Ten Tips to keeping yours & my family healthy

Disclaimer: In NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM am I a pro at this. I am not a scientist or doctor, nor have I done loads of testing on my theories. :)

This list is a reminder I am trying to implement. Things I have learned from older wiser women in the 5.5 years of marriage. Things I did not know before getting married and having kids! So, here ya go. And I'd love some more if you have any!

1. Wash your hands & your little ones hands often.
This is a "duh" one, but I didn't think to wash my babies hands. Then I realized, people always touch their little hands and then the baby sticks their hands in their mouth...yuck. And toddler boys? I don't even want to KNOW what's on them...so we wash. Often.
2. Bathe and brush you and your kids teeth.
Another "duh". Germs and bacteria grow in mouths and in places we don't think of. For instance I was at Walmart, and a gross wrinkly old man with no teeth coughed all over my back! (He was behind me in line). I couldn't wait to get out of the line, burn my clothes, and scrub my body in the shower. {Just kidding about the burning clothes ;)}
How often do we get germs on us in places like our neck, clothes, hair, ect just from people coughing, sneezing, or even touching us and we never thing about it again. So, bathing on a regular basis is important. This also leads me to my next point:
3. Wash you and your family's laundry often. Don't wear a dirty item over and over again. I know with little ones laundry piles are never low...EVER. That's a joy of motherhood ;)
I always take off my infants clothes after church, put them in the laundry basket (even though it's usually not "dirty" and give him a bath. When he is in nursery, many different ladies may be holding him, and I want to make sure he is clean and his clothes and blanket he had is in the basket.
4. Wash sheets once a week. Sheets can get very dirty and dusty and we may not notice. Clean sheets is one way to prevent sickness and or allergies.
5. Keep the house clean.
For obvious reasons we should deep clean on a regular basis. Cleaning the bathrooms regularly is a big one. Just happens to be the one I hate the most!! Also mopping and vacuuming. My boys are always on the floor. We walk around with shoes on (probably shouldn't) and then they play right where we walked. And if you have a crawling baby...his/her hands are always in their mouth, than on the floor, than in their mouth, on the floor. Keeping floors mopped and vacuumed is a huge help {mop with hot water and ammonia or hot water and a little Dawn for a safe cleaner}.
6. Eat your fruits and veggies!
Fruits and veggies have tons of vitamins to help fight off sicknesses. Take a look around at people who are sick a lot with the common cold and flu. Do they eat processed junk more than fruits and veggies? Probably. It's so important for kids to have these vitamins.
7. Drink a lot of water.
Water flushes out sicknesses! We all know this.
8. Cook, clean, and live natural.
Treated foods, such as milk from a cow treated with hormones, is not healthy for you or your kids. Most grocery stores sell at least one brand of milk that is NOT from cows treated with hormones. Same as chicken.
Clean with natural cleaners to protect against harsh chemicals.
9. Re-search and try to avoid medications for every little thing. Re-search and pray about giving your child a medication he/she really "needs" based off what the doctor says. Maybe there is a natural alternative. An example: re-accruing headaches, try the Chiropractor or a massage first. {I am not saying not to listen to your doctor, I am only suggesting we as parents know what we are giving our children and if it's necessary).
10. EXERCISE!!!! A healthy diet and regular exercise is so important to our health!! I could go on and on about all the benefits of exercise. I'll give you just a few: stress release, lower blood pressure, healthier weight, relieves depression, better nights sleep, a happy & calm disposition, lower risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and so much more!

Again, this list is for me and I need to work on several of these. Although I have read many studies on these subjects I didn't list any "sources" to back them up, so I suggest you look them up to see for your self! :)

Love, The Curvy Housewife