How to Fight the Common Cold

'Tis the season to be sneezin'. Feel a cold coming on? Starting to get that little tickle in the back of your throat? Has everyone in the house or the office been sick? Don't take it lying down. Just follow these steps the moment you even suspect one is coming on. You can help avoid that cold from taking hold, or at least lessen it's duration and discomfort, before it really grabs hold of you.

1) Ditch the mucus. Blow your nose as often as necessary. The cold virus enters the body through the nose and mainly multiplies there. Keeping some tissue handy and blowing your nose regularly throughout the day may not totally prevent infection, but can minimize it by expelling as much mucus as you can.

Gargling with salt water can help with this, as it strips away mucus and helps to kill harmful bacteria. When you first feel that little tickle at the back of your throat, put a teaspoon of salt into a bottle of warm water, shake it up and set it on the bathroom counter. Whenever you go in the bathroom to brush your teeth or wash up, take a swig and gargle for a few seconds.

2) Drink lots of fluids. Fluids help to loosen the mucus in your nose and chest, so that you can expel it easier. Water is the best fluid you can drink for a cold. The next best is tea, as the steam and warmth can be soothing. If you have any nausea, have a cup of ginger tea. If you find yourself very congested, reach for the peppermint tea. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, ginger can soothe mild stomach upset and peppermint is a natural decongestant.

3) Have some chicken soup. CNN reported that chicken soup has been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties, and reduces white blood cell activity that causes irritation.

If you really want to "kick up" that soup, try my own family's simple herbal cold remedy:

1 can chicken soup

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/8 tsp cayanne pepper

1 tsp thyme

Bring soup to a simmer. Remove from heat. Add any or all of the other ingredients and let sit for 5 minutes. Strain. Drink a cup every 3 to 4 hours as needed.

Garlic is a natural antibiotic, pepper helps clear the sinuses, and the common kitchen herb thyme is an expectorant that helps promote a productive cough. My family keeps a crock pot of this warm on the counter whenever we find ourselves home and feeling under the weather. We ladle servings out of it off and on all day. It usually does the trick.

4) Make yourself comfortable and get plenty of rest. It pays to pull back a bit from chores and responsibilities to get a good, full night's sleep, or spend time relaxing so that your body can regenerate. Some people resistant to pulling back a little at the first signs of a mild cold, thinking they can just trudge on through it. Later they can find themselves suffering more and more for days, until they are forced to drop everything, go to a doctor, buy medication and take time off anyway. Not to mention, all that time you walked around sneezing, hacking and coughing, you are risking infecting other people. You can save yourself (and the people around you) a lot of time, trouble and misery if you just give yourself a break when first coming down with a cold.

Try taking a warm bath to relax- if you've felt stuffed up, add a few drops of eucalyptus to your bath water for a vaporizing effect. If your throat has been sore, sooth it with a teaspoon of honey or herbal cough drop. Put on some comfortable pajamas of a natural material, such as cotton or flannel, so that they are absorbent and will not hold in sweat or body heat that might make you uncomfortable.

5) Keep things clean. Don't risk continually reinfecting yourself, or infecting others, by spreading the germs around. Wash your hands regularly throughout the day with warm, soapy water- especially after blowing your nose. Hand sanitizing gels are an okay substitute if you are not near a sink, but simply cannot replace proper washing. Wipe surfaces thoroughly with a mild disinfectant after working at a counter or table. Change your bedding, especially your pillow cases, if you spent the night sniffling, sneezing and coughing on them.

Remember, the best defense is a good offense. Don't allow a cold to get a good grip on you. These recommendations are in no way meant to substitute for medical care under a licensed health care provider. If symptoms persist, or you have any health concerns or questions, you should contact your doctor.