It’s that time of the year and cold & flu season are upon us. You would think to live in Florida that it never gets cold here and that we never get sick, but unfortunately, that isn’t the case. I probably get sicker here in Florida then when I lived up north. It’s tough when I get sick because I don’t have my mom or gramma to take care of me anymore and well, let’s face it men aren’t the best at nursing us back to health. In most cases they are laying on the other end of the couch whining about how much sicker they are than you. All those meme’s you see on Facebook have to come from somewhere, right?
So it is inevitable we are going to get sick so we might as well be prepared. Pharmacist Maria Mantione suggests “before cold season, stock your medicine cabinet with the essentials. Stick to single ingredient products, so you have you what you need to treat your specific symptoms. These include pain relievers and fever reducers, a decongestant, cough medicine, lozenges and a sore throat spray. Topical medications, like Chloraseptic sore throat sprays and lozenges, are great to have on hand because they are portable, can be used safely with other cold medicines, and have very few side effects.”
With that in mind, I thought I would share what goes into my “Mom’s Winter Cold & Flu Survival Kit” so the next time you get sick you have what you need.
Mom’s Winter Cold and Flu Survival Kit
- A Good Book: This is the one and only time I get to be 100% selfish and lay back to enjoy a good book. Take advantage of this and stop thinking about all the things you should be doing. Relax. Read. Enjoy.
- Warm Fuzzy Socks: Nothing makes me feel more pampered than a nice fuzzy pair of socks to keep my feet warm when I feel like poo.
- Chicken Noodle Soup: Since I’m the maker of the soup I have to rely on quick and easy with little to no work on behalf of the peanut gallery so I keep some instant chicken noodle soup handy for such an occasion.
- Peppermint Tea: Give me a hot cup of peppermint tea with honey and I’m already feeling better. It’s what my grandma used to do.
- Honey: Another all-natural remedy for feeling sick and it goes so good with peppermint tea.
- Essential Oils: I couldn’t live without them. I shared a great post on how to Make Your Own Essential Oil Nasal Inhaler similar to the ones you find in the drugstore, but this is all-natural and so much more relieving.
- Chloraseptic Sore Throat Spray: I love the new cherry flavor of Chloraseptic Spray® and since my grandmother relied on this brand, I do too. It’s also the #1 pharmacist recommended brand for sore throat liquids/sprays and are perfect to offer you targeted relief. You can find a coupon for Chloraseptic® here.
- Anti-Bacterial Wipes: Everything I touch I wipe down with anti-bacterial wipes, that way when my minions come to take care of me they don’t have to worry as much about picking up germs from all the things I touch.
- Throat Losengers: I keep my favorite Chloraeptic® Throat Losengers in my kit because the soothing liquid center relieves my pain and they also cool my nasal passages making breathing feel more comfortable.
- Hand Sanitizer: Keeping your hands clean is one of the best ways to prevent spreading illness, but it also helps you from picking up more germs.
More of Chloraseptic® Pharmacist Maria Mantione’s Tips for Cough & Cold Season:
Wash your hands often. Washing your hands with soap and water is the best way to prevent the spread of the common cold.
Prevent illness by practicing healthy habits. Make sure to get enough sleep, eat a balanced, nutritious diet, exercise, and minimize stress.
Get your flu shot! The CDC recommends a flu shot for everyone over the age of 6 months. It is easy to get – just talk to your pharmacist. It the BEST way to prevent the spread of the flu. It does NOT prevent the common cold, but the flu is a devastating, serious illness that could put you out of commission for a week or more, or even worse, land you in the hospital with pneumonia or infects someone you love with a weaker immune system – like babies, the elderly, or those undergoing chemotherapy.
Join the conversation using the hashtag #ChlorasepticRelief
Ten Items for the Cold and Flu Survival Kit
Also, keep ahead of flu season this year with the Chloraseptic® Cold & Flu Tracer
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Great tips but don’t forget the honey and lemon.
YES! I agree with everything, especially those fuzzy socks. I am normally tripled up on those anyways because my tootsies are always cold.
It’s so good to always be prepared. I’ve been with the flu a few times and it is not pretty
great tips, I use a lot of echinacea in the winter time i find it helps no matter the season
The Chloraseptic is always in my kit. That stuff works wonders when you have a sore throat!
I love that it always includes a good book. This is an awesome survival kit! Definitely something any mom will enjoy!
This is an awesome survival kit. I haven’t tried the Chloraseptic, yet. I will look for this.
Honey, lemon, tea and essential oils are in our cold and flu survival kit as well. It’s good to keep these things on hand for sure.
Great post! I’m totally going to make a little kit for myself and one for my sister! Chloraseptic is definitely going in it, too!
This is a great cold/flu kit. My kids and I got sick 2 weeks ago. My son had to stay at home for almost 2 weeks
great tips. my boyfriend is always getting ill. i’ll be showing him this post.
You’ve got everything covered. This is probably one of the most extensive cold and flu survival kits I’ve seen around! 🙂
I bought a huge jar of honey last week. HOney doesn’t last very long in our household, I love it with my ginger tea!
Great survival kit! I love a good book when I am sick. It helps distract me. And Chloraseptic always helps my sore throat.
Oh yes, I always keep honey in my household too and hand Cholraseptic works wonders too! I’ve been eyeing that book for a week now, I’ve been wanting to get one.
Great survival kit and I love that you include the book, it will take time to read.
My hubby loves ginger tea with honey when he is down with a cold. Chloraseptic is also our best bud when we have a sore throat. It is just amazing how much relief it provides.
My good friend is down and out with the flu right now. We took her a light dinner after school so she doesn’t have to cook. I remember my mom having Chloraseptic on hand. I should get some.
I love honey and tea. I’m not big on cold meds because they make me feel worse. Fuzzy slippers are a must and of course Vicks! Great tips to be prepared and plan ahead.
Chloroseptic is my go to throat spray whenever I get sick. It always makes me feel better.
This is so true. A good book, meds and rest are always something we turn too. I love the spray – makes it so easy to have quick relief and no mess.
Everything you listed is so perfect! It’s that time of year for sure, these are must haves around the house too!