Take a shot at our easy and effective strategies to not just fight the flu,

but to boost your immune system so it's up for the daily battles of life.

Knock the following pages off your to-do list, before something has the

chance to knock you off your feet.

It’s not medical advice, just our common sense and experience!

The Get Well,Stay Well Guide

Content, product testing and layout by

Borden Communications + Design

Dear Want-To-Stay-Healthy Readers,

I don't want to (nor am I qualified to) give medical advice,

although I'm asked constantly what I do for myself and my

kids.

So, what's a flu-fearing, germ-wary, busy person supposed to

do during cold and flu season? As always, eat well and eat

real, exercise and take good care, plus of course, consider all

we have compiled and created over the following pages in

this guide . They are all things that I incorporate into my life,

so know they are tried, tested and true. And remember, if you

are hit with the flu, this too shall pass.

In good health,

Wash Your Hands.Properly.

Washing your hands before eating, before AND after going to the bathroom,

coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose will decrease your likelihood of

spreading a virus. The 3 crucial components to a good hand washing: warm

water, soap, and friction (nothing beats this!). Wet your hands with warm

water, lather well by rubbing hands together (be sure you don't miss in between

your fingers) while you sing the ABCs (in your head if you are tone deaf). Rinse

thoroughly, dry well, and repeat often!

Wash this! We waste up to 10% of our personal care

products because we don't use every ounce. If you use a

bar instead of liquid soap, you can use every last bit

which means less waste and less packaging. Using 100%

natural and organic soap means you aren’t drying out

your skin, and you're not washing your hands with the

same toxins that you are trying to remove.

Try Consonant Organic Body Soap - No animal by-products,

synthetic colour or fragrance so it’s safe for the entire family to

use but still extremely effective. Bonus? Each bar comes with a

loofah to hold the soap so no more sticky sinks or dirty soap

dishes in the bathroom. www.consonantbody.com

Dry off!

think

about those not-so-snuggly conventional cotton hand

towels we rub our clean hands and face on. Choosing

organic cotton or other eco happy fibre towels are best

(and safest) for our skin and our world.

Try drying your hands with a Coyuchi organic hand towel. And

when you update your towels (for obvious reasons) it’s the perfect

time to update your linens too! It’s amazing how widely available

organic cotton options are now, and you no longer have to break

the bank to get the quality you deserve. www.coyuchi.com

Cotton is considered the world's 'dirtiest' crop

due to it’s insane use and overuse of insecticides,

hazardous to both human and animal health. Just

Spray on! For when soap and water aren’t readily

available, use something that is safe AND effective. Many

anti-bacterial soaps not only remove the bad bacteria,

but also the good bacteria that helps defend our body

from the truly harmful ones. Rather than spray

something that leaves you feeling like you just doused

yourself in harsh chemicals, opt for something with safe,

effective ingredients that will rid germs safely.

Try spritzing Graydon’s lightly-scented, multi-purpose, anti-

microbial mist on your hands and the air around you. The

formulation is completely free of alcohol and other nasty chems

and it purifies, refreshes and keeps hands feeling moisturized.

www.clinicalluxurybynature.com

Many sicknesses are viral, not bacterial, so plain old soap and water will get

you just as clean as any anti-bacterial product claims to do. Really. Our culture

is germ-obsessed and our obsession has encouraged the flood of products on

store shelves to make claims that may not be true. Watch out for chemicals in

our sanitizers, soaps, medicine, toothpaste, cosmetics, deodorant, and other

personal care items. Don’t forget, they could also be hiding in products like

clothes, socks, shoes, and underwear, too! Ick!

Read well. No one sets out to clean their hands with toxic

chemicals, or spray toxic mists on or around them. The

best way you can arm yourself is to educate yourself - you

can and will become your own best expert. Information

is everywhere these days so Google, watch videos or pick

up an informative book and find out what you’re putting

in, on, and around your body (you didn’t sign up to be a

test tube, did you?).

Pick up Slow Death by Rubber Duck - the brilliance of this book is

not simply that Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie experiment on

themselves to show us how everyday toxins impact our well being,

it’s that they are able to deliver easy solutions, knowledgeable

information and a hopeful message. http://bit.ly/cp2gpdl

Be Anti-Anti-Bacterial

Stay home when you are sick. It's the right thing to do for you and also for your

friends, family and colleagues, because when your immunity is low, you can

pick up other germs more easily...it’s simply not the time to share! Steep some

tea, pour a bowl of soup, curl up on your couch and allow your body to rest and

heal. Don't let stress undermine a quick recovery and try to enjoy your forced

time out (we know it's not that easy!)

