the holistic favorites and sick-season items I keep stocked
Tis’ the season for sniffles and scratchy throats, so let’s chat wellness. Before we dive in, let me be the first to say: I am not a health expert. Everything I’ve learned has come from late-night Googling, flipping through old-timey wellness books, and soaking up wisdom from my girlfriends—who range from semi-crunchy to full-on holistic gurus.
For most of my early motherhood, I basically lived at the pediatrician’s office. If one kid caught something, the other would follow, and we’d start the back-and-forth shuffle all over again. These days, I’m simply a mom with twice as many kids trying my best to be proactive with our health—anything to not be sitting in that waiting room if I can help it.
If you’re in the same boat, here are the wellness staples I keep stocked in our medicine cabinet and exactly how we use them. They’ve made such a difference for our family, and I don’t want to imagine life without them.
If you’re a “just give me the links” person you can shop all my wellness favorites here.
Daily vitamins & wellness routines //
Multivitamins // If you are wanting an easy option for a daily vitamins, greens & prebiotic in one my girls love the Gruns, especially the Grinch flavor that is out right now. If you want to do a more a la cart option then here is what we typically take: Mary Ruth’s Kids Multivitamins or Mary Ruth’s Toddler Multivitamin Gummies & Mary Ruth’s Kids Vitamin C Gummies + Mary Ruth’s K2 + D3 Calcium Gummies during cold/flu season. In the summer my girls usually get enough vitamin C + Vitamin D from natural sources (food + the sun) so I only do the multivitamin then. Get 20% off with code MROCCOOPER (this code also works on Amazon!)
Mary Ruth’s Creatine Gummies // My husband and I have recently started taking these and now that I’ve studied up on creatine a little bit more we have our pre-teens taking one of these gummies a day. You can click this video for more. Get 20% off with code MROCCOOPER (this code also works on Amazon!)
Mary Ruth’s Magnesium Calm Gummies // These magnesium gummies are a staple in our house, especially on nights when the kids are a little extra keyed up. They’re vegan, taste great, and make it super easy to keep magnesium levels up without pills or powders. Magnesium also helps keep things moving smoothly, which is a huge bonus during those constipated days. Simple, kid-friendly, and calming—definitely one of our favorite wellness routines. Get 20% off with code MROCCOOPER (this code also works on Amazon!)
Beekeeper’s Kid’s Throat Spray & Adult Spray // This is one of my ride-or-die wellness staples—I swear by it, and we use it every single day. Propolis is basically nature’s little superhero, packed with antioxidants and over 300 beneficial compounds bees use to protect their hive. The kids’ version has buckwheat honey, so it tastes way better than the adult one, though that one isn’t bad either. With clean, simple ingredients and no junk, it’s the easiest daily ritual we have for overall wellness and soothing those dry, scratchy throats that show up the minute the weather shifts.
Vibration Plate // This little gadget feels like a secret weapon for getting things moving—especially for supporting healthy lymphatic flow. The acupressure plate stimulates the feet to help wake up circulation and ease tension, giving your whole system a gentle nudge. I hop on it for a few minutes a day for an easy wellness boost, and if the girls are congested, we’ll even sit on it because it seems to help loosen things up—kind of like a gentle version of cupping.
Lumebox Red Light // We use our Lumebox constantly—even though it’s not pictured—because it’s one of those small-but-mighty wellness tools that actually earns its spot in the cabinet. I love that it combines both red (660nm) and near-infrared (850nm) light, and I’ve seen real differences in skin clarity, inflammation, and overall healing when we use it consistently. Whether it’s helping calm a breakout, speeding up recovery from a cut, or easing the achiness in my forever-temperamental knee, the benefits are noticeable. My kids even grab it for sore throats or coughs and will lay with it on their chest or neck for a little soothing boost.
At the first sign of illness //
Shower Steamers // These eucalyptus shower steamers are a lifesaver anytime someone is stuffy or congested—I’ll pop one in, turn on the shower, and the amount of snot that comes out of my girls is honestly wild. Made in the USA with real essential oils and clean ingredients, they dissolve slowly and fill the bathroom with a soothing, spa-like scent. They’re an easy way to help break up congestion and add a little aromatherapy to shower time!
Little Remedies Saline Spray // I am a big fan of saline spray to keep your nose hydrated and clear out any gunk. I will use these drops for the littles and this for the big kids. This is a great adult option, too!
