Listen to Lena

Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

The Best Defense is a Good Offense #Giveaway

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Folks, it’s that time of year again. You know, when that unwanted, unapologetic, pesky little visitor infiltrates our communities for the next 6 months or so. Its name?

Influenza. Also known as the crappiest feeling of your life.

According to Health Canada, in a typical year, up to an estimated 25 per cent – or about 8.6 million Canadians – come down with the seasonal flu. I’ve been lucky to avoid the dreaded virus in winters past; but then, I don’t get out much, so my protective little bubble has served me well. However, for those who brave the elements (and germs) head on, Shoppers Drug Mart would like to offer one of my readers a chance to win a Cold and Flu Defense Kit to help prevent the flu and manage cold symptoms when they do occur.

Valued at over $150, the Shoppers Drug Mart Cold and Flu Defense Kit contains a $50 gift card to use at your local Shoppers Drug Mart, plus essential items you should have on hand including Life Brand hand sanitizer, Vapo Rub, a digital thermometer, sugar-free cough drops, facial tissue, Vitamins D and C, a cool mist humidifier and Simply Food Chicken Noodle Soup.

(FYI:  You can now get your annual flu shot by walking-in to SDM or booking an appointment online.)

Although I’m not here to tell you whether or not to take the flu shot (for the record, I do not), I do have one solid piece of advice I’d like everyone to follow: If you’re sick, for the love of God, please stay home. Seriously. NOBODY wants your germs, and no job/ class/ shopping trip/ get together is so important that you need to infect everyone within a 3-metre radius of your phlegmy curse. If more people took the time to isolate themselves and simply get better, we wouldn’t have an epidemic on our hands.

Ah well. One can dream. In the meantime, there’s the Cold and Flue Defense Kit. To enter, simply fill the form below with your qualifying entries. Good luck – and stay healthy!

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Comments

  2. We prepare by taking extra vitamins and eating healthy….oh ya, and LOTS of hand sanitizer.

  6. With being a new mom, I surely hope to not get sick this year! This would be a great help lol

  7. Hand sanitizer, ensureing people don’t cough and sneeze into their hands, vitamins and a flu shot

  9. I don’t do much other than washing my hands. I’m lucky – I don’t get sick often. I do, however, love how well Cold-FX and oil of oregano work if I AM getting sick.

  14. drink/eat lots of Vitamin C, use hand sanitizer and wear a scarf around my neck during cold mornings

  16. Hand washing, teaching the kids to cough into their arms not their hands and flu shots.

  17. I absolutely agree but there are unfortunately many ppl in the world who cannot afford to isolate themselves when they have the sniffles. But one can dream :)
    I wish all a healthy and sniffleless fall and winter!

  18. I start stocking up on tissues and night-time cold meds when I see them on sale in the late summer. I also have been uping our vitamin c intake

  20. I take zinc losenges whenever i feel a cold coming around and hope it doesn’t find me!

  23. We practice frequent hand washing. it is the best defence against germs! Says my nurse friend, she’s rarely ever sick

  25. When I get sick with the cold and flu, I stay home and rest. I just kind of avoid people.

  27. I take Omega-3 daily plus a multi vitamins. I always have a supply of tissues on hand. Comfort food is chicken soup.

  32. Just finished having a cold!! Only have one sick day left for the rest of the year I hope I dont catch anything else!!!!

  36. We wash our hands a lot in our house. The first thing all of us do when we come in from being out is wash our hands. My 3 year old just goes and does it on his own. We also take vitamins and try to eat healthy.

  37. we get flu shots, try to eat good, get enough sleep but with little kids who go to school its hard to prepare. we always end up sick no matter what.

  42. I stay away from large crowds, buy tissues and robitussin. I try to eat well and get plenty of sleep.

  44. I have my cold fx my Lysol wipes my Lysol spray, washing hands constantly wiping down door handles fridge handles anything someone touches that is sick.

  50. I use a hand sanitiser more often and take vitamin c. I also try to keep active and eat healthy. That helps a lot

  55. Cleaning the commonly touched areas (i.e.: door knobs, phones). We think a lot about vitamins and hand sanitizers, but cold season is also about preventing germs from spreading. And touching places where people may place germs on is a good start.

  60. Wash our hands a lot and use hand sanitizer often especially when we go out. We also get flu shots

  64. we do lots of hand washing and we do like to get the flu shot as I have kids with asthmas so they tend to get really sick when they get ill so we usually do that

  65. I stock up on cold/flu pills, neo citran and hand sanitizer and make sure we always wash our hands

  67. As a pre-school teacher, it’s important to stay healthy, and even more important to teach our young minds how to stay healthy, too! Everything from PROPER hand washing, how to sneeze into your elbow, and healthy eating and sleeping are the simple steps I teach my kids to help prevent the flu!

