As we approach cold and flu season, it is important to find ways to stay healthy and keep your immune system strong. There are many supplements you can purchase over the counter, but there are also a ton of at-home ways to improve your health and decrease your chances of getting ill during the “season of sickness”. Here are a few tips and tricks you can use to help prevent and overpower common illnesses picked up throughout the colder months.

 Noses and salt water sound like they don’t mix-and they don’t. But, when your nose is stuffy, sometimes you get desperate. Salt water rinsing helps to break down nasal congestion, no matter how much it may feel like waterboarding. 

Here is a simple recipe: Mix 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in 8 ounces of warm water. Use a bulb syringe (baby booger sucker) to squirt the water into your nose, while pushing down the other nostril. Repeat this two or three times on each side. 

Honey tastes really good when paired with chicken, but did you ever think that it could actually be beneficial to your health? It can be! Honey helps eliminate the secondary bacterial infections that can come with colds and flus. It works especially well on coughs. 

Here’s a common honey mixture for coughs: Add two tablespoons of honey to warm, boiled water or green tea. Add a little bit of lemon juice for a boost of vitamin C. 

Staying healthy is extremely important all year long, but especially when it seems like everyone is sick. Hopefully both of these recipes for common minor illness cures can be found useful.