The other day, while catching up with my mama friends, we were sharing how we’re adamantly trying to avoid getting sick. My week was hectic: I had all sorts of deadlines, speaking engagements, my masterclass to plan and of course, a home with all of its inhabitants to take care of. I literally didn’t have time to get sick. Because by then, the dreaded throat tickle had already presented itself. So, we shared some tips on how we, as my friend so eloquently put it, reverse the cold. I thought I’d share some of the things I do to avoid the cold with you fellow mamas.

3 Things I do to Avoid the Cold

Keep the germs at school – or at least at the door

If you have a pre-school going child, you won’t need me to explain the onslaught of foreign germs that your child brings home pretty much on a daily basis. Last winter, I was very close to requesting a school fees discount, considering Kai was only in class about 20% of the time. And of course, when Kai was sick, I got sick. Sometimes Kev also got it which meant awkward moments of debating who was sicker than who, so the ‘healthier’ person can handle the house. It’s like we were playing musical chairs – the flu edition. I was over it. So was my director at work and my dwindling leave day count. Kai’s doctor gave us some great tips to lessen his (and therefore our) chances of getting sick:

• New bath time – give him a bath as soon as we arrive home from school, rather than wait until just before bedtime
• Clean his nose – apparently, germs just love getting comfy up in there, then of course spread
• Moist air – we also put on Kai’s humidifier at night to help moisten the air. This is one of the gifts from my baby shower that we’re using so often. Who knew it’d still be so handy.

And if his throat still doesn’t feel right, adding some honey to his tea or milk is a nice natural way to soothe him.

Rest – as much as my personality will allow me to

This is something I have to consciously do. I have to schedule to rest because my calendar is almost always so impossible to just do it spontaneously. I’ve always envied people (ahem, husband) who can sleep at the drop of an eyelid. I can be dog tired but if the sun is still up, then I’m up. That’s why the whole ‘sleep when the baby is sleeping’ thing never worked for me. I struggle to nap, or even getting a restful night’s sleep when I have a lot of things to think about. So I’ll do something that can still distract me, while going easy on my brain and energy. This is where reading comes in. If you’re a regular mom guilt sufferer, and bingeing on Netflix confirms your doubts that you’re a good mother, I think reading a book is a great alternative.  I just never feel guilty reading. And more so than not, it actually increases my chances of dosing off so catching 40 winks is almost a sure bet.

Pause the cold – before it completely takes over

Sometimes, even after all of that, my throat still ends up raw and I can feel that cough creeping in. I know by this point, I need help. Home remedies sometimes don’t stand a chance against something I can grab from Dischem. Linctagon has a variety of different ways to deal with cold and flu symptoms, but my favourite is their Syrup and Lozenges. The main ingredient, Pelargonium sidoides, is extracted from the roots of the Pelargonium plant indigenous to South Africa. Pelargonium can help the body by shortening the time you’re feeling ill and relieve symptoms. They are also packed with vitamins A and C. The nasal spray is also handy (and portable enough to have a place in my handbag) to help clear up a stuffy nose. I’d been using Linctagon for a couple of years now, but I had no idea they also have a kiddies’ range for children under 6. Good to know!

Okay, now it’s your turn.

How do you avoid the cold?

*Sponsored by Linctagon. You can find more info on their website and Facebook page.