  68. We take our daily vitamins, wash our hands a little more than usual and use hand sanitizer when we can’t wash up.

  74. I don’t think I really prepare. I take vitamins daily but more for feeling healthy. I haven’t had a flu in several years and don’t care for needles so I don’t usually have the flu shot. I guess so far I have been lucky :)

  78. I am very vigilant about washing my hands, and I like to load up on echinacea and vitamin C this time of the year! This basket looks great though – thanks for the chance to win! :)

  86. We go to the drugstore and get things like flu/cold medicine, cough syrup, vicks, Tylenol, saline for the nose. Things like that.

  88. My husband and I don’t prepare, we just ignore it and wait and see, and we hardly ever get a cold

  90. We keep up with tissues. We also check out thermometer every few months to make sure it’s still good as it’s digital. We keep cough syrup on hand as the girls are guaranteed to bring home ‘something’ involving a cough!

  91. We add some extra vitamins during the cold/flu season and make sure our medicine cabinet is stocked in case a bug makes its way into the house.

  94. I usually stock up on cold medications for myself, my husband and our children. I also try to make sure the house gets sanitized often and the kids wash their hands several times throughout the day.

  99. I make sure I have plenty of Vitamin C and tissues available. I also make a beeline away from people that are coughing or sneezing in a store (if I’m not in the checkout line, then it is kind of hard to make a getaway), and I make sure to keep my gloves on (I use those cheapie stretchy gloves in a store) when using the shopping cart. I have noticed that some stores now have wipes available where you pick up your shopping carts – I think that is a fantastic idea too.

  101. We take Vitamin C and other vitamins each day and wash our hands more frequently and avoid to have our hands contact our eyes and noses before we wash our hands

  105. I take extra Vitamin D and wash my hands more often during fall and winter. This is a very generous prize and Shoppers Life brand is always excellent!

  106. I make sure I am stocked up on Tylenol Cold/Flu, painkillers and cough syrup. There is nothing worse than getting sick and not having the meds you need!

  108. I go extra miles to protect us all, and if that doesn’t help, there is a “first aid” with homeopathic and traditional remedies…

  116. Tis the season – have to prepare monthly – my son is asthmatic. Can never be caught with our *defenses* down. The humidifier would be ideal – great giveaway and package.

  128. I just make sure to wash my hands regularly, especially when someone sick has entered my office. Exercising regularly helps me fight any illness off as well!

  129. Make sure I have cold/flu meds available and I use lots of hand sanitizer to avoid catching the flu in public places.

  133. Incredible amounts of handwashing, desanitizing, sanitizing and when all else fails vitamin C. I try and keep the cold and flu out of my house, sometimes it doesn’t heed my warning :)

  135. I think this year I’ll prepare by getting the flu shot, I haven’t been getting it the past few years and I keep getting sick at the same time as my daughter and it’s horrible when we’re both sick at the same time.

  139. I try to stay on top of everyone taking their vitamins, flu shots, make sure any areas that cause a draft in the house are sealed!

  140. Daily vitamins and my kids both carry hand sanitizer clipped to their backpacks and a packet of kleenex plus frequent hand-washing.

  148. I make sure to get my intake of vitamin C , wash my hands frequently and I get a flu shot as a preventative measure.

  152. I wash my hands a lot, as I suffer from Lupis I am more prone to infection.
    I take a lot of vitamins and I rest a lot. I also need to eat VERY healthy.

  153. With my job (nursing) I wash my hands religiously already. During flu season I do get my flu shot (job requirement) and carry sanitizer with me everywhere.

  159. Sanitize hands frequently and before touching food. Drink lots of water, get well rested and ensure my vitamins are taken

  164. I am never prepared. Well, we always have cough syrup on hand, but I won’t touch the stuff! I’ll just have soup and tea and naps and baths…and basically suffer it out.

  168. I prepare by making sure we have enough supplies should we catch a cold or flu. Facial tissue, cough drops, etc..

    We get the flu shot each year as well.

  170. I don’t prepare. But if I hear that someone I know is sick- I avoid them like the plague! HA!

  171. Not at all! I use what leftovers I have on hand and tend not to leave the house unless necessary. I have been through one something or other already and was totally wishing I was fully stocked with everything. I tried a bit of everything on hand to no avail!

  173. We don’t do much – make sure we have the basics on hand including honey, tea and chicken soup.

  176. I am entering your giveaway.
    It would be great to win the cold and flu prizepack.
    In response to your question on how I prepare for cold and flu season,
    I wash my hands a lot and dress warm.

  180. Having prepared and enjoyed your Banana Split Cheesecake, I am particularly partial to that photo!

    • Sorry about that last post! My illness-addled brain typed it in the wrong box! That’s why I need this prize pack!

  186. Hi, we prepare for cold and flu season by taking vitamin D daily, eating healthy, getting enough sleep, taking Echinacee if symptoms start to appear and getting the flu shot. Also exercising proper hygiene is also very important. Thanks for sponsoring this timely giveaway and or the opportunity to participate