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