Blow Your Nose

Blow your nose---gently. Press your finger over one nostril and blow to clear the other nostril. Sniffling only prolongs the effects and keeps that nasty mucus in your system. Be polite and blow your nose away from the dinner table and retreat to the bathroom or hallway at the office; don't forget to scrub your hands afterwards!

Drink Liquids and Sip Some Soup!

Hot liquids relieve congestion and keep you cozy and hydrated. Tea can easily comfort both your throat and nose. Chicken soup may contain a number of substances with beneficial medicinal value which include an anti-inflammatory mechanism that eases the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections.  The hot steam soothes many an aching throat!

Try a Good Gargle

Gargling can provide temporary relief of cold symptoms. A teaspoon of salt in warm water three times daily cleanses the system. For a potent gargle, try a bit of lemon juice and a drop of honey in in two cups of hot water. Cool, then gargle.

Spice It Up!

Turn yourself on to some spicy food.  Spices in many Asian, Mexican and Indian foods can help unclog a stuffy nose.

Immunity Boost

The next time you feel a cold coming on, start taking Echinacea. Look for a product in tablet or capsule form that has been standardized (meaning it has the same amount of active ingredients in each dose). Follow package directions for dosage and always consult with a doctor before taking any vitamin, supplement or pill.

Soup Recipes

There's something in chicken soup that slows down inflammatory processes that make colds worse according to doctors at the American College of Chest Physicians in San Francisco. The interest in chicken soup is strong enough for researchers to speculate about other ways of trying to prove if grandmother's concoction of chicken and vegetable, salt and pepper really can change the course of a cold. Here are two recipes to get you on your way: one is spicy (another way to unclog that nose) and one is a mock chicken noodle soup.

Five-Spice Chicken Noodle Soup

Mock Chicken Noodle Soup