Lay on this! Besides having to cope with a runny nose,

fever, or sore throat, we are also left with achy muscles

and stiff joints. The benefits of acupuncture are truly

amazing - it helps with headaches, soreness, muscle pain

and even serious injuries - it’s relief without swallowing

a single pill. Not all of us have our own acupuncturist on

call (or are willing to leave our bed to find one), so have

something on hand that can help relieve pain at home ,

it’s efficient and useful.

Try the Spoonk Acupressure Massage Mat (the luxury of

acupuncture in the comfort of your home). Lay down, close your

eyes and let the mat do the rest. The mat’s spikes increase blood

circulation, boosts energy levels, releases muscle tension, heals

joint pain, and induces deeper sleep for a happier, feel better, you!

www.spoonkspace.com

Sleep Easy! It makes sense that everything around you

should be as healthy as possible, so you can be your

healthiest! Think about the pillow you place under your

head. If it's made with synthetic materials, you could be

sleeping with toluene, formaldehyde, and other nasty

chems. As Annie Leonard from The Story of Stuff exclaims -

there's got to be a better way to stop your head from

catching on fire while you sleep than dousing your

pillow in flame retardants!

Try Googling organic wool or organic rubber pillows and find out

where you can get your hands on one (and your head, too!). It’s

always challenging when replacing your fave pillow, but choosing

a healthy one will be a change for the better (did we mention that

they’ll be hypo-allergenic too?)

www.bordencom.com

Duck and Take Cover

If you believe in keeping a well stocked medicine cabinet, then a well stocked

selection of organic tea should be included! Tea is filled with powerful

antioxidant properties that actually help in healing many ailments and keeps

you healthy and feeling good day-to-day. Drinking hot tea specifically, raises

your body temperature and helps you sweat out the toxins that probably got

you sick in the first place. Do some natural healing from the inside out and

drink yourself to health.

www.bordencom.com

Heat it up. You know by now that skipping the lineup

(and the trip to the bank) for your tea and making your

own looseleaf at home is healthier for you, and much

quicker than waiting in a long line up (say goodbye to

bleached bags and staples). Want to go the distance?

Compost those used tea leaves too! It’s eco-intelligent

and healthy for all!

Try For Life Design’s Bell Glass Tea pot. Equipped with a stainless

steel basket infuser , it leaves plenty of room for your tea to expand

while the extra fine holes will keep small leaves in place. The push-

on colourful stainless and silicone lid allows you to remove the

infuser at optimal time so you can enjoy your tea at its finest.

www.forlifedesign.com

.

Warm Up

Fight back. The average adult experiences 2 - 3 colds per

year while the average child averages 8 - 12 colds per

year. Throw in the occasional flu and an array of viruses

and our immune systems are vastly overworked! Fight

back with loose leaf teas that not only help sooth our

colds, but that actually help improve our immune

systems to make us healthy and keep us feeling good.

Try organic loose leaf teas like Rootalive’s Wellness tea and St.

Francis Herb’s Cold and Flu tea. Both teas contain pure organic

ingredients that will not only help you fight cold and flu-like

symptoms, but will help strengthen your immune system - who

needs a pill when you can drink natural wellness?

www.rootalive.com & www.stfrancisherb.com

www.bordencom.com

Staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Remember,

your best defence against the flu is doing everything you can to beat it in the

first place, so make sure you pack in your daily dose of nutrients any way you

can. Drink lots and lots of water and bring it with you everywhere (but

remember, no sharing!). If you are constantly revitalizing and replenishing,

you'll kick what you have quicker, and kick start your health.

Go nuts over coconuts. C

Try COCO, the natural drink to quench your thirst. Run and

operated by a Canadian company (a group of fathers who care

about what their families consume) take great care in choosing the

best coconuts possible. Har vested without the use of chemicals,

their Young Green Coconuts are not from concentrate!

www.purebodybeverages.com

oconut water is bursting with

vitamins, minerals and electrolytes, which your body

needs to fill up on when you’re feeling under the

weather. This is in fact nature’s sports drink (and not

electric blue in colour!) As it replenishes, revitalizes and

energizes - a great way to stay hydrated and give you

that extra little “pick-me-up” that you need to get

through your sickness and sick day.

