Cold & Flu Season Survival Kit

Ok everyone- the cold and flu season is fast approaching.  So NOW is the time to get yourself and your family ready.

I'm going to personally share with you what is in my kit.  Ok, ok...it's not really a kit per say but it's my "go to" survival items for when the cold and flu season arrives.

You will not find any chemical laden over the counter meds, so no Nyquil or Sudafed here.  This kit is strictly all natural, well as natural as possible.  There are two parts to our survival kit- the first being preventative care and the second being what you can do when you actually get sick.  Here we Go!

Honey- You simply NEED to be buying raw, local honey.  I buy from Farmer's Markets, pumpkin patches, local farms, produce stands and even smaller specialty grocers in my area.  Stock up because you will be using a lot of this.  During the colder months, I highly recommend you use your local honey to make this awesome tea.  Tastes great and SO good for you!

The kiddo eats it straight from the jar!

BTW- you and your entire family should be drinking this several times per week.  I'm not kidding- several times per week folks.

Apple Cider Vinegar- Make sure you are buying the organic stuff "with the mother".  You will be drinking this at least 5 times weekly.  For now, its just me and the husband that drink this although we've warned the kiddo that he'll be starting on it in the next year or so.  Trust me when I say, it's worth it.

Mix 2 tablespoons with one cup cold water and try to drink it first thing in the morning.

Elderberry- During the colder months, you should be taking this daily as part of your vitamin/supplement regime.  There are different ones for adults and for kids.  My husband and I take the ones in pill form while the kiddo drinks his each morning.

I buy from Amazon for the best price!

Essential Oils- I fully admit that this is a new one to our survival kit.  I've started with this simple starter kit and anytime we begin to not feel well, I mix up a small batch of EO's depending on our symptoms.  Typically you need a carrier oil to mix it with so I always use organic coconut oil.  So far so good!

Coconut Oil- Make sure it's organic and start using it with everything you can think of!  I personally use it on my face at night (it's great for preventing wrinkles!), we use it for oil pulling, as sunscreen, I cook with it....seriously, so many great things you can do with coconut oil.

Green Tea- If I'm not drinking honey and lemon tea, then I love a good strong cup of organic green tea.  Strong antioxidants and so good for your immune system.  And if you do fall ill- make sure to drink some green tea with a little lemon to help you feel better!

Remember to buy good quality organic tea.  And I highly recommend you read this article courtesy of The Food Babe to learn more about why tea matters.

Vitamins/Supplements- If you aren't already on a regular vitamin/supplement regime, I highly recommend it.  You'll need to do some research here and speak with a medical professional to find out what's best for you.  My husband and I currently take, magnesium, cinnamon, vit C, vit D, glucosamine and fish oil.

Epsom Salt Baths- I know this may seem like a strange thing to include here but Epsom salts help to draw out the toxins.  During the colder months, I take a bath at least twice per week.  I use regular Epsom salts from Rite Aid (nothing fancy here!) about 1 cup total and put in 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil.  It's also great for helping to ease muscle aches and relaxation.


Alright, so all the above is pretty much preventative care.  But what about for when you are actually sick?


Boiron Homeopathic Medicines- Seriously, I swear by these meds!  At the first sign of sniffles, the kiddo starts taking these coldcalm pellets.  After a full day, the symptoms have cleared up.  He's never actually had  cold, as in, a real full blown cold and I attribute it all to these bad boys!

Zicam- When the husband and I are fighting something particular nasty or feel the beginnings of a cold coming, we always turn to Zicam.  The rapidmelts work great at stopping symptoms in their tracks!  But I'll be honest here and say that because we do all the preventative work, we almost never have to use these.

Zarbees- I love this brand and the kids cough syrup works great.  All natural and kid tested.

Quick Tips-

When you have a sore throat or bad cough- grab a spoonful of your local, raw honey and squeeze some lemon juice onto it.  Then drink.  Repeat as needed.  Honey is a great cough suppressant!

For an upset stomach- in a bowl, mix a small amount of organic coconut oil with several drops of peppermint essential oil.  Rub directly onto your stomach, behind ears and on the bottoms of your feet.  Repeat every 2-4 hours as needed.

You should also be drinking small amounts of green tea and lemon.  Both help settle an upset stomach!

For chest congestion- in a bowl mix a small amount of your coconut oil with 2 drops each eucalyptus, lemon and rosemary oil.  Rub behind your ears or "steam" and repeat every 2-4 hours as needed.

Shout out to my favorite all natural and fairly local company, Fiddlebumps.  I love their muscle balm and will be trying their chest congestion rub this winter as well.

Wow!  That's quite the survival kit.  It's completely possible to keep your family healthy this cold and flu season.  I cannot stress the importance of preventative care enough and combine that with a healthy, organic and non GMO diet and you'll be amazed at the difference this makes!