5 Reasons Why Cleanwell Liquid Hand Soap is our New BFF

New Year. New bug. We kicked off the New Year by participating (albeit unwillingly) in the GI outbreak that hit our local Vancouver hospital, community - and with annoyingly great precision, our household. The result? A few unwell tummies, a well used washing machine and a deep, long lasting relationship with Cleanwell All Natural Liquid Hand Soap.

In fact, it would be perfectly accurate to say Cleanwell liquid hand soap has become our new BFF. Sounding a wee bit over the top? Perhaps, but when you're hit with an onslaught of nausea, aches, pains and more, having something in hand to help fight those germs that you don't really understand is well, empowering.

We've always liked Cleanwell's range of pure and natural products, but here are five reasons why we really like their liquid hand soap - in particular - now.

1. Lab proven to kill 99.9% of germs on contact, including MRSA, Salmonella, Staph, and E. coli, Cleanwell hand soap gives us confidence that with every wash it truly is helping fight the germs that are making us sick and is preventing them from spreading to other members of the family.

2. It's free of parabens, triclosan and other potentially nasty chemicals so no matter how many times we wash our hands - which feels like hundreds and hundreds these last few days - we know we aren't absorbing toxins through our skin. There's no alcohol either, which means no dry, scaly skin.

3. You can easily peel the label off the Cleanwell liquid hand soap bottle so you're left with an attractive-looking soap dispenser sitting on your vanity rather than a commercialized bottle. While we've been using Cleanwell for some time, this exciting little discovery was made reading the label's fine print in the wee hours of one recently long, dark, sleepless night while hanging out in the bathroom.

4. Our kids call Cleanwell the 'easy soap' as the bottle features an extremely easy pump action. The top of the pump you press down on is a relatively large, easy target for little hands and with one push there's oodles of all natural foam to wash (and play) with. The result is the kids are keen to use the pump and keep their hands clean too.

5. The scents are pleasantly natural, not irritatingly artificial-smelling and a very welcome, soothing change from the less than appetizing aromas resulting from stomach flu. We've found the spearmint lime scent to be particularly uplifting when there's seemingly no end in sight.

Cleanwell natural antibacterial liquid hand soap is available in Canada along with a range of other Cleanwell products at eco boutique Lavish & Lime. If you have any thoughts or ideas about Cleanwell or fighting germs in general, we'd love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.

WIN 1 of 3 Cleanwell Natural Hand Sanitizers!

NOTE: We've extended the deadline for entries to this contest - you have until midnight, this Friday, November 20th to enter. See you on Facebook and good luck!
The Lavish & Lime Team

We want to help you fight germs naturally, so we're giving away a bottle of our Cleanwell Natural Hand Sanitizer to three lucky winners.

To enter, simply become a fan on our Facebook page and leave a comment on our wall telling us what you're doing to fight the flu.

We'll be drawing for three winning fans on November 18th. Enter now!

Good luck!

Cleanwell Natural Hand Sanitizers are available for purchase at Vancouver-based online eco boutique Lavish & Lime.

10 Ways to Fight Flu Naturally

If you're not wholly on board with getting the H1N1 vaccine or are simply waiting your turn, there are steps you can take to help prevent you and your family from getting the flu.

The indisputable #1 way to prevent sickness is to wash your hands with soap and warm water frequently. Find out more about when you should wash your hands here. It's recommended that you wash your hands as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday.

In the absence of a sink, the next best thing to keep hands clean is to use a hand sanitizer. Schools are now asking parents to send their kids to school with a bottle of hand cleaner. The problem here in BC is concern over kids misusing alcohol hand sanitizer. With alcohol hand cleaners containing more than 60% alcohol and that usually being 120 proof, it's no wonder there's some concern over kids ingesting or experimenting with it. Alcohol also dries the skin and stings when it comes into contact with cuts and abrasions.

A great option for fighting germs when you're on the go is a natural hand sanitizer. Cleanwell natural hand sanitizers are lab proven to kill 99.99% germs on contact - and they're free of harsh chemicals, including alcohol. Plus they come in a chic and handy little spray bottle with a no-mess flip top cap - great for your purse, pocket, backpack or desk.

After clean hands, boosting your immunity is perhaps the best thing you can do to fight flu naturally. Here are nine ways we've come across to do this that people are talking about.

2. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (or Listerine if you don't trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation and is a good, inexpensive preventative method.

3. Swab your nostrils with salt water. Blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is helps bring down the viral population.

4. Drink warm liquids. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

5. Eat a well-balanced diet with lots of fruit and vegetables.

6. Take a Vitamin C supplement - because most of us don't eat enough Vitamin C-rich foods - and now that the clocks have gone back and we're getting less daylight, this should be supplemented by Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin. Zinc also helps with absorption of Vitamin C.

7. Take immune-booster Oil of Oregano (liquid) under your tongue or diluted with a little water.

8. Get lots of sleep. Adults should be getting 7-8 hours and growing kids 10-12.

9. Keep your hands away from your face. Don't touch your eyes, put your fingers in your mouth, etc.

10. Reduce sugar intake. Sugar can have the effect of suppressing your immune system. (Good luck with this one after all that trick or treating yesterday!).

For more information about H1N1, visit fightflu.ca.

You can purchase Cleanwell natural hand sanitizer at eco boutique Lavish & Lime. Buy a 6-pack and save $3. If you have any thoughts or ideas about fighting germs naturally, please leave a comment below. We've love to hear from you!