Take this quick test: Where exactly are your keys? Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? It’s not vital that you remember these facts, but if you find yourself worrying about such lapses, it’s time to make a change. Contrary to popular belief, there are methods you can use to improve your memory. What’s more, you can do it in two short weeks.

For most people, just gaining confidence in their ability to remember helps their memory improve. Why? One theory is the more confident people become the less they worry. And the less they worry, the less mental energy they waste worrying and spend remembering. Here are seven confidence-building, memory-improving techniques for you to try. Add a new one to your-to-do-list every other day, and–well–don’t forget to do it.

1. Jog Your Memory. Exercise can improve some mental abilities by an average of 20 to 30 percent. So, get your doctor’s okay and hit the gym. You’ll be pumping up your muscles and your memory.

2. Check Your Medication. Did you know that a variety of medications have been associated with mental impairment? Some antihypertensives, analgesics, and antidepressants, as well as anti-Parkinson’s medication, insulin, and at least one antacid are on the list. A lot of people don’t know what they’re taking. The first step is to figure that out. If you suspect your medication is interfering with your memory, give your doctor a call.

3. Look and Listen. Take a quick inventory: Are you seeing and hearing as well as you used to? If you can hear and see clearly, you’ll remember more about your everyday experiences. Of course, you may have 20/20 vision and perfect hearing and still not see and hear all that you should. You’re not listening or looking! Pay attention. People let information slip by them. You have to focus on something if you want to remember it.

4. Learn. Imagine that you’ve mastered step 3. Now go one further. Say to yourself, “I will remember this. I must remember this.” Take responsibility for learning the new information, not just witnessing it.

5. Prioritize. You can’t do it all at once. A good way to figure out what’s most important to you is to keep track of your frustrations. Find out what you forget that bothers you the most–people’s names or where you put your receipts–and concentrate on remembering those.

6. Help Yourself. What will help you remember? You be the judge. Individuals need to find out for themselves what works. Pick techniques from these two categories: the physical and the creative. The physical category includes writing things down, setting watch alarms, or using voice recorders. The creative category refers to any memory trick you can dream up on your own.

7. Enlist Help. Of course, you can’t be expected to do everything yourself. So why not rely on a memory partner for help. A memory partner is someone who doesn’t get upset if you say “Will you remind me…?” more than twice a day. You probably need several memory partners–someone at home and someone at the office. In fact, you may even already have one or two. Don’t forget to thank them for the memories.

Fatigue is a draining weariness that leaves you feeling permanently washed out.

One in seven visits to a physician concerns chronic tiredness that won’t go away. This isn’t the satisfying exhaustion of healthy exercise. To make matters worse, sleep fails to pep you up so you start the day with an energy deficit.

This kind of lethargy comes from the anxiety and frustration of unfilfilled goals, and a feeling of being spread too thinly. Energy flows freely when you’ve got a sense of purpose, but when your daily routine is fragmented, life can seem dull and wearisome. You may not even realize you’re low, because you’re blocking out the problem.

Women, especially, are prone to this as iron deficiency translates into fatigue. The problem is made worse where the demands of career and family have to be juggled. Women who stay at home fare little better, as repetitive chores and the pressure of waiting on demanding children make for a round of tedium and exhaustion. The good news is that you can get your life back.

A feeling of tiredness at the end of the day need not be a bad thing. It is the type of fatigue that counts. Check back through your day and ask yourself exactly what it is you think has drained your resources:

• Pathological fatigue may be the weakness that follows illness or could indicate an underlying disorder, such as a defective thyroid or a disease of the immune system, such as diabetes.
• Psychological fatigue is a feeling of hopelessness. It means loss of self-confidence, sporadic weeping and perhaps panic attacks. Counseling may help you come to terms with your life.
• Physical fatigue comes from working your body to capacity. It has a satisfying edge to it and may leave you feeling mentally uplifted. Physical fatigue is almost always positive.

Here are severals ways of beating fatigue:

1.  Take Control Of Your Life.

Fatigue both causes and masks depression, and depression can occur when life gets out of control. Get hold of the reins again, and your days will no longer seem like one unsatisfying scramble.

Plan a broad structure to each day–then stick to it. Include time to exercise and time to relax without the children. Plan to put them to bed earlier, with a story and a milky drink to help them sleep.

Share chores with your partner and/or elder children and avoid feeling guilty about taking time out for a hobby all of your own.

