Fall is a challenging time of year.  Yes, the trees are gorgeous, and the weather is finally cooling down.  Then it changes its mind and warms back up again.  At the time of the writing of this article, the weather dropped 30 degrees in one day.

The constant changes of weather are hard on your immune system.

When you are ill, you are stressed because you cannot do what you need to do.  Instead of taking care of your family, they need to take care of you.  You miss important events such as church services and family gatherings (especially around the holidays).

Here are a few tips to avoid illness this fall and winter:

1.  Always carry hand sanitizer with you in public.

Remember, you cannot see germs.  Do you need hand sanitizer at home?  Absolutely not, unless you do not have running water.

In public, germs abound, and most places in public are very high traffic.  It’s almost impossible to keep them clean enough. 

Always use hand sanitizer when you are eating on the go (whether it’s your own lunch you are eating or a salad bar).  It would also be wise to use your hand sanitizer and an extra napkin to clean off your table before you eat. 

2.  Spend time outdoors.

Even when you need to bundle up in multiple layers, get outside for some Vitamin D (excellent for your immunity) and fresh air.  It’s even more important in the colder months than in the warmer months. 

First, newly constructed homes and apartment buildings are build very air tight.  It’s excellent for warmth but not excellent for ventilation purposes. You need fresh air especially if you are using store-bought cleaners that are polluting your home’s air. 

Go hiking, skiing, sledding, ice skating, or walking. 

Go here to learn how to improve your home’s air quality. 

3.  Change your kitchen and bathroom towels frequently.

While you may be able to change them once or twice a week during the summer, germs abound in the fall and winter.  Change your towels more often and keep your family healthier. 

If you have a small family. every other day may be sufficient. However, if you have multiple children, you will need to change hand towels once a day or even more often.  (Hint: if the towel becomes wet, it’s time to change it.)

Germs and dirt that are not washed off usually end up on hand towels; therefore it’s vital to change hand towels frequently.  It’s a simple way to avoid illness. 🙂

4. After you return home from work or a large public gathering (two places full of germs), change your clothes and take a shower.

In America, the most popular shower time is in the morning.  However, if you have been out in public all day, it’s an excellent idea to wash off any germs with which you have come in contact as well as change into clean clothes so that you are not spreading germs and therefore illness all over your home. 

5. Eat at home as much as possible.

Do you know of people who won’t miss work no matter what?  Those type of people may be cooking your food or serving you at the restaurant where you are eating. 

By eating at home, you can also cook from scratch and make wiser choices for your family. 

Go here to learn more benefits of eating at home. 

6.  Wash your table and hands before each meal.

You probably cleaned your dining room table at the last meal, but what has been on your table since then?  It’s faster and easier to take two minutes to clean your table than to deal with weeks of illness.

Also, wash your hands with a moisturizing soap.  Anti-bacterial soap will dry out your hands and make it harder for your skin to defend your body against germs. 

7.  Get plenty of rest.  

Your body rebuilds and heals itself while you rest.  Our society glorifies a fast, non-stop lifestyle, yet look at all the people who have health issues.  Often they are diagnosed with something very serious once the retire.

Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing.  It’s your job to take care of your health and your family’s health! 

Get to bed at a decent hour, and take a day to be mostly at home without doing chores and other housework. 

Also, take time every day for some rest.  Read, take a walk, do a crossword puzzle, or something else that rejuvenates you. Working 12-hour days will run your body down and make you ill.  Yes, I know from experience.

Are you tired of fighting illness every fall and winter?  Are you ready for a positive change in your life?  I used to get the flu every year and be ill for 3-4 weeks.  Now I rarely catch it and recover quickly if I do.  If you are ready to take charge of your own health, let’s talk.  Email me here now using the subject “immune system.”  I’d love to hear what your main challenges are and listen to your concerns.  I’ll also share what natural remedies have worked well for my family and my clients.

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