There’s no question that having a family can be quite expensive. After paying your mortgage, for groceries and keeping the lights on, the last thing you need to account for is an unexpected medical bill. Take a peek at this infographic for a quick lesson on respiratory health, then learn a few tips for keeping your family safe from winter and cold bugs.
Stay Wrapped Up
Even with the heater on during the colder months of the year, some in your family might still be chilly. Rather than bumping the heat up, which costs more money, you can instead use layers to keep everyone comfortable and toasty. Humans are warm-blooded, and being cold for too long can lead to sickness.
Review Your Hygiene Habits
The fall and winter seasons are great times to review your family’s hygiene habits. For instance, make sure you and your kids are washing your hands after touching doorknobs, handling food and when going to public restrooms. Additionally, be sure to wipe down common surfaces with antibacterial wipes and sprays to keep germs at bay. When grocery shopping in the heart of cold and flu season, you’ll most certainly want to wipe down grocery carts before handling them.
The food you eat also goes a long way in strengthening your immune system. Prepare healthy foods and snacks for your family, making sure you include a variety of colors on your plates and in your bowls. Specific foods that are good for your immune system include:
Red bell peppers
Try to find tasty recipes for meals that include these ingredients and others known to keep sickness at bay.
While your family is staying warm, well fed and washing their hands, make sure everyone is drinking plenty of water. It’s especially important to drink plenty of fluids while the heater is on and drying out the air and your skin. Water and fruit teas are the best options, and much better than soda and other unhealthy drinks. For small kids, you might be better off offering them sugar-free drinks that aren’t acidic or unhealthy. It won’t do you much good to keep your kids from catching a cold if they become victims of childhood obesity.
Make Sure You Have Over-the-Counter Medicines on Hand
Because it’s inevitable that someone in your household will get sick even if you follow the above tips, you might as well be prepared. Over-the-counter medicines you should have close at hand include decongestants, cold medicine and ibuprofen. You might also want to look into making sure your small children have received all their necessary vaccinations. At the first hint of a cough or congestion, go ahead and give a small dose of medicine, just to be on the safe side and head sickness off at the pass.
As you can see, there’s a lot you can do to keep your family healthy this fall and winter. Put these tips to good use to reduce your chances of incurring unnecessary hospital and medical bills and to keep from having to use your sick days.