RSV Natural Prevention for the Holidays

Elf on the Shelf playing poker with her pals

Here in the peaceful Foothills, our usual countdown to Christmas is great fun—I love spending it listening to holiday carols and baking cookies. In fact, I was planning to write a holiday post for today.

But this year, my countdown days are all about fighting germs! I’m helping to take care of a little family very dear to me—and everyone in the house is down with RSV/flu or whatever this awful respiratory illness is. And let me tell you, I’m awash in bugs!

There’s no escaping them: being close contact with small kids, I’ve been coughed on, sneezed on, and handled used tissues—everything that comes with the territory.

Still, one week in to being exposed to one very sick adult and three very sick kids, I haven’t caught this illness. 

Here’s my secret to virus-fighting:

A terrific brand of Vitamin C!

*Twice a day, I’ve been taking micro doses of Vitamin C—about 10 mg or so—along with 1,000 mg of Vitamin D. 

The Vitamin C is a powder made from acerola cherry fruit extract. It’s gentler on the system than the manufactured C made from ascorbic acid, which more commonly available. You mix a wee spoonful of it in 1/2 cup water. 

*Any hint of a scratchy throat, I immediately gargle with salted hot water. Kind of messy, but it gets the job done.

*I’m also a fan of a turmeric hot toddy: I make a turmeric tea with a teaspoon of the spice in a 1/2 cup of hot water, mixed with a generous spoonful of honey. This mixture will also knock down an incipient illness.

It tastes revolting, but I chug it down, then follow with an extra bit of honey to get rid of the bitterness.

My daughter swears by something a bit fancier: this toddy has a schosh of whiskey in it plus lemon juice, as well as the turmeric and honey. She adds this mixture to a mug of herb tea.

*All week, I’ve been having my usual generous bowl of plain Greek yogurt for lunch (lots probiotics for the immune system)—and please don’t judge me, but I always add a few big spoonfuls of organic maple syrup to sweeten it. I like to tell myself maple syrup is better than sugar, but I don’t always believe it!

*For dinner, I’ve been eating a good-sized serving of cooked broccoli all week for antioxidants. 

Elf on the Shelf on her zip line!

*As we all know, stress is huge when it comes to catching bugs! So when I feel any stress coming on, I start doing some nice deep breaths to counteract it. I suppose this sounds dorky, but I think cheerful thoughts too.

Happily, my sick little family is not too ill for their favorite holiday traditions…So a great little pick-me-up for me: seeing the antics of the Elf on the Shelf every morning!

*One more thing: I’m terribly allergic to hand sanitizer…so I have no choice but to compulsively wash my hands! I’m a big hand-washer anyway, but I’ve really stepped it up. Nothing fancy, just lather up with an all-natural bar soap from the Co-op.

I hope all this helps you fight all the bugs floating around. And here’s wishing you illness-free winter holidays!