The Holidays bring joy, cheer, mirth, and laughter – unfortunately, they also often bring the flu. This Holiday season, as you decorate the tree, hang up the mistletoe, and wrap presents, it’s important to take the time to protect your family from sickness. While your coworkers and all the kids in your children’s classes may be wheezing and sneezing away, by following the right health routine, you can protect yourself and your family from illness. In this post, we’ll cover 7 ways that you and your family can stay happy, healthy, and ready for the Holidays all winter long.

1. Start with your diet. Having a healthy diet is the cornerstone of health overall. One way that you can ward off the bad vibes that are known to cause illness is by going vegan. Eschewing all animal products from your diet has a number of immune benefits: for instance, you eat tons of veggies, which can amplify your body’s natural defenses; plus, your Karma is in much better balance, as you are abstaining from causing helpless animals to suffer. That’s a win-win!

2. Invest in essential oils. Oils are a natural way to create infusions of powerful herbs and minerals that you can apply to your body. Oils naturally moisturize the skin, and by mixing in vital herbs that are thought to promote immunity, you might boost your body’s ability to fight off infectious diseases. Plus, with easy options like roll on essential oils, you can butter up your kids before class without any delay!
3. Consider healing crystals. Since ancient times, humans have believed that crystals are powerful sources of energy. The various forms that rocks and gemstones create different crystalline structures, some of which are said to possess healing powers. Meditating while holding a crystal, channeling their vibrational frequencies, and placing one over its corresponding chakra are ways to add their healing powers to your immune system, quite possibly.

4. Practice yoga. Yoga is another ancient practice that has been held sacred for eons. The motions of a yoga flow help naturally stimulate chakras, moving Qi from the Svadhishthana chakra to the Anahata chakra, thus promoting health by strengthening the heart, which is the seat of bodily health. One easy routine is to wake every morning with the rising sun and complete a yoga flow before preparing breakfast. This allows the food to have a nourishing effect, as the exercise prepares your body to receive nutrition.

5. Indulge in acupuncture. This form of Chinese traditional medicine is known to have a variety of health benefits, from relieving stress and migraines to warding off illness and disease. If you fear that you may be falling ill soon, finding a local practitioner to help fight off the disease is always a worthwhile endeavor. You may find that this has other benefits, too, like easing your mind, promoting creativity, and improving your general mood and disposition. The long needles involved may seem scary, but don’t worry! Acupuncture is generally completely safe.
6. Relax with reflexology. Many yogis and gurus are aware that the body is an interconnected system. When illness enters one portion of the body, all parts are affected. Luckily, it also means that you can use various pressure points and key reflex areas to try to stimulate the immune system and promote better health. Certain areas on the hands and feet are said to be correlated with other areas in the body, like the nose and throat. By stimulating these important zones, you in turn stimulate the parts of the body they correspond to, letting your body energy move there to try to ward off illness.

7. Get a flu shot. Holistic solutions are helpful and important, but probably the easiest and most effective thing that you can do to be healthy this holiday season is to simply get a flu shot from your doctor, local pharmacy, or clinic. Flu shots tend to be effective at staving off the flu each season, and the more people that get it, the better it works overall! Be sure that in addition to getting your flu shot, you are also careful to also wash your hands often, and give people who are sneezing and coughing plenty of space.

Making sure your family is healthy and happy for the holidays sometimes feels like a challenge, but by following these clever health-promoting tips, you’re well on your way to a healthy holiday season!