when I have a cold, especially when I have sinus pressure; and we make sure to give the kids a bath every night when they are sick. It feels like we’re washing away the germs, plus the steam can help loosen mucus and relieve sinus pain. This one gets tiresome, but I commit to it: I wash all bedding, sleep loveys and pajamas daily when we’re sick (or at least rotate with a clean set every day so I don’t have to wash each day). At the very least, I’ll throw on a clean pillow case. Similar to daily baths, to me this just feels like we’re washing away germs. Plus, I’ve literally never met anyone who said a fresh set of sheets and pajamas didn’t feel good.
One Last Note
It can be A LOT of work when you’re sick, especially when you have sick kiddos. I try as hard as I can to commit to the steps I’ve laid out here, but the bottom line is to listen to your body and not exert yourself too much. I cannot stress enough the importance of rest when you are sick, so if all you can muster is canned soup and some toast, then so be it. Eventually you’ll get back on your feet and can reset.
Many local pharmacies, grocery stores and/or natural food stores carry these products:
I am not a trained medical professional, and this is not meant to be medical advice.
Always talk to your doctor/provider before taking any supplements or medication.