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Anyone starting preventative measures for flu season? (besides vaccine)

HappyGrace

By HappyGrace,
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Tammi K

Tammi K

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I just emphasis hand washing. I figure the best thing to do is avoid getting the germs in our mouth and eyes and we'll be okay. So far, so good. Six kids and no one has ever had the flu. DS even went to summer camp when 158 of the 160 people attending got swine flu and he was one of two that didn't. the other was a person who worked in the office. I figure there is something to the hand washing - otherwise, we're just really lucky or have great immune systems.

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tabinfl

tabinfl

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Get kids in the habit of washing hands many times a day, before eating and when we come home from anywhere we've been around other people. Avoid crowds of people during flu season.

 

Another good habit I am working on with them is to keep their hands away from their faces. It's a tough one, even for adults, but it can make all the difference. Unless someone coughs or sneezes right in your face (or you go around licking shopping cart handles :) ), chances are you're going to introduce the germs into your eyes/nose/mouth with your own hands.

 

I love this video: http://www.flu.gov/video/2009/08/toothbrush-prank.html

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Dahliarw

Dahliarw

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We are similar to others (no vaccines here either).  Hand washing.  Vitamin C, echinacea, vitamin d, elderberry.  Raw garlic and raw honey if feeling ill (though the honey is better for more bacterial things).  Also, sipping hot liquids and such throughout the day can help kill the virus, as it enters through the respiratory system (i.e. hot liquids can help kill the virus if it is lurking in your throat, etc).   

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happypamama

happypamama

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Where do you get your elderberry syrup? Interesting to use it as a preventive.

 

How much vitamin D are y'all taking/giving your kids? I'm wondering if I should up ours or not. We should also start taking our cod liver oil again.

 

Last winter, we severely limited trips to places like the library, and we cracked down hard on all public water fountain use. We had not a single illness, not even a sniffle, all winter. I've just reminded my kids that water fountains are off-limits for a while.

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PeterPan

PeterPan

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Hi Happy--Like the others, I've had to enforce handwashing to cut down on illness.  I also did something I would have preferred not to in general and got the antibacterial soap.  Now maybe the problem was I always put out bar soap before?  Maybe it's simply the fact that it's in a pump and cool and getting used?  Whatever the case, I'm fastidious about it now.  Went to church?  Wash.  Back from town?  Wash.  My immune system is the weakest in the house because of health problems I had, and instead of getting properly sick it just DRAGS on me and drags, ugh.  So when I keep them well, I'm helping myself.  We never get the flu anyway, but it's usually this cold stuff that goes around that they'll bring in.  One time ds brought home something horrible from the nursery at co-op.  That was BAD (like 104 fever, etc.!).  Turns out they never washed their toys at that nursery.  Can you imagine?!?!  So if we're in an extra-unsanitary situation like that, we keep hands away from mouths, wash when we leave there AND wash when we get home.

 

Shared sinks are a horrible source of germs.  My dd got mucho sick at camp this year.  Turns out the idiots had a sink in each girl cabin and a CLOTH TOWEL that didn't get replaced.  Can you imagine?!?!  Pump soap and paper towels would have solved that.  I was irate, and she won't be going back to that camp, mercy.  I guess the moral of that one is, like the others said, you have to teach them for at home AND when they go out.  Guess I have more work to do on that!  

 

The other good thing you can do for your immune system is limit/drop your consumption of white flour and cheese.  They log and coat the gut, and immune system starts in the gut.  Salad, fresh fruit, these things clean out the gut.  Do that and build your good bugs (with yogurt, acidophilus supplements, etc.), and it will help.  If we get a tickle of something, we start pumping the primadophilus (good brand of acidophilus) right away.  

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klmama

klmama

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Handwashing. Garlic. Vit. D, C, zinc, and avoidance of sugar and grains.  Probiotics/fermented veggies.  Avoiding people who go out while sick.  Hydrogen peroxide on a cotton swab to wipe out noses after exposure to sick people.  Hydrogen peroxide on a different swab to disinfect ears after exposure or if have sore throat or swelling in Eustachian tubes.  Sleep. 

 

 

 

 

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HappyGrace

HappyGrace

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Thanks, everyone-I had totally forgotten about probiotics!

 

We do wash hands as soon as we get home from anywhere, but I need to remind them before flu season about washing while out, hands away from faces, etc.

 

OhE, I'm in the same boat with a newly dx'ed chronic illness since last winter, so I *really* need to stay well so it doesn't trigger my other thing. Thankfully, my dc are older now (10 and 13) so they are pretty good about washing, etc. Sorry your dd got sick at camp-not fun!

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tabinfl

tabinfl

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Here's a good look at risks of influenza, the flu vaccine, why it's impossible to get concrete answers about just how dangerous the flu is, and clarification of some misinformation about the vaccine: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/one-flu-into-the-cuckoos-nest/ (search for 'influenza' on that site for even more).

 

It's long, but it is a complex subject thst can't really be summed up in a 5-second sound bite (though many people try, and that's part of what gets us to this state of confusion).

