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5 ways to keep the flu and colds out of your house

Cold and flu season is right around the corner, and those kids hanging out with yours will be walking petri dishes. Short of wrapping your entire home in a bubble -- and the dog too -- cold and flu season will find its way into your home. But you can take some very simple steps to help prevent the damage, and maybe even the whole sickness, from knocking out every member of your family.

Here are 5 ways to keep colds and flu away that you can take care of ASAP.

1. Implement Hand Washing Rules

The best thing you can do to help prevent germs from spreading all over the place is to wash those hands. Your kids, your grandma, and you all need to get into the routine of washing hands the minute you walk in the door, before you eat, after you eat, and any time you sneeze into them.

2. Get the Flu Shot

It's not just those who are most vulnerable, like children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems, who need the seasonal flu shot. If you hang out with those people -- and if you have kids in school -- you'll need a vaccination as well. If everyone is protected, you have more than a fighting chance of getting out of the winter with no major illnesses yucking up your home.

3. Eat Well

Keeping your body nourished with all of the vitamins and minerals your family needs will keep everyone strong and healthy and able to battle the flu your friends are bringing around.

4. Keep Your Hands to Yourself

Avoid the double kiss greeting this time of year, and always bring your tissues. You don't want to touch your nose, and you don't want to touch your friend's nose when the sniffles arrive. If you do come in contact with germs around the head area, see rule #1.

5. Go to Bed

Getting plenty of rest when your body is fighting off airborne germs is a great way to keep your body in fighting form. When you get run down and exhausted, those cold and flu germs sneak right on in and knock you out.