Nasal Aspirator // This thing is an absolute miracle for clearing congestion in little ones who are too young to blow their noses. I’ll add a couple drops of saline and then let the NozeBot do its magic—it pulls out everything and helps them breathe so much easier. Designed by a pediatric ENT, it’s gentle, portable, rechargeable, and honestly one of those baby gadgets I wish I’d had from day one.
Glass Juicer + Garlic Shots // This is the easiest way to get fresh juice if you need to take a garlic shot. Also you will want this garlic chopper (more details here). This little garlic chopper gets a workout in our house because fresh garlic is one of my go-to wellness staples. When garlic is chopped or crushed, it naturally forms allicin—a compound known for its strong, spicy kick and its well-documented antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. We chop a clove, let it sit for about 10 minutes, then mix it into a splash of pineapple or orange juice for an easy “shot” anytime we feel like our immune systems could use a little extra support. It’s become such a routine that even the kids ask for it when they’re feeling run-down, and I love having such a simple, natural option on hand.
Boiron Oscillococcinum // Buy this now & keep it stocked! I’m a huge fan of all things Boiron—the brand has been around forever and is known for their gentle, natural formulas. These medicines have no known interactions, and usually come in a kid’s version or are safe to take for older kids (check the ages). Instead of masking symptoms, they’re designed to gently nudge the body’s natural defenses which I love!! The whole family will take this at the earliest onset of a cold. I also love all of their other targeted medicines like SinusCalm, Chestal, ThroatCalm and ColdCalm.
More specific remedies or when you need to throw everything you’ve got at it //
Mary Ruth’s Oil of Oregano // Oil of oregano is one of those powerhouse herbal staples that’s been used for ages, and it definitely lives up to its “strong stuff” reputation. This liquid version is ultra-potent, which is why a lot of people prefer it in capsule form—but if you take it straight, you have to mix it with juice because wow, it’s intense. When we feel like we need an herbal boost, a tiny, diluted dose goes a long way. I only ever use it short-term because, for me, it acts a lot like an herbal antibiotic and can be a bit much on the gut if I overdo it. We take it whenever we feel something viral coming on. Get 20% off with code MROCCOOPER (this code also works on Amazon!)
Ear Oil // This ear oil is one of those tiny-but-mighty staples I always keep on hand for the kids. Anytime I notice extra wax building up or they start mentioning that their ears feel “funny,” a couple drops go a long way toward soothing that irritation. It’s designed to calm dryness and help loosen wax gently, which makes it perfect for those in-between moments before anything turns into a bigger issue. Then if they start complaining of them hurting I will use this ear oil and some good lymphatic drainage to help keep ear infections away. Also don’t discount a warm compress or a salt sock – sounds crazy but just trust me and google it! We haven’t had ear infections in years and years thanks to these.
Nebulizer // A holistic pediatrician first introduced me to the power of a nebulizer, and now I don’t let any kind of chest congestion go ignored. It delivers an ultra-fine mist (≤4µm particles), which helps it reach deeper into the lungs while staying gentle and non-irritating—perfect for little ones. We stick to simple, safe basics like saline. You can explore options like diluted Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide under the guidance of a professional. It’s become one of my favorite supportive tools for anything tight, wheezy, or rattly in the chest.
Brio Oral Swish // This hypochlorous acid mouth rinse is great to keep on hand anytime I want a quick, gentle way to freshen up and help keep germs at bay. It’s simple, clean, and one of those little wellness tools that’s nice to grab when we’re feeling run-down.
Hypochlorous Acid Spray // And because hypochlorous acid is basically a multitasking superhero, I keep the spray version for everything skin-related—sunburns, cuts, rashes, scrapes, you name it. It’s one of the most-used bottles in our house and makes skin care for the whole family so easy.
Humidifiers // If you want a GREAT humidifer get a Canopy. They are a total game-changer because they’re designed with clean moisture in mind—no mist, no mess, and no funky buildup. Canopy uses an anti-mold technology and disposable filters so the water that circulates is actually clean. It also runs super quietly, won’t leave a wet film on furniture, and even doubles as an aroma diffuser. Plus, the entire thing is dishwasher-safe!! We have the bedside version and the portable option as well!
If you want to shop my full medicine cabinet you can do that here.
