It’s officially cold and flu season, and I am hearing sneezes and sniffles everywhere! Whether I’m trying to prevent a cold from starting or am battling a full-blown cold, there is one natural solution that I always reach for – my cold and flu bomb! Did you know there are over one billion colds in the United States each year? You and your children will probably have more colds than any other type of illness.
If you are wondering how to tell the difference between cold and flu symptoms, check out the handy little chart I made below. You can even print it out if you like!
(Download FREE PRINTABLE here.)
Colds are the most common reason that children miss school and parents miss work. Parents often get colds from their children, and children usually get them from other children. A cold can spread quickly through schools or daycares. While you can get a cold any time of the year, they are most common in the winter. A cold virus spreads through tiny, air droplets that are released when the sick person sneezes, coughs, or blows their nose.
You can catch a cold if:
- A person with a cold sneezes, coughs, or blows their nose near you.
- You touch your nose, eyes, or mouth after you have touched something contaminated by the virus, such as a toy or doorknob.
Symptoms hit you like a freight train! Your immune system goes into CODE RED mode!
Luckily, thanks to Mother Nature’s wisdom, there is help! The cold and flu “bomb” is a blend of essential oils that can be taken internally (my preferred method) or applied topically, and is a way to knock out colds and flu before they can really get traction. Or, if you’re already down and out, the bomb will help alleviate and shorten the duration of symptoms.
The recipe:
Our family has come to depend on the Cold & Flu Bomb because it absolutely, positively works! I have used it many, many times with great success. My son Erik and his wife Kaitlyn have both been down and out for a couple of weeks now with both cold and flu symptoms and it wasn’t until they tried the bomb that they began to feel some relief.
And since we know that a cold and/or the flu can come with a host of uncomfortable symptoms…I would also recommend Lavender for headaches and body aches, and Peppermint essential oil for upset tummies. Just rub on the area of discomfort either “neat” or with a little fractionated coconut oil (or other carrier oil of your choice) and you should be feeling relief in minutes. These two have also saved me when I’m feeling poorly!
Finally, a word about prevention!
When people around you are sick and coughing…airborne pathogens can get all over everything…yuck! This is where a good diffuser is invaluable! Every home needs one…not to mention the office, classroom, hospital and doctor’s office. Diffusing essential oils into the air kills airborne pathogens. Even leading hospitals like Vanderbilt Medical Center have begun diffusing essential oils in their Emergency Room.
I strongly recommend diffusing Essentials by Jillee’s Defend essential oil blend in your home through the cold and flu season. Defend can also be rolled on the bottom of everyone’s feet before they leave the house, another great preventive measure!
- Also, don’t forget to wash your hands! The Center for Disease Control advises us to wash our hands often to prevent the spread of viruses.
- It’s always a good idea to keep your toothbrush clean, especially after a cold or flu. Just soak your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide for a few hours to kill any bacteria. Here are some more clever ways to use hydrogen peroxide.
- Washing your sheets often is important, too! For someone who is currently sick, try to wash the sheets daily on a high temperature.
- I try to limit my use of paper towels and disposable wipes, but when someone in the house is sick, it’s smart to stick to these cleaner options.
- Disinfect surfaces often, using a fresh, clean paper towel (or these disinfecting wipes made with a roll of paper towels), and then go back to reusable wipes afterwards.
Remember….an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