2.  Be a Friend to Your Body.

Treat your body with respect, and it will supply all the energy you need. Eat regular, well-balanced meals that are low in fat and high in fiber, and don’t skimp on breakfast. Include plenty of green, leafy vegetables, citrus fruits and berries–the vitamin C builds a resistance to infections. Quit smoking and cut out alcohol, coffee, tea and sugar. Smoking deprives the body of oxygen and every cigarette depletes 100 mg. of vitamin C. Nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and “empty” sugars (found in candies and cookies) initially act as stimulants, but the brief boost of energy is followed by a feeling of lethargy.

Take up regular aerobic exercise, such as walking, cycling or swimming, to tone and condition the body and pump extra oxygen to the muscles and brain. Get up early and exercise before breakfast to pep up the rest of your day.

3.  Nurture Your Mind.

Time to yourself is a critical component of physical and mental well-being. As you gain more control of your life, explore ways to introduce a new dimension away from work and family. Far from proving selfish indulgence, you are likely to find that by doing something different–planting a spring garden or taking an art class, for example–your appreciating of those around you, and your creativity in other areas of life, is likely to increase.

The only caveat to this is to beware of starting new challenges when stressed–wait until you are completely ready.

On an average weekday, work comes first, then entertainment or family time, then bedtime. But sometimes, the boundaries get blurred–especially during seasonal holidays or right before vacations or special events. Suddenly, you’re entertaining seven days a week, working overtime, and shopping every available spare moment. And it’s just this blurring of boundaries–coupled with elevated stress and anxiety levels–that causes so many people to lose much-needed sleep and, thus, cry out “help me sleep!”

According to a recent Gallup survey of more than 1,000 people, a whopping 49 percent of American adults suffer sleep-related problems, and 70 percent of them don’t tell their doctors. When subjects were asked why they didn’t discuss the problem with their physicians, one fifth said that less sleep gives them more time to work. Furthermore, one fourth of those subjects believe that losing sleep is a side effect of a successful career.

But did you know that people who get enough sleep (about 7-9 hours a night) are more likely to have higher productivity, feel more energetic throughout the day, and experience less stress? Sleep is essential for concentration, memory formation, and repairing and rejuvenating the cells of the body. Both mentally and physically, a good night’s sleep is crucial for your health and your energy.

The goal is to be alert during the day and relax at night. In order to do that, we need to force our minds, brains, and biological clocks to separate day from night, wake-time activities from sleep-time activities.

Finding an effective remedy is difficult. Some sleep aids require a visit to your doctor, dealing with unpleasant side effects, and facing the possibility of becoming dependent on the drugs. Even over-the-counter sleep aids can be habit-forming. But don’t worry, you don’t have to suffer through another sluggish morning.

Follow these seven tricks every day to create a break between wake-time activities and sleep-time activities, thus strengthening your body’s recognition of night and allowing you to get the sleep you deserve.

1. No matter what day of the week it is, set your alarm to the same wake time. This will reinforce the rhythm of your biological clock.

2. Set aside a “worry hour” during the day to mull over and resolve issues and dilemmas so they don’t sneak uo on you at night.

3. Avoid nicotine and alcohol for three to five hours before bed; avoid caffeine from noon on, if you’re sensitive to it. All can interfere with sleep.

4. If you work out, try to engage in aerobic activity three to four hours or more before going to bed. (Exercising too close to bedtime can make it difficult to fall asleep.)

5. Limit bedtime activities to sleeping, reading, and lovemaking. Leave your bills and memo pad in the den–the bedroom should be reserved for more positive activities.

6. Put on your pajamas and dim the lights at least 30 minutes before your regular bedtime. This is a clue for you, both body and mind, to start relaxing.

7. Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and well-ventilated, with the temperature set between 60 and 65 degrees farenheit. Always fall asleep in the environment you want to wake up in, meaning you shouldn’t have to put away a book or turn off a light once you’ve dozed off. Also, if you tend to wake up during the night, position the clock away from you. Looking at a clock can encourage wakefulness.

If you’re ready for a solution to your “Help me sleep!” problem, and want to experience the benefits of a full night of sound, deep sleep, then try these seven, all natural, sleep aids.

Few foods are better for you than smoothies with yogurt. Even if you don’t care for yogurt’s slightly acidic taste, you can take advantage of its creamy goodness and blend it with other ingredients to create a delicious drink.

Many types of yogurt contain healthful bacteria and plenty of calcium, the mineral that strengthens bones. Yogurt is also packed with thiamin, which helps nerves work efficiently, and vitamin B6, which helps amino acids link to form proteins. The addition of fresh fruit to yogurt smoothies provides vitamin C and other important nutrients. If you add soymilk, you’ll get even more calcium as well as phytoestrogens, compounds that may reduce breast cancer risk.

