Disclosure: I’m proud to be working with CVS Pharmacy to help spread the word about how to #FindYourHealthy. All opinions expressed are my own, and all product claims or program details shared should be verified at CVS.com or with the appropriate manufacturers.
Walking down the hall and I hear cough, cough, sneeze. Oh no. That means it is cold and flu season again. I think it might be the most dreaded time of the year. There are ways, however, to reduce you risk of getting sick during the cold and flue season. I’ve partnered with CVS Pharmacy to share some tips from the CVS flu team, along with some of my own common sense advice, that will hopefully help you and your family ride out the cold and flu season. Be sure to check out the giveaway at the bottom of this post, for a chance to win an awesome Cold and Flu Care Package from CVS!
How to Prepare for the Cold and Flu Season
Don’t touch your face:
Touching your mouth, eyes and nose are one of the quickest ways to get sick. We touch things all day long and then without realizing it, we are touching our faces. When we do that, we are basically placing the germs that cause us to get sick right into our bodies. Make a conscience thought to not touch your face.
Wash your hands:
Wash your hands lot! You touch the door knob to go outside. So did someone else. Now you have those germs on your hands. Then you are going to touch your face or your food, or something else. It just keeps spreading the germs, and that it can make people sick. While you can’t wash your hands all the time after you touch anything, washing your hands before eating, or preparing food, after the bathroom and before touching your face can help reduce the amount of germs that your body comes into contact with.
Eat Right:
When you fuel your body correctly, your body can work more effectively. That means that when you do come into contact with germs, your body has a better chance to fight the germs off. Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, especially leafy greens. If you are one of those people who do not eat like you should, taking a multivitamin can help.
Get some shut eye:
Your body needs rest. When it gets enough rest, it is able to fight off germs and infections.
Don’t go to work sick:
Nearly two in three (64 percent) employed Americans would still go to work even if they were feeling ill with flu-like symptoms. This only spreads the sickness. Your body can not fight off the germs, and you are getting others sick too. If the germs mutate as they spread from person to person, you can easily get sick again. Going into work sick causes everyone to get sick.
Get the Flu Shot:
Getting the flu shot is the most effective way to prevent getting the flu. You need to get a new shot every year because the immunity it provides declines over time. While some of the side effects of the flu shot are soreness, redness or swelling where the shot was given, a low grade fever, and/or aches, getting the flu is NOT a side effect of the flu shot. While many believe that the flu shot can give them the flu, it cannot pass on the flu because the viruses in the shot are not active. The flu vaccination can take up to 2 weeks to work fully, so it is best to get it as soon as it becomes available. You can head into CVS Pharmacy, there are 9,600 locations, and get everything that you need to fight cold and flu season, including a flu shot. The flu vaccination can take up to 2 weeks to work fully, so it is best to get it as soon as it becomes available. CVS offers the flu shot with no appointment needed, they are open 7 days a week, with evening and weekend hours.
When you get the Flu vaccine at CVS, you will also get a 20% off savings pass. The 20% off Savings Pass that is good for a discount off your total purchase. You can use it once through March 31, 2017. I stopped by my local CVS Pharmacy for a flu shot last week and got my savings pass!
Stock up on cold and flu care products:
At CVS, you get everything you need for any cold and flu symptom, like CVS Health Children’s Throat Relief Pops, which are so great for kids. Many children are put off by cough drops and syrup, but I guarantee they won’t have any problem with these.
These next few are bedside staples in my house during the cold and flu season: CVS Health Fluticasone Propionate Nasal Spray that is available in a 2-Pack and much more affordable than the name brand. Other staples include pain relief medications, Medicated Chest Rub, Chewable Vitamin C and Raspberry and Lemon Lozenges. When I get a cough it seems to linger forever, and these lozenges work well and taste great.
CVS Health Shower Vapor Tabs and CVS Health Daytime and Nighttime Cold & Flu Relief Single Serve Cups for your Keurig are two of my new favorite things! The Shower Vapor Tabs react with the water in your shower to release non-medicated effervescent vapors of eucalyptus, herb and menthol. I have had a stuffy nose for almost a week, and these tabs have helped so much. I’m such a sucker for anything that comes in the form of a K-Cup, and the Daytime and Nighttime Cold & Flu Relief Single Serve Cups are no exception. When you are sick, you want things to be easy.
You should also stock up on things like CVS Health AirShield to support your immune system, multivitamins and anti-bacterial cleaning products while you’re at CVS.
Be sure to use your CVS Extra Care card program for even more savings. Get email offers and rewards based on how you shop, so they are tailored to you and what you need. When you download the CVS Pharmacy app, you can send great offers that you want straight to your card. You can even use the app to refill your prescriptions and get notifies when they are ready for pickup.
I recently shared some Reasons for Downloading the CVS Pharmacy App, if you would like to learn more.
Being sick is never any fun. Knowing you can do a few things to decrease your likelihood of getting sick helps. And, knowing that if you do get sick with a cold, you can get the medicine and products you need, fast, without a hassle, makes it a little more bearable.
Are you prepared for cold and flu season?
You might also enjoy these tips for establishing a healthy after school routine.
Enter to win a Cold and Flu Prize Package from CVS! {Instagram Entry}
Preparing for cold and flu season is just one way you can #FindYourHealthy. One lucky About a Mom reader will win this awesome cold and flu prize package valued at $83. Giveaway ends on November 26, 2016 att 11:59pm EST. Open to US addresses only; prizing provided by CVS Pharmacy. Void where prohibited.
COLD AND FLU PRIZE PACKAGE GIVEWAY ENTRY DETAILS:
1. Leave a comment below no later than November 26, 2016 sharing something you do to keep healthy during cold and flu season. Comments should be meaningful and a minimum of 5 words.
