Skylar woke up yesterday with a head full of junk.  When she came upstairs she said “I am totally stuffy”!  She sounded just like Meg Ryan did in You’ve Got Mail when she tells Tom Hanks “I’ve got a temperature!”.  After smiling about the movie voice similarity, I immediately got out my essentials that we use when we are under the weather.  Today, I thought I’d share those items with you.

1.  NutriFeron by Shaklee

We’ve been taking this as a family for several years.  My mom sent me a bottle and swore that it helped her feel better faster when she had been sick.  The next time I had a cold I started taking this and I was surprised when I was completely over it in a day or two.  We always make sure that we have plenty of this on hand.  Skylar actually takes this every day because she is so much more susceptible to illness because of her mitochondrial disorder.  When she starts coming down with something we increase how much she gets.

This morning when Chris pulled Skylar’s medications and our daily vitamins/supplements he came to tell me that he had pulled NutriFeron for all of us. This stuff is truly amazing!

2.  Greens by It Works!

All four of us take Greens on a daily basis, but when we are feeling under the weather, we take it twice a day.  Chris and I are distributors for It Works, but I would only recommend something if I truly believe in it!  The girls take the Citrus Flavor in apple juice, but Chris and I really like the Berry Flavor in water.  If you want to read more about what Greens does, click HERE.  We take multiple It Works vitamins and supplements, but if we could only take 1, Greens would be it!  (Full Disclosure:  these links are to my own personal It Works website.   Any purchases made through my website helps our family continue to provide the best possible care for Skylar!  Thank you so much!)

3. Thieves Oil from Young Living

I am always searching for great, natural products to help us with healthier living. Thieves is one of those products.  I was introduced to Young Living by a friend of mine.  When I asked what oils she would recommend, Thieves was the oil she said she is never without.  I use it multiple ways, but I love to diffuse it my diffuser.  It makes the house smell like Christmas!  You can also put Thieves in a capsule and take it orally or put it directly on your skin.  I also love to put a drop on my toothbrush when I brush my teeth.  It makes my mouth feel amazing!  You can read more about Thieves on the Young Living Website HERE.

4.  Simply Saline by Arm & Hammer

One things that Skylar has always struggled with is blowing her nose.  We help her as much as we can, but it isn’t the same.  Using a saline mist was recommended to us this past year by her pediatrician as he knows this is something she struggles with.  I can tell you that the first time we did it, she freaked out as she wasn’t sure what to expect, but ever since then, she has done a lot better.  The saline spray really helps clear her nasal pasages so that all that junk doesn’t just fester and go into a secondary infection.  We have used several different saline sprays, but this is the one we like the best.  Each of the girls have their own labeled bottle.  You can get them at any local pharmacy, I think that we got ours at WalMart.

5. Cool Touch Tissues by Kleenex

Last January when the girls got sinus infections and bronchitis, Chris ran to the store to stock up on tissues.  We usually use Puffs Plus with lotion, but they didn’t have those and Chris said these looked like the next best thing.  Hailey used one, exclaimed “Oh my!  These are amazingly cool!” and we have used them ever since. They are, just like they advertise, cool to the touch.

You might think it is silly that these are a part of our essentials, but when you have kids that are super particular about what they use, you just go with it!  If purchasing these tissues make them feel even a little better, then it is totally worth it!

So there you have it…our top 5 essentials for when we feel under the weather!  I’m so very thankful for these products, especially the NutriFeron and the Greens. Thanks to these items, our girls have not been on antibiotics since January. For two girls that each have immunity issues, this is amazing!  Of course, we also drink lots of fluids, rest, and watch lots of movies while cuddled in quilts.  That is sure to make you feel better as well!

What items are essential to you or your family when you are sick?  I’d love for you to share them!

Whatever you do today, make it great!

JuJu