Smoothies with yogurt provide more than just vitamins and minerals. They’re rich in Lactobacillus acidophilus, a live bacterium that’s responsible for many of yogurt’s healing benefits. Research suggests that women who eat live-culture yogurt suffer from fewer yeast infections, probably because the organisms help maintain a healthful vaginal environment and make it more difficult for yeast-causing fungi to thrive. Live-culture yogurt may also relieve diarrhea and other digestive problems caused by antibiotics, which often kill “good” bacteria in the intestine. Preliminary evidence suggests that the bacterial cultures in yogurt may help ease the pain of rheumatoid arthritis, although more research needs to be done to confirm this.

All dairy foods are rich in calcium, protein, and other essential nutrients, which is why nutritionists recommend having 2 to 3 servings every day. Some people, however, aren’t able to enjoy milk or cheese because they don’t produce enough of the enzyme (lactase) that’s needed to digest lactose, a sugar in dairy foods. Live-culture yogurt may be the solution. It contains lactose, but the bacteria break down into lactic acid, which is easier for the body to digest. Even those who have regularly suffered from cramps or other digestive problems after consuming milk or cheese can usually enjoy yogurt without discomfort.

Yogurt smoothie recipes often call for the addition of fruit juice or honey, which tend to produce a beverage that’s a little too thick and sweet for most tastes. A better choice is to add low-fat milk or soymilk. These provide the right amount of creaminess without making the smoothie too thick or too sweet. A touch of vanilla extract will add depth to the flavor. You can use any fresh fruit in a smoothie–or, better yet, a combination of fruits, such as bananas, melons, pineapple, and berries. Sprinkle in a tablespoon or two of wheat germ for a hard-to-get dose of antioxidant vitamin E.

Yogurt has a reputation for being a very healthful food–and it usually is. However, some brands, especially frozen yogurt, may have nearly as much fat and as many calories as a serving of ice cream. When buying yogurt, check the label to make sure it’s low or nonfat. Check that it contains live bacterial cultures as well, which provide many of the nutritional benefits.

What’s your favorite treat–an ice-cold drink, fresh fruit, frozen yogurt? Why not put them all together and see what happens? Here’s a delicious, low-in-fat-and-calories smoothie that’s a cinch to create and full of vitamins and minerals. Why not break out the blender and have a breakfast blast?

Banana Yogurt Smoothie

• 3/4 cup fruit-flavored nonfat yogurt, not frozen
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 small banana, frozen
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• pinch ground cinnamon

1. Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.
2. Serve in attractive glasses. If desired, garnish with light dusting of cinnamon.

Makes 2 servings, each containing approximately 120 calories (depending on type of yogurt used), 25 grams carbohydrate, trace fat, trace cholesterol, 6 grams protein, and 62 milligrams of sodium.

Simply put, free radicals are a form of oxygen that can be damaging to our bodies, especially our cells. If not neutralized into “good” oxygen, free radicals can advance aging, work against the immune system, and play a major role in the development of chronic and degenerative diseases.

Our bodies produce free radicals under two conditions, one internal and the other external:

1. Free radicals develop naturally within the body. They are by-products of the numerous chemical reactions that drive the body’s normal, everyday functions.
2. They also can be formed from substances found outside the body, such as chemicals in our water, air pollutants, smoking, second-hand smoke, pesticides, solvents and food. Cooking hydrogenated fats and oils at high temperature–frying, for example–can produce free radicals, too.

Free oxygen radicals, the main type formed in living organisms, have been implicated in more than 60 medical disorders, including heart disease, cataracts and rheumatoid arthritis.

The good news? With regular, moderate exercise and a diet rich in antioxidant vitamins C and E and beta-carotene (a precusor to vitamin A) and the minerals selenium, zinc and manganese, we can help counter the effects of free radicals and limit cellular damage.

How important are antioxidants? As neutralizers, they are the foot soldiers in the war against free radicals. Antioxidants could be considered free radical scavengers. They are specific molecules that donate an electron to a free radical to stabilize or eliminate it.

Exercise

According to recent medical reports, a great deal of research has gone into measuring the amount of free radicals that are produced by people who participate in different intensities of regular exercise.

Surprisingly, studies show that those who perform regular, high-intensity exercise have significantly higher free radical production. Nonexercisers fall in the middle group. Moderate exerciser appears to produce the lowest level of free radicals in the body.

Heavy exercisers, such as marathon runners, may want to discuss with their doctor whether they should take additional antioxidant vitamins to offset the production of free radicals caused by intense and frequent workouts.

