11/02/2026
“𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫”
Shelly Burke-Rodriguez, RN, IAC, Owner Pink Flamingo Health and Wellness
“𝙒𝙖𝙨𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨”, “𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙚”, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 “𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙗𝙨”, are some of the best pieces of advice to avoid illness, but research has proven the following tips to also be effective in decreasing the risk of infection.
𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩 – Sleep (at least 7 hours is recommended) allows the body to produce cells and proteins that fight off infection. A consistent lack of sleep can cause changes in the immune system that make you susceptible to illness.
𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 – Chronic stress can suppress the immune system and be a factor in headaches and other illnesses and diseases. The Christmas season can be stressful, so be sure to set priorities—you really cannot do “everything”! Re-evaluate your “to do” list, and take a few minutes to relax every day.
𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗶 𝗽𝗼𝘁 —allowing saline (salt and water solution) to flow through the nose rinses out viruses, bacteria, and allergens, before they can cause infection, and relieves congestion by loosening and flushing out mucous.
𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗯𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗵 when you get sick (so you don’t re-contaminate yourself as you’re recovering) and when you’re better (or finish an antibiotic).
𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐝—Use a hydrometer (an inexpensive device that measures humidity in your home) and aim to keep humidity between about 40-60% by using a humidifier or boiling a pot of water on the stove. Adequate humidity decreases the transmission of bacteria and viruses and improves respiratory symptoms of infection and chronic diseases like COPD and asthma.
𝐀𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞—dilute the germs! Open windows and doors every day to exchange the air in your home in about 30 minutes. (Even if it’s cold, open things up for at least a few minutes!)
𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬!Wash your hands—for at least 20 seconds, shutting off the faucet using a paper towel (otherwise you’re recontaminating your hands with the germs you and everyone before you left when they turned the faucet on). Wash your hands and/or use sanitizer after using the restroom, when getting in your vehicle after being in a store, when returning home from errands, after you cough or sneeze or touch potentially contaminated items or surfaces.
𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞—germs enter the body through your eyes, nose, and mouth.
𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞! While 150-300 minutes of exercise weekly is ideal for overall health, 𝗮𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝟮𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲—a quick walk—increases circulating immune cells in the blood and in the saliva and mucous—eyes, nose and mouth—where germs can enter the body.
𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐤, 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲. Masks are generally not necessary unless you are going to be in close contact (less than 6 feet for more than 15 minutes, as defined by the CDC) with sick people. If you do not hand sanitize before putting your mask on, before and after touching it for any reason, and after discarding it, you are contaminating your hands and face and increasing your risk of getting an infection. When you cough or sneeze, your mask is contaminated. If you don’t change it immediately you’ll be breathing in those germs that are now on the inside of your mask. If you are concerned that you are sick and may spread illness, just stay home!
𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜—they may keep germs off of your hands, but germs from your gloves are still transferred to everything you touch, including your face. If you take off your gloves improperly, you’re also contaminating your hands with the germs on your gloves. Proper glove use includes using hand sanitizer immediately after removing them. 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙜𝙡𝙚 “𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙠” 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙥𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙨.
𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐬—𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐘! Many, if not most, essential oils have antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Diffusing citrus oils, tea tree, eucalyptus, any of the “tree” oils (fir, cypress, spruce, etc.) will -boost your mood AND clear the air of pathogens. (Peppermint, Eucalyptus-with the exception of Eucalyptus Dives- and Cinnamon Bark can cause respiratory difficulties in babies and young children, so choose safer oils to diffuse if they are in the room). Some essential oils that are SAFE to diffuse around children and babies over 6 months old include, lavender, Rosalina, Roman and/or German Chamomile, Sweet Marjoram, Lemon, Green Mandarin, Cedarwood, Tangerine, and many more! 𝑷𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝑭𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒐 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔--𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏!
Please share these tips and hints with friends and loved ones, to remain them to remain healthy!
🦩 🦩 🦩 🦩 🦩 🦩 🦩 🦩
“𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲” 𝗮𝗻𝗱 “𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄” 𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗼 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀.
