Hey guys – the following is a sponsored post I’ve created with a brand that I believe in and we already use in our day to day lives. I feel good about supporting it and hope you do too. Here’s to a happy, healthy, and active winter season despite all the potential for blah, boredom, and bad bugs – boost immune system this winter with Renew Life Formulas!

We spent the last week essentially trapped at home, with a school holiday overlapping a bigger-than-predicted snow storm (here in NC we don’t have a million plows that get to work the minute the flurries start – we have to wait until they get to us, if that happens before the snow melts. We usually end up getting plowed by whatever leftover construction equipment that can be found). Eventually we were able to get outside and take full advantage of the fun that snow provides – sledding, snowball fights, questionable looking snowmen – but the first couple days were that miserable kind of dreary grey with the snow still coming down and the wind attacking your face no matter which way you turn. Not the kind of weather you muster through with a two and six year old.

While the time off school was certainly fun, I think most of us can agree that there’s only so much fun that can be had before cabin fever sets in and you start bouncing off the walls. And when your kids bounce off the walls on a good day, it’s needless to say that things can get just a bit crazy if you don’t get a little creative. Not to mention it’s hard to stay active and healthy when you feel like you’re stuck indoors all the time. {Seriously, being a mom during a dreary winter takes some serious guts.}

Here are some of the ways we fight off the winter crazies and keep our family active and operating at 100%:

– Couch cushion forts (sneaky mom-hack: toss a vacuum in the mix and trick the kiddos into cleaning for you)

– Stream a workout and make it a game (hey, might as well use technology to your advantage) – this one  does triple duty: let’s me squeeze in a bit of a workout, entertains the kids (at least for the first 10 minutes), and burns off some of that we’re-stuck-inside-again energy.

– Obstacle courses – using whatever you can get your hands on – pillows, toys, even streamers to create a “web” in a hallway.

– Workout equipment in disguise: think jump ropes, mini trampolines, and music-filled dance parties.

– Hot cocoa and marshmallows {because what snow day is complete without hot chocolate?} We boost it up a bit by adding turmeric for everyone and give a little kick with cayenne for the grownups {although my 2 year old has no problems stealing mine and finishing it, spice and all}.

While most moms were pulling their hair out about another day out of school, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t upset they were missing a week of nasty germ exposure. The flu is running rampant around here (and everywhere), not to mention the ever-present snotty noses and hacking coughs that seem to follow kids around all winter long.

And while avoiding germs is certainly helpful, it’s not exactly practical unless you have a snowstorm as an excuse to hide out.

So we do what we can to boost immunity:

– Shoes at the door (hey, husband, I’m looking at you here). It’s amazing all the junk our shoes can track in (and my floors are messy enough without the extra dirt thank you very much), so we check them the at the door. (Baskets everywhere are your friend.)

– Kid-safe essential oils. I use an immunity-boosting blend in the kids’ rooms at night, as well as use it to make safer hand sanitizer (which admittedly I’m not great about remembering to use) and cleaners for “big touch” items like doorknobs. We also use a sniffles and cough blend for when there are actual signs of illness on the brink (which basically means always for my 2 year old).

– Elderberry. We use this as a preventative measure (my kids actually beg for it) as well as have it on hand in case illness strikes, when we’d up the dose and frequency. It can supposedly decrease the duration of the flu by 3 days, with no icky drug side effects. Hopefully we won’t have to test the claim ourselves.

– Vitamins and fish oil. I’m not even going to pretend my kids eat well enough on a daily basis to meet all of their micronutrient needs, so we fill the gaps with a multi and a fish oil that contains vitamins A + D. Vitamin D is a HUGE immunity booster and so important in maintaining gut health.

– Probiotics. Probiotics are amazing powerhouses that help keep our guts healthy, balanced, and functioning optimally.

Why is keeping the gut healthy so important, especially during these crazy months of winter weather? As strange as it sounds, up to 70% of your immune system is in your gut.

Did you know that in addition to your immune-system, your gut is directly related to your mood?! Up to 95% of your serotonin (the feel-good hormone) is created in your gut. Just another reason to keep that gut healthy – to keep you happy, especially during the dreary winter months when you’re stuck inside. (And seriously, I’ll take all the mood-boosting I can get!)

Practicing health-ful habits and taking positive preventative actions like taking a daily probiotic can help keep your gut (and therefore your immune system + your mood) operating at it’s prime. Our family uses Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotics (the kiddos use the chewable version), which are gluten and dairy free. The Extra Care Probiotic has 30 billion live cultures per capsule with 10 scientifically studied strains (each strain plays a different role), supporting digestive and immune health.

I know talking about gut health isn’t exactly riveting and exciting, but if it weren’t for a healthy gut, there’s no way I’d be able to handle staying active + energetic while keeping two young kids up and at ‘em. To me, it’s essential to my physical and mental health. Operating at my best literally starts from within.

How do you stay healthy and active during these potentially dreary winter months?

Also – Renew Life is having an exclusive President’s Day Sale Feb.19 – Feb. 23: 25% Off + Free Shipping and Triple Renew Rewards. No Promo Code Required. Shop and Save at RenewLife.com

[Just a reminder, this is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotics.]