8 Things Holistic Moms Are Doing This Cold and Flu Season

2 days ago

6 min read

Practical family wellness habits for cold and flu season

By Brian De Mint | CEO, Salt & Light Wellness

Wellness begins with the habits a family shares.

A family wellness routine has to fit real life. That means school mornings, changing weather, holiday treats and parents who need rest too. At Salt & Light Wellness, we encourage families to make nourishing meals, regular movement and enough sleep part of the plan before the calendar gets crowded.

Our cold and flu season carousel brings together eight habits and an infrared sauna bonus. Some support general health; cleaner air and hygiene help reduce exposure to respiratory viruses. Wellness services belong alongside those basics, with realistic expectations about what research has established. [1, 2]

1 Enjoy treats while making room for nourishment

Holiday sweets can have a place in a balanced routine. Start by keeping regular meals and satisfying snacks available. A bowl of fruit, plain yogurt or a meal with vegetables and protein gives your family something nourishing to reach for.

The sugar study cited in our carousel dates to 1973. After participants consumed 100 grams of certain sugars, white blood cells in blood samples showed a reduced ability to engulf bacteria for at least five hours. That laboratory finding does not establish how a typical treat changes someone's risk of catching a cold. Keep added sugar limited while leaving room for nutritious food. [3, 1]

2 Have an indoor movement plan

Shorter days and rain can interrupt outdoor play. Choose an activity your children enjoy enough to return to, whether that is jiu jitsu, gymnastics, dance or a game in the living room. Our carousel features Mission Jiu Jitsu in Riverside as one indoor option.

Children ages 6 to 17 need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day. Children ages 3 to 5 should be active throughout the day. A class can contribute to that total, and so can walking, playground time and active games. [4]

Children practicing jiu jitsu at Mission Jiu Jitsu

Indoor movement at Mission Jiu Jitsu.

3 Make space for a salt room visit

Dry salt therapy, also called Halotherapy, uses a device to disperse fine particles of medical grade salt into the room. At Salt & Light, a typical salt room session lasts about 15 minutes, making it easy to set aside a short break.

Studies have explored respiratory outcomes, but evidence is limited and there are no established salt room guidelines for preventing colds or flu. Inhaled salt can irritate sensitive airways, so anyone with asthma should consult their clinician first. Choose the experience for a quiet wellness break, with appropriate guidance for your health. [5, 6]

A guest seated in a room with an illuminated salt wall

The Salt & Light Halotherapy experience.

4 Treat sleep as part of the family schedule

Bedtime matters during a busy season. In a study of 164 healthy adults who were exposed to a cold virus, participants sleeping five to six hours had about 4.2 times the odds of developing a cold compared with those sleeping more than seven hours. This was an association, rather than a trial assigning people to different sleep schedules. [7]

Use these recommended sleep ranges to plan a bedtime that allows enough rest. Totals for young children include naps. [8]

Age	Sleep in 24 hours
4 to 12 months	12 to 16 hours
1 to 2 years	11 to 14 hours
3 to 5 years	10 to 13 hours
6 to 12 years	9 to 12 hours
13 to 18 years	8 to 10 hours
Adults	7 to 9 hours

Work backward from wake up time, leave room for a calm evening routine and protect that time as carefully as a scheduled activity.

5 Plan for daylight and adequate vitamin D

Make outdoor time a family habit while paying attention to sun protection. UVB light triggers vitamin D production in the skin, and vitamin D is needed for normal immune function. Season, skin pigmentation and other factors affect how much the body makes. Foods such as salmon, egg yolks and fortified milk can contribute too. [9, 10]

Our carousel also references an adult study in which UVB emitting sunbeds increased vitamin D levels. That study measured vitamin D, not whether participants caught fewer infections. UV exposure increases skin cancer risk, and sunbeds are not recommended as a way to prevent colds or flu. For children, focus on food and clinician guided supplementation instead. [11, 10]

Vitamin D Sunbed pictured in the Salt and Light carousel

A Vitamin D Sunbed at Salt & Light Wellness.

6 Make hydration convenient

Keep water available throughout the day. Adequate hydration helps keep mucus thinner and easier to clear, while soup provides fluid along with ingredients your family needs for a meal. Try vegetables with chicken, lentils or beans, and serve children's portions at a comfortable temperature. [12, 13]

Warm soup adds fluid and nourishing ingredients to a meal.

7 Improve the air everyone shares

Respiratory viruses spread more easily in crowded indoor spaces with poor airflow. Bring in outside air when weather and air quality allow. A portable HEPA air cleaner sized for the room can help remove airborne particles. Choosing an outdoor gathering when conditions permit is another useful option. [14]

This is a practical habit for Temecula families hosting holiday visitors: think about airflow before everyone arrives, then keep the air cleaner running while the room is occupied.

8 Add variety with fermented and fiber rich foods

Try yogurt with live cultures, kefir or small servings of sauerkraut alongside a variety of plant foods. A 2021 study with 36 adults found that a diet rich in fermented foods increased gut microbial diversity and reduced several inflammatory markers. These results concern the microbiome and immune measures; they do not establish cold or flu prevention. [15]

The carousel gives a nod to Everlasting Ferments, our personal favorite kombucha. Adults who enjoy it should check product information for sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Kombucha is not an everyday health drink recommendation for children, pregnant people or people with weakened immune systems. Choose age appropriate foods instead, and ask a clinician when needed. [16]

Yogurt with berries and a topping of nuts and grains

Fermented foods and varied plants bring variety to the table.

Bonus Make time to unwind with infrared sauna

An infrared sauna session can offer adults a quiet place to enjoy warmth. Recent research confirms that sufficiently hot infrared sauna exposure can raise core temperature, but that study did not test prevention or treatment of respiratory infections. [17]

Use the sauna while well, keep the session comfortable and hydrate. Skip it if you are feverish or acutely ill. Children need individual guidance from a pediatrician and adult supervision; an adult's session settings should not be assumed suitable for a child.

Time to unwind in an infrared sauna at Salt & Light Wellness.

Choose a starting point for this week

Pick the habit that is easiest to fit into your family's day, then make a concrete plan. Set bedtime on the calendar or decide when tomorrow's active play will happen. Continue handwashing, stay home when sick and talk with your clinician about recommended immunizations and appropriate care. [2]

Visit Salt and Light Wellness

Ready to make time for wellness? First time local residents can request a complimentary Day Pass at Salt & Light Wellness. Explore our Temecula Promenade, Temecula Wine Country, Riverside Orangecrest, Murrieta and Carlsbad locations. Our team can answer booking questions and help you understand which services fit your visit.

Claim your complimentary Day Pass