CoolDown

Mix it in.

have a host of

health promoting benefits and you have a full nutritious

meal in a glass.

Throw in a scoop of Bioflavia’s organic red wine grape seed powder

(no, not alcoholic!) or AppleBoost’s Organic Dried Apple Peel

Powder. Bursting with antioxidants, these superfood boosters kick

you with a high dose of vitamin C (to help kick that cold), and tastes

delicious. Bonus that they are a homegrown Canadian, organic

product!) www.bioflavia.ca & www.appleboost.com

Health Canada recommends that we consume

between 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables daily to

obtain our daily intake of antioxidants (not that we

always listen to what they say). A great way to pack in

the produce is with smoothies - throw in your fresh or

frozen faves or superfoods known to

Your kitchen is your kickoff to good health. Food can be a healing agent and

strengthen your immunity, so why not eat up? Food in this case, does not refer

to food products in boxes, but real, fresh, food. Food that grew somewhere

(hopefully close by) and not manufactured in a large factory. These foods are

loaded with goodness - not just nutrients, but flavour too (if your taste buds are

working for you) and it’s what nature intended for you to eat, which will in

turn help you prevent and treat sickness. Put that on the conveyer belt, or in

your reusable market basket!

Peel and Mince. Garlic helps to fight bacteria and

infection (since it's anti-fungal and anti-viral) and is a

great contender in helping you fight whatever you've got

going on. Eating lots of garlic is great to do all year long

as it helps boost your immune system - just remember to

brush your teeth before getting up close and personal

with others or convince them to eat a lot of garlic too.

Try adding yourself to the Garlic Lovers Contact List from the

Cutting Veg and be privy to garlic that is grown organically in

Ontario. Most garlic that you buy in a grocery store is imported

from China - “ewwww” on so many levels. Farmer Daniel grows

approximately 20 varieties of garlic originating from various

places around the globe. We promise, you will taste the difference.

www.thecuttingveg.com

Buy Some Berries! Keep fresh berries in the freezer for

when they are out of season so you can always take

advantage of their sweetness and goodness. They are a

great source of antioxidants and important for cell

regeneration (and taste great in everything!) Of course,

they are best mixed in with as many colours of fresh,

local and organic foods as possible.

Try the stand up pouches full of organic, frozen fruit from Mother

Hen. Their berries are harvested the moment they’re ripe, then flash

frozen to lock in the delicious flavour and all of their abundant

nutrients. This is a great solution, just in case you didn’t grow,

harvest and preserve enough from your home garden for the full

year (one can dream, right?) Defrost and serve, or throw them into

your smoothies right out of the freezer! www.lamerepoule.ca

You AreWhat You Eat

While you're very busy trying to get your health back in gear, it’s still

important to be mindful of the amount of waste we all create (even when we

haven't moved from bed!) Consider straws and tissues to be the worst

offenders...and don't forget about the tea bags or lozenge wrappers that get left

behind on what seems like every table in your house.

Blow Away. We go through a lot of tissue when battling

the flu, and throwing out all of your snotty rags is bound

to make those germs travel (do you clean your trash can

regularly?). Reusing hankies are the way to go - consider

100% organic cotton ones that will not only feel great on

your sore nose, but they won't create a pile up in your

garbage can either.

Try the Reusable Tissue Box with Organic Cotton Tissue. Strike a

blow (with your nose!). It holds 24 fair trade, organic, reusable

sateen tissues - they are lusciously soft on one side and strong on

the other side. The box (made from water resistant cardboard so it’s

reusable and durable, even in the bathroom) includes a handy

storage compartment for your used waiting-to-be-cleaned tissues!

www.bynature.ca

Sip your way to good health. You don’t want to be

putting plastic in your mouth, right? You have enough

to worry about while fighting whatever is brewing in

your body - no need to add toxic chems from straws to

the list. Not to mention, think about the amount of waste

that builds up using disposable straws when you’re sick

(or even when you’re perfectly healthy!). Yuck!

Try using a Strawesome Barely Bent glass straw - it might not be

flexible like the bendy plastic ones, but it doesn’t have the toxic

plasticizers either, and it’s already on a great angle for lying down

or sitting up! Strawesome glass straws come with a lifetime

guarantee - yes, they are that durable (even for kids). Everything

just tastes better coming from glass. If only the hospitals used

these… www.strawesome.com

Responsible Bedside Manners

www.bordencom.com

Clear itOut!