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PeacefulChaos

PeacefulChaos

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We wash our hands.  :lol:  

The kids take vitamins... I'd like to switch everyone over to Juice Plus but I don't think we'll end up having the $$ for it after all, since one of my sources of income is gone.  :(  (Which I'm not actually sad about... I'm just sad about not as much money coming in! :D )

Astro will definitely get the flu shot.  

DH and I may be able to get it free again through work this year (last year I didn't work there, not sure if I'll be able to get it or not since I'm not FT), and if so, we will.  

I'm debating on getting it for Pink.  Probably not - Astro is the only one with asthma.  

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ThatHomeschoolDad

ThatHomeschoolDad

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I have to agree with hands. Sanitize in the car and wash first thing in the door at home. It's a habit DD has embraced, and we never get flu shots. DW will get a series of colds or strep, but when you teach middle school band, there's a lot of....ahem...hot air and certain fluids being sprayed hither and yon.

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justamouse

justamouse

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fermented veggies, bone broths, Vit D3, lots of sleep and long walks. Elderberry, oregano oil, grapefruit seed extract, hand washing (no alcohol sanitizers), just plain soap, and I use the Seventh Generation disinfecting wipes for the fridge handle, keyboards, remotes, and whatnot. I forgot the raw honey and garlic. Lots of garlic. 

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justamouse

justamouse

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Get kids in the habit of washing hands many times a day, before eating and when we come home from anywhere we've been around other people. Avoid crowds of people during flu season.

 

Another good habit I am working on with them is to keep their hands away from their faces. It's a tough one, even for adults, but it can make all the difference. Unless someone coughs or sneezes right in your face (or you go around licking shopping cart handles :) ), chances are you're going to introduce the germs into your eyes/nose/mouth with your own hands.

 

I love this video: http://www.flu.gov/video/2009/08/toothbrush-prank.html

 

My eye dr told me that rubbing the eyes is the main avenue for contracting a virus. And you're right, trying to get kids to not rub their eyes...

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mommymilkies

mommymilkies

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Nope.  We never get the flu or anything, either.  Rarely we get a minor cold.  We've never had the flu vax (dh did once over a decade ago and got extremely ill from it). I used to work in hospitals and I'm an obsessive hand washer, and we always keep Emergen-C packets on hand if we're feeling under the weather.  That's it.

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mirth

mirth

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Here's a good look at risks of influenza, the flu vaccine, why it's impossible to get concrete answers about just how dangerous the flu is, and clarification of some misinformation about the vaccine: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/one-flu-into-the-cuckoos-nest/ (search for 'influenza' on that site for even more).

 

It's long, but it is a complex subject thst can't really be summed up in a 5-second sound bite (though many people try, and that's part of what gets us to this state of confusion).

"A meta-analysis on one study on an intervention of magic. Pu-lease.  "  <== funny!

 

The whole idea of "boosting the immune system" by taking vitamins or whatever suggests that a revved up immune system is what you want.  It is not. 

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klmama

klmama

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The whole idea of "boosting the immune system" by taking vitamins or whatever suggests that a revved up immune system is what you want.  It is not. 

 

That's true.  However, some people don't absorb nutrients as well as others, and for them the vitamins can be essential to keep the immune system functioning properly. 

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IHaveNoIdeawhatIAmDoing

IHaveNoIdeawhatIAmDoing

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Great ideas in this thread.

 

A few of my kids are not huge fruit eaters. I have implemented a new rule, though, at breakfast; either drink your entire serving of OJ or eat a piece of fruit. Not dismissed from the table until one or the other is done. 

 

Just be careful about what kind of orange juice you're giving them. Most aren't as healthy as they seem and definitely shouldn't be used as a fruit supplement. 

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magnificent_baby

magnificent_baby

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Just be careful about what kind of orange juice you're giving them. Most aren't as healthy as they seem and definitely shouldn't be used as a fruit supplement. 

 

Oh I know. I only buy 100% not from concentrate (which I know, is also debatable). It's the vit C that I'm going for and I don't do supplemental vitamins. It is hard to get mine to eat fresh fruit so I'm going to have to get creative, but in the meantime, it's better than nothing.  :)

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Susan in TN

Susan in TN

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What do you use the hydrogen peroxide for and how often? TIA!!

At the first sign of the flu (respiratory, not stomach) we put hydrogen peroxide (about 1/2 capful) in each ear for 3 or 4 minutes, and repeat every 2 to 3 hours. There are some viruses that enter through the ears and they incubate/multiply in there and then spread through the sinus system.

 

I've found that its most effective for the really severe variety of flu where you are feeling pretty good but within a couple hours you feel like you just want to lay down and die - body aches, heavy lungs, severe headache, etc. Generally within about 4 treatments in the day, I am feeling pretty good again, but I keep up with the hydrogen peroxide for a couple of days 3 or 4 times a day just to make sure it's gone.

 

And you have super clean ears ;)

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