Housework, Fibromyalgia, and the Flu Season

Having the flu, a sinus infection, stomach bug, or a cold is hard for anyone, but it's even harder on someone with Fibro. I can't speak for the entire Fibromyalgia community, but for me, if I'm not careful, my colds could very easily turn into pneumonia because I refuse to take the time I need to rest.

All mothers with kids will at one point in life hear their own mother in the back of their mind telling them to clean all of the sheets and house with bleach from top to bottom if the kids get sick. I'm not sure about any of you, but my mother suffered from OCD and a can of Lysol was her best friend. There was never any other scent in our house but Fresh Linen when I was growing up LOL!

This type of thinking may have been great for the Baby Boom Generation. They (pardon the pun) bought into all the products that promised to kill every germ in sight. I honestly think my mother may have thought it would ward of the boys too. LOL! That generation needed quick fixes because both parents worked and that was a great thing for them.  It did the trick.

HOWEVER, I believed it worked for a completely different reason than what was thought. That generation was the first generation to grow up with in an advanced world. And that has perks. They had new things to combat colds.

The prior generation that raised the Boomers, utilized the environment they lived in. Things like vinegar and baking soda were used in place of bleach. All three of those products work to kill germs, but how they were used was very different.

My grandparents didn't spend as much time cleaning the house as my parents did. They didn't because they knew that the human body needs some germs around to build up an immunity. In essence, many of our parents didn't have a lot of colds because they had a carefully built up immunity to them. That immunity was built from their very first days out of the womb. They were breast fed, ate foods fresh from the garden (yup, Organic isn't new), and had a few germs around the house to help build up their systems.

When I grew up, I grew up in a sterile environment. As soon as I had my first sneeze, out came the Lysol. And then my Mom cleaned and scrubbed everything. I was sick ALL the time. At one point in the fourth grade I was sick for a month and the doctor wasn't even sure what I had because my coughing, sneezing, aching, and fever just wouldn't go away.

Now that I have kids and Fibro, I have to be a little more creative when it comes to cleaning the house when the Flu Season rears its ugly head. I can't be as diligent as my mother was, nor do I even have the strength to scrub. My Fibro has robbed me of my strength and  even if I try, I'll either wind up with a flare, or worse. So what do I do?

Simple, that's what I do. I go back to the simpler times when bleach wasn't around. Yes, I adopted all the things my Grandmother did to clean the house. When we are sick, I will open a window to let the bad air out and the good air in. I also will boil a pot of water to get moister in the air. And lastly, I cut up an onion. The onion will not only help you breathe a little better, but it will take the germs out of the air, as well. And you know what? My kids aren't as sick as I used to be growing up!

So the next time you hear that the old way isn't the best, do yourself a favor and just don't listen! The old way WAS the best way for not only combating germs, but also to help you maintain your health in other ways. Some tricks helped you save time! Cutting up an onion was one of those tricks!

If you slice an onion and leave the cut part exposed it will absorb the germs. Once it turns black, dispose of it, and replace it with another if you need to. This may sound like a lazy way of doing things, but it really helps you when you need your rest just as much as your kids!

Stay fabulous!
Love and friendship,

Kimberley

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