The good news for those of us who don’t engage in intense physical activity? Moderate exercise, even a brisk, 30-minute walk three to four times a week, helps keep free radicals at bay.

Fruits and Vegetables: Nature’s Antioxidants

The easiest way to help your body combat the effects of free radicals is to eat a well-balanced diet containing at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. This food group is the best source of natural antioxidants.

Vitamin C is found in grapefruit, oranges, strawberries, broccoli, kale and potatoes, among many others. Vitamin E is found in nuts, certain vegetables oils (be sure to read the labels) and dark, leafy greens. Beta-carotene is found in dark green, leafy vegetables, such as collard greens and spinach, as well as yellow-orange fruits and vegetables, such as cantaloupe, peaches, carrots and sweet potatoes. The best advice is to look for fresh fruits and vegetables with vibrant colors when you shop.

While it’s important to get these nutrients from a varied diet, taking vitamin and mineral supplements is an option.

In order to freshen appearance and reduce the impact of wrinkles caused by aging and the effects of the sun, you may be on a search to find what’s best for wrinkles.

Our skin is the largest organ of our body and, just like any other organ, it wears with age. Unfortunately, this wear, in the form of facial lines and creases, is sometimes all too visible and, while some wrinkles undoubtedly add character to our faces, most people are happy to delay their onset while they can.

Skin’s firmness and elasticity are provided by two fibrous proteins–collagen and elastin. A layer of fat beneath the skin provides additional support, while moisture adds plumpness. The outermost layer, the epidermis lies smoothly over the top like a wrinkle-free sheet on a new mattress.

By age 30, the “mattress” is starting to give a little and the first lines develop around the eyes, mouth and forehead, where the skin naturally creases into expressions. While you cannot avoid this completely, and may not really want to, a simple skin routine, basic exercises and a sensible diet can do much to help you keep the looks of your youth.

Environmental and lifestyle factors can prematurely cause wrinkles and aging:

Sun — Ultraviolet radiation penetrates as far as the dermis, where it destroys elastin and causes early wrinkling and sagging. UV exposure also causes dryness. Experts believe the sun is responsible for 70% of visible aging! Use a moisturizer with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 6 in the winter and 15 in summer. At the beach, apply protection more often.

Smoking — Nicotine inhibits the absorption of vitamin C and damages collagen. Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke deprives the skin of nutrients; smoking in general reduces blood flow to the skin’s surface, robbing it of still more nutrients. Quit smoking. Drawing on cigarettes contribute to fine lines around the mouth and eyes.

Simple complexion care and a healthy diet are also best for wrinkles and will go a long way in keeping skin smooth and toned.

A basic skin care routine including cleansing, takes fewer than five minutes a day. Skin is acidic, so alkaline-based products such as ordinary soap can leave it tight, itchy and dry. Soapless cleansing bars and washes are gentler.

Cleasing creams, lotions and oils are other good alternatives, but they may require “rinsing” with toner to remove residue. Follow cleanser with moisturizer both morning and evening to maintain suppleness, prevent any moisture loss and protect against the drying effects of cold, heat and air-conditioning.

Once a week, make a moisturizing face mask from kitchen ingredients. Try honey, mashed banana, avocado or yogurt and strawberries. Rinse off after 10 minutes.

A healthy diet is rich in all the nutrients your skin needs, most notably the antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, which maintain healthy skin tone, cell renewal, collagen production and overall suppleness. Various fish oils also benefit the skin. Boost a diet low in any particular nutrient with supplements.

Ideally, a sensible body weight should be maintained, and any weight loss should be gradual. Repeated episodes of weight gain and loss lead to frequent stretching and contraction of the skin, resulting in rapid loss of elasticity.

Sometimes, it seems that all you need on a hot summer day is a glass of water. Sure, it’s refreshing, but water is not just a mere treat; it is essential to the body.

You can live for months without food, but you can survive only a few days without water. That’s because the body doesn’t store extra water, and every bodily function depends on it. Muscles are 73% water, and even 22% of bone is water.

Water helps us digest food; it plumps up cells, cushions and protects the brain and spinal cord, removes waste, transports nutrients in the blood, regulates body temperature and lubricates joints.

Your body does a good job of keeping water levels balanced, especially if you regularly maintain an adequate intake of fluids.

The key to staying hydrated is not allowing yourself to get thirty. Thirst does not signal you to drink until after you’ve already lost 2 cups of fluids!