2. Daily Comments as daily entries allowed.
3. Follow @aboutamom and @CVS_Extra on Twitter.
4. Tweet the following for an entry:
Send out a tweet sharing something you do to stay healthy during the cold and flu season. Be sure to include the #FindYourHealthy hashtag and tag @aboutamom @CVS_Extra in your tweet. Pictures are encouraged, but not required.
5. Daily Tweets allowed.
Take a closer look at what’s in the prize package:
CVS Health Children’s Pain Relief
CVS Health Gummy Dinos Family Size
CVS Health Regular Strength Pain Relief
CVS Health Vitamin C Drops
CVS Health Sterile Saline Nasal Mist
CVS Health Effervescent Shower Vapor Tablets
CVS Health Lemon Lozenges
CVS Health Airshield
CVS Health Probiotic Gummies
CVS Health Hand Sanitizer Spray Pen
CVS Health Throat Relief Pops
CVS Health Day & Night Combo Cold Flu Single Serve Cups
I always load up on Vitamin C when I start to feel like I’m getting sick. It helps so much! Great tips!
Hold the front door. When did those throat pops come into existence? My kids hate lozengers. I’m definitely picking those up instead.
Me and my boys always get the flu shot, two of three of us have already. I also keep chicken boullion on hand.
Some great tips and suggestions. Seema like a lot more people have been sick this fall, guessing because it has been a warmer fall.
Love all your tips! So important to get ready and take the steps to prevent it!
I am a huge on making sure everyone washes their hands. I also get my flu shot yearly i am not getting sick.
It is that time of year. We beef up on our vitamin C and make sure to eat lots of healthy foods!
I know it is horrible with the flu season. I use organic home remedies that work, but for those scrapes need CVS.
These are great tips. I’m trying to wash my hands like crazy because I had the flu once and hope never to have it again!
Cold and flu season is upon us. It is important to do all we can to prevent illness in ourselves and from spreading.
I need to restock my medicine cabinet as well. CVS is one of my go-to stores for great deals.
I’m currently loading up on Vitamin C as I’m fighting something. I’m not sure if it’s sinus related or a cold or what, but it’s making me miserable!
I just realized the other day that I need to get restocked on all this stuff. I can’t stand running out of it!
These are all great tips and products. I am in complete denial that cold and flu season will come. But, I do like to stock some of this to have on hand when things get rough. Three kids in school, it gets real this time of year :/
Those Throat relief pops look awesome! What a great idea!
These are some really great tips. Flu season always seems to hit our house hard.
Awesome tips– I wish more people would stay home when they are sick. I hear a lot about getting behind or not wanting to take a sick day, but usually going into work means you contaminate others and slow down your own recovery!
Such great tips for this winter season coming up! I need to get on this for my kids ASAP!
We get the flu shoot to help combat the flu.
https://twitter.com/sweetums82/status/799633424378105858
I follow you both on twitter as @sweetums82
I spend time each season with my son to teach him how to properly wash his hands each bathroom visit and before eating
Follow both on Twitter @3sonshavei [email protected]ail
I am all about washing hands! We also use daily vitamins to stay healthy!
I follow both on Twitter!
@jeannajohnson46
Hi! One of my favorite tips to keep healthy starts at the beginning of the school year. I have three kids, each in different schools, so that’s 3 times the germs they are bringing home! One of them even has to ride two different buses to get home. Whew. My tip is that as soon as they get home is to wash their hands with soap and water. I remind them as they walk through the door. I know I don’t want to get sick either. :O 🙂
https://twitter.com/MIstatefamily/status/799647547463761920?lang=en
i folllow both oon twitter @citysiren
im not big on meds, i like to get rest and fluids!
I take vitamins all year to keep healthy for flu and cold season. Eating good ans exercise also helps.
Big on hand washing, keep hand sanitizer in my purse and the car.
Following you on twitter, @ICdragon3.
Tweeted – https://twitter.com/ICdragon3/status/799679787602219008
I take a variety of vitamins every day.
11/18/16 Tweet: https://twitter.com/skkorman/status/799708077226242048
I follow @aboutamom and @CVS_Extra on Twitter (@skkorman)!
I would say to keep healthy to wash your hands frequently. Also, disinfecting is important! 🙂
I follow @aboutamom and @CVS_Extra on twitter – @lauralynnrose
Tweeted – https://twitter.com/lauralynnrose/status/799749883783544832
Lots of hand washing and Nettii pots!
Get flu shots and drink lots of orange juice .
I do a lot of hand washing and I carry hand sanitizer in my purse.
I use the Essential oil, On Guard to keep the germs away. I also make sure to wash hands frequently and take vitamins.
I follow you and CVS on twitter @deallieb
We wash our hands frequently during cold season!
shared tweet https://twitter.com/deallieb/status/799818669803061249
Follow you on twitter: dolphin4176
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/Dolphin4176/status/799818643865485312
I wash my hands many times each day!
11/19/16 Tweet: https://twitter.com/skkorman/status/799950738944299008
Hand washing is very important.
I try to walk 10,000 steps each day to keep fit & stave off illness!
11/20/16 Tweet: https://twitter.com/skkorman/status/800450666812608512
I use hand sanitizer liberally when I am out in stores or among large groups of people.
11/21/16 Tweet: https://twitter.com/skkorman/status/800671891895832576
I love vegetables and eat plenty of them to stay healthy!
11/22/16 Tweet: https://twitter.com/skkorman/status/801033576137551872
11/23/16 Tweet: https://twitter.com/skkorman/status/801403115232755717
11/24/16 Tweet: https://twitter.com/skkorman/status/801773448376750080
The very first thing listed is the one i have the most trouble with! I seem to be unable to keep my hands off my face 🙂 I do get my flu shot every year and wash my hands frequently, so hopefully that will be enough.