We’ve all been there when sick...we’re congested, we have trouble breathing,

we’re sniffling, often very aggravated, and, most certainly misunderstood by

those we are speaking to and with. Clearing out our airways (the right way) is

important - not only so we can gain some relief and breathe again, but also so

we can prevent further infection. Flushing out the gunk will help you breathe

easy - and make you feel that much better.

Blow out. Instead of putting toxic sprays up our noses to

dissipate blockage, maybe we should instead be thinking

of how to get the stuff out of our body. Like most drugs,

the more we use them, the more we become dependent

on them (and we often fail to read the small print with

the long list of side affects). There are many natural ways

to clear your airways, so say no to the spritz.

Try using a ceramic, lead-free Neti Pot to flush you out. Maybe on

first glance it seems like a gross process, but we promise you, it’s a

life changing habit - once you use it for the first time, you’ll be

hooked! This all-natural system (all you need is non-iodized salt

from your kitchen cabinet) will keep your nasal passages clear. The

bonus? It’s also available in junior versions so the whole family can

use it. www.upayanaturals.com

Rub on. Many over the counter ointments like vapor rubs

contain petroleum along with other nasty chems (and

some ingredients you can't even pronounce). Soothe

away the aches and pains of congestion with all natural,

plant based formulas that are paraben and petroleum

free (and safe for the whole family). Then you can really

sigh with relief (and breathe through our noses to do it!)

Try rubbing in Thera Wise Vapo Rub made from botanical extracts

to help your healing process from within. This soothing formula

doesn’t make your nose burn when smelling it, and it doesn’t leave

you with sticky skin (so you can leave the house after applying!). All

Thera Wise products are paraben and petro-chemical free, so

what’s good for you is also good for the environment

www.therawise.com

You may have been stuck in bed for a while, but eventually it comes time to

clean up your act. Cleaning with conventional cleaners made from toxic chems

(which can make you sick in the first place) makes sense, right? No, we didn’t

think so either. By replacing your conventional cleaners with nothing (well

maybe not nothing, but products you can find in your own kitchen like water,

baking soda, and vinegar) will save you time, money, your health and our

planet. Now that’s a clean sweep!

Cleaning can be Dirty(for your health!)

MIY. That’s right - M.I.Y. means Make It Yourself! Most of

the cleaners that you might think are making your home

truly clean are actually dangerously polluting them (and

our water, air, and soil...where do you think it goes once

it goes down the drain?). Microfibre cloths and water do

a remarkable job, and you can easily make safe and smart

cleaning products using your own ingredients. Bonus:

you won’t be sacrificing cleanliness (or your health).

Try cleaning with the Full Circle kit. It comes with a great little home

cleaners recipe book, plus all of the bottles and containers with

exact details and proportions so you can mix it all up, and it’ll last

under your sink like the store bought stuff - just cheaper, easier,

safer and more effective! www.fullcirclehome.com

Throw in the towel. And your clothes, sheets, (and your

reusable handkerchief too), but make sure what you’re

washing gets truly clean. It doesn't make sense to toss

your personals in the wash with conventional detergent

where they will bathe in chemicals. Stop overdosing on

the bad stuff and start washing with natural soap in cold

water (except use some warm or hot when you are sick to

get rid of the ickies right way).

Get real clean with super--concentrated, eco-effective Berry Plus

laundry soap that cleans and softens too. Just two mls of Berryplus

does a full 30lb load. This berry based, 100% plant based soap

comes in really small bottles, making it easier to do safe, smart and

efficient laundry all the time. www.berryplus.com

Exit Strategy: The Detox

Common cold and flu symptoms such as a runny nose, coughing and sneezing

are your body's natural way of trying to eject viruses, toxins and other harmful

bacteria. When you help the detoxification process, you're encouraging your

body to cleanse itself of these toxins quickly. Detoxifying is not only beneficial

when you are sick, but all year round as there are many physical benefits

including allowing your organs to work more effectively, and giving you

mental benefits such as getting a better night’s sleep and concentrating more.

Sweat it Out.

unning a hot bath opens pores and

prepares your body for cleansing, allowing your body to

eliminate the cold/flu virus. But remember to drink lots

of water afterwards, since you will need to replenish

what’s being pulled out of your system.

