1. WASH YOUR HANDS for at least 20 seconds with soap and water! This is probably the number one thing you can do to prevent illness. Be sure your children are washing their hands often or using hand sanitizer (we love MD Mom that we sell at our sister store, USA Baby and Big Kids Too!)
2. Don’t touch your face. Even if germs are on your hands, they can’t enter the body unless you touch your eyes, nose or mouth. Teach your children to not touch their faces either. (You will be amazed at how many times you touch your face once you begin to pay attention!)
3. If your doctor recommends it, get a flu shot for your entire family! Often times doctor’s offices have special rooms set-up in the fall just for giving flu shots. So, it’s fast, easy and effective.
4. Don’t share food, drinks, lipstick/chapstick or toothpaste with other people, even family members. Germs can carry from one person to the other easily.
5. Avoid kissing on the lips of you feel yourself getting sick. (This is especially hard with young children, but try to refrain. Also, try to avoid letting people touch your baby’s hands as well.)
6. Clean doorknobs, bathrooms and children’s toys with disinfecting cleaner often.
7. Yogurt has been shown to stimulate production of an immune system substance that fights disease. So, eat up!
8. Let fresh air into your home at least once a week even if it is extremely cold outside. Studies have shown that the air inside your home is 2 to 5 times worse than the air outside. Allowing fresh air in will help to get stale, unhealthy air out and fresh air in!
9. Get plenty of sleep and drink plenty of water so that your body will be able to fight off illness.
10. STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK! No need to spread your germs to others!