I’ve been cold and flu-free for over a year.

(I’m sure I’ve just totally screwed myself for typing those words, but whatever…)

It’s not like I’ve been doing a countdown or anything. I realized it had been over a year the other day while I was scrolling through Facebook. One of my friends was lamenting about “getting sick” around the same time every year (usually the first month of school) and I had to sit down and do the math because I couldn’t, for the life of me, remember the last time I had last been sick.

And that’s when I realized…it had been WAY over a year since I had to blow my nose or lay in bed all day because of the cold or flu.

And while I don’t claim to be a doctor or nurse…I am pretty “natural and alternative” when it comes to keeping myself healthy. (Plus, I am a germ-a-phobe. Germs gross me out.)

So I thought I would share with you my rituals to staying cold and flu-free and hopefully you can try implementing one or two (or all of them) and see if they make a difference during the upcoming cold and flu season.

How I Stayed Cold and Flu-Free For Over A Year

1. I’m an avid hand washer with regular soap. I wash my hands often. No, a better way to say it is…I wash my hands all the time. In fact, the first thing I do after coming home from {insert anything} is wash my hands. In addition, I require my kids to wash their hands when they get home from school, a friend’s house, outside, practice, etc. and before dinner. We don’t use “anti-bacterial anything” …no sanitizer or soap with anti-bacterial wording…just old-school soap and water.

2. I changed up my workouts. About a year ago, I shifted my workouts from mid-morning or mid-afternoon to first thing in the morning several times a week. By making that small shift, I’m working out when my body has the most energy vs when I may (or may not) already be tired from whatever happened earlier. Plus, when I added weight training, I could feel my body become stronger. I know that seems silly, but sometimes we need a strong body to fight off an “incoming virus”. Plus, lifting weights doesn’t fatigue me as much as when I would run longer distances. Again, less fatigue plus stronger body makes it easier to fight off viruses.

3. I diffuse essential oils. I’ve talked before about how a normal person uses essential oils in her everyday life. I’m a BIG BELIEVER in diffusing OnGuard Essential Oil. Not only because it smells good (duh), but also because it can eliminate and control pathogens in the air while it boosts immunity. Perfect for killing any weirdo germ/virus that decided to tag-along-home with my kiddos or me. While I don’t believe that essential oils can cure cancer, I do believe they can help impact the overall health of your home.

4. I use a Venta Airwasher LW45 Air Purifier/Humidifier. We’ve used a humidifier for years. It helps hydrate my skin. It keeps my nose (and everything inside it) hydrated. And when I’m hydrated, I have less “dry nose”, less “scrapes” and I’m less “stuffed up”.

But this year, I wanted to take it up a notch and have an air purifier too. In today’s society there is so much “stuff” in the air. Stuff we can’t see. Things like pollen, dust, mites, odors, bacteria and germs. And an air purifier eliminates those particles out of your room. The Venta Airwasher (or “Venta” for short) did both (humidifying and purifying) with amazing results and reviews (don’t believe me, check it out on Amazon…it’s almost cult like).

Plus the “Venta” doesn’t use filter pads to purify the air. The air is literally washed through a system called cold evaporation. Air passes through the two plastic disc stacks rotating in water. The particles are trapped in the water and the air/water that comes out is purified. (PS: Be prepared to be gagged a bit by the dirty water that is left after the purification process. It really makes you wonder what is in the air.) And when the discs need to be cleaned…you can either put them in the dishwasher or give them a bath in the tub and start purifying water again. Easy, right?

I usually have to refill “Venta” water reservoir every two to three days – but outside of that simple refill, it’s been completely hands off.

And added benefit? I’m actually sleeping better and we are sneezing a LOT less during hay fever/spring allergies (and that includes the dog).

5. I clean high-traffic touch points often and create alternatives to public ones. Door knobs, iPhone, iPad, remote control, desktop key pad, refrigerator door handle, microwave door handles, etc. get a wipe down every week. Any items where multiple people (or just myself) touch it several times a day gets a wipe down. And anything that is public (like those GROSS pens for your signature after you use your credit card), well, I buy my own. So yes, I have my own stylus. I use my own pens. I carry my own water bottle. And I don’t share. Ever.

Doing these five things are how I’ve stayed cold and flu free for over a year. (And if you don’t believe these work..check out this article.)

None of it is revolutionary – but all of it is holistic. These simple steps each and every day that have meant no missed work, no runny noses, no in-bed-missing-things for days on end. I’m not sure if the same set of five things will work for you…but in my mind, what do you have to lose?

Disclosure: I’m THRILLED to be partnering with Venta Airwasher on this post. I truly do think they are the bomb. With that being said, the written remarks and opinions, along with my use of holistic immune boosters are entirely my own. Plus, I’m not a doctor. I’m just telling you what works for me. Want more information – check out my full disclosure statement.