The overweight, sick, elderly and very young are at greater risk of illness from dehydration. But no matter what your age or physical condition, when you lack fluids, your blood pressure drops, your heart has difficulty circulating blood through your body and your kidneys have trouble excreting wastes.

The average adult should drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to assist with bodily functions and to replace losses through breathing, perspiration and waste elimination. Factors that contribute to water needs include age, heavy perspiration, traveling at high altitudes, overexercising, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, intensity and frequency of exercise, weight and, for women, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Compared to an adult, a greater percentage of an infant’s body is made up of water. As such, infants–and children–require more water than adults relative to their size.

Pregnant women and new mothers, too, require more water daily. Women need an additional 3 tbsp. of water a day to support a fetus, and 3 cups more while they are breastfeeding.

With no calories, alcohol or caffeine, water, whether bottled or from the tap, is a great complement to meals and snacks.

In the U.S., the quality of both is regulated by the government. Tap water is commonly treated with chlorine to destroy bacteria, while spring or well water usually contains vital minerals.

Although bottled water is very popular, there are no real health benefits in choosing it over tap water. But if drinking bottled water will make you drink more fluids, there is an advantage to it.

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a relatively minor chronic irritation of the skin that affects about 3% of the general population.

With eczema there is an inherited hypersensitivity–not allergy–to certain substances or conditions. These include excessive dryness of the skin, heavy sweating, fatigue and stress. People with eczema are likely to develop hay fever, allergic asthma or, when they get cold sores, accompanying viral infections.

Eczema has distinct forms, at specific stages of life. Each stage comes in cycles of flare-ups, remissions and, often, gradual disappearance. Its duration is different with every individual case. Some people have eczema all their lives, while others develop it at random.

Infants have eczema three times more often than adults–and the condition differs. Dry, red patches appear on the scalp, forehead, neck, arms, legs and groin. Tiny blisters may develop, open and ooze fluid, then form crusts. These blisters are not common in older children suffering from eczema. Their patches of dry skin may have small bumps and appear on the elbows, back of knees, back of neck, wrists and face, especially the eyelids. Eyes are common site of eczema in adults. Other areas affected by eczema in adults include the hands, arms and legs.

While eczema can’t be cured, its flare-ups can often be prevented by avoiding triggers, including temperature extremes, stress, skin infections, heavy perspiration and various allergens.

Infants who feed exclusively on breast milk for at least 6 months are less likely to develop eczema. Eggs and fish, common triggers, should not be offered to infants until they are a year old. Also, shield infants from allergens such as smoke, pet dander, mites, molds and pollen.

Older children and adults should keep their baths short and use only lukewarm water. It’s also recommended that they use a mild bar soap that does not contain antibacterial additives.

Be sure the air where you live and work is moist–this may mean using a humidifier in the winter. And staying out of the sun, winter or summer, may also help.

Stress management is equally important in preventing eczema flare-ups. Exercise, meditation and yoga can all help reduce stress.

When eczema flares up, specific treatment is necessary. Among the medical remedies are ointments containing hydrocortisone. Other types of steroids may be applied to the trouble spots or, in severe cases, taken internally. Antibiotics are sometimes prescribed to eliminate bacteria and prevent secondary infection. (Germs may invade through scratches and tiny openings in the inflamed skin.)

Some alternative eczema treatments include:

• Acupressure–While it won’t cure eczema, it can relieve tension that can bring on flare-ups.
• Herbs–Chinese foxglove and licorice are effective anti-inflammatories; peony can boost the immune system; and evening primrose oil helps control itching.
• Baths–Soaking in a bath of 1 cup of table salt per tubful of water can be soothing to the skin.

We’re all familiar with the common cold–and our bodies are probably familiar with many of the more than 100 viruses known to cause it. Antibiotics will not cure a cold, which is caused by a virus;these drugs will only treat bacterial infections. A cold can take many forms, from head cold to chest cold, mild to miserable, as it runs its natural course from a runny nose to a hacking cough. Doctors joke that you can either do nothing to treat a cold and have it disappear in a week, or you can take medicine and feel better in seven days.

Herbalists don’t claim to have a cure for the common cold either, but folk traditions and home remedies from all over the world help to relieve the common miseries connected with it. Garlic steeped in honey is an old Italian remedy. Contemporary studies have shown that echinacea root, native to North American, has antiviral properties that can strengthen resistance to infection. Herbal teas such as rose hip tea contain vitamin C and bioflavonoids, immune-boosters and infection-fighters that may actually prevent colds.

Despite exhaustive efforts, a cure for the common cold remins elusive. Food remedies such as tea and chicken soup, however, are always