Soak in a hot bath while adding The Wildly Natural Seaweed

Powder Bath to soothe your skin and stimulate your senses. With

only the best hand-harvested brown seaweed and naturally

nourishing ingredients selected from around the world, you get the

benefits of detoxifying all while renewing and improving the

condition of your skin, even severe chronic issues like redness and

flaking. www.seaweedbathco.com

Sweat is your friend when you feel a cold or

flu coming on. R

Brush Off.

Try dry brushing with the Sisal body brush by Merben. Handmade

using only natural materials, this brush can be used both we t and

dry. With your choice of light, medium or coarse bristles, you can

choose which pressure is best suited for you. Brushing away those

dead skin cells will improve circulation and help your body win the

fight against the flu. Try dry brushing before you shower daily - it’s

easy and effective! www.merben.com

Your skin is the largest organ on your body

and plays a major role in detoxifying your body each day.

Dry brushing is one of the easiest ways to detoxify, and it

aids in removing dead skin cells, stimulates circulation,

helps eliminate harmful toxins and reduces the

appearance of cellulite. Need we say more?

The Road To Recovery

After laying in your sheets and sweating in your clothes, comes the time when

you finally can get up and get back to your routine - feeling better feels great,

but it doesn’t always mean you are fully recovered back to your blissful-self .

Make sure that as you re-enter the real world you are fully prepared. Arming

yourself with the right reusables and tools will help you keep feeling as great as

possible and fight through the day...the eco-way!

Tissue? No Thank you. Think about how many reusable

tissues you go through a week, a day, an hour or even a

minute when you’re sick, getting sick or recovering.

When you’re out and about and still have the sniffles,

where are you going to stash or trash them anyway?

Reusable (and organic) tissues not only save you money,

but they also save you from red, itchy nose syndrome.

Try Hanky Books reusable handkerchiefs made from 100% organic

cotton. They are easy to stash in your bag and have multiple

“pages” for your multiple uses. It may seem gross at first, but these

brilliant little things will save you! Even when your cold is gone, it’s

perfect to keep around for those unexpected spills or for a quick face

wipe - especially if you have kids. www.hankybooks.com

Suck on this. It may not be practical to carry around raw

Manuka honey (wonderfully healing, anti-viral and anti-

bacterial), so having something small and convenient on

hand to soothe your itchy dry throat will carry you

through the day. Organic Manuka honey has been proven

to be more effective than some over the counter

medicine, and helps to fight viral infection.

Try GreenBay Manuka Throat Lozenges. They are packed with raw

manuka honey (75% - 100% honey depending on the flavour) with

no added processed sugar - they soothe and help fight throat-

infecting bacteria. They taste great, they are fast acting, and they

are an overall immune booster, so who can eat too many?

www.greenbayharvest.com/ca

Very Slick

Oil is a great source of medicinal properties - they should be a part of your

everyday diet and beauty routines, but as soon as you are feeling a little under

the weather add even more! Of course, other things may help like gargling and

taking homeopathics and vitamins (consult your naturopath or go into any

health food store). We’ve even heard that dark chocolate works miracles (or

maybe that’s just wishful thinking!). What’s in your kitchen cupboard (and

stuff that is plant-based and natural) is often more effective than over-

packaged products that promise you solutions or long lasting relief. The goal is

to get better, not mask symptoms to get by.

Drop this into your drink. Oil of Oregano is great for the

onset of colds and sore throats and taking just a few

drops boosts your immune system and kills off

unfriendly bacteria. Even in the event of an injury or

infection, oregano oil can be used externally to heal

wounds. It’s a medicine chest in a bottle.

Try 100% organic oil of oregano whether you’re in perfect health or

feeling under the weather. It’s very potent, so we are warning you,

it’s not the most delicious thing in the world, but we can

recommend from our own personal experience, it really does work!

You won’t want to be at home or leave home without it.

www.wildoiloforegano.com

Add this in! Coconut oil is a little miracle worker in a jar.

It helps with thyroid stimulation, anti-aging effects,

weight loss, and helps to prevent cancer, so why aren’t

we all using it?! Not only does it heal internally, but

externally as well. It can heal scars, and even shine your

shoes! Talk about multi-tasking!

Try adding Maison Orphee Virgin Coconut Oil to any meal,

smoothie, shake or even body part. It’s the first cold pressed oil of

it’s kind and it’s certified organic and kosher too - plus it’s in a glass

jar - packaging can be everything! Filled with anti-viral and anti-

bacterial properties make sure you have a jar in your kitchen and in

your bathroom too. www.maisonorphee.com