Does it seem like everyone in your house gets sick in the fall? The kids catch a cold at school, they bring it home, and before you know it—everyone is coughing, sniffling, and feeling gross.

Great news! Here are the best natural ways to stay healthy this fall—even when everyone around you is sick.

There are five main pieces to the natural wellness puzzle: social support, diet, disinfection, activity, and stress relief.

Stay Healthy: Social Support

Are you surprised to see this listed first? It’s no accident. Social relationships have been scientifically proven to support good health. In fact, “people with stronger social relationships had a 50% increased likelihood of survival than those with weaker social relationships.”

Interaction with others (in real life, not online) makes a huge difference in our health. If you’re retired or work from home like me, you have to make time to connect.

Call a friend, or meet up for tea. Check out one of the free events at your local library. Volunteer at the hospital or animal shelter. Try a Meetup group—there’s one for just about every interest.

Stay Healthy: Nutritious Diet

A nutritious diet is a huge part of keeping yourself healthy. Try to stay away from boxed mixes and packaged foods, because they contain lots of additives and chemicals you don’t need.

Add in fermented foods like sauerkraut, kombucha, and yogurt whenever you can. The probiotics in fermented foods improve digestion and strengthen your immune system. A bowl of yogurt topped with blueberries is a healthy, nutritious snack that gives you probiotics and antioxidants.

Stay Healthy: Disinfection

You already know to wash your hands often—but chances are, your kids are not washing them enough. As soon as they come home from school, give them a bath or run them through the shower to stay one step ahead of the germs.

You can disinfect surfaces and kill germs naturally without using bleach. This combo is great for counters, phones, light switches, and door knobs.

Stay Healthy: Activity

Make sure to move your body as much as you can. You don’t have to work yourself to exhaustion. Every little bit of activity helps! At work, take the stairs or go for a walk on your break. At home, have a dance party with the kids, work in the garden, or do squats while you brush your teeth.

Stay Healthy: Stress Relief

Besides making you feel bad, stress can directly affect your physical health. You can’t make stress go away completely, but the tips shared in Blue Shield of California’s member resource center, such as this, will help!

Daily exercise, nutritious food, and time with friends are stress-reducers.

Getting enough sleep also helps keep stress levels down. Here are natural ways to fall asleep without taking pills.

A cup of herbal tea with chamomile or lemon balm is soothing and calming. A drop of lavender essential oil on your wrists or behind your ears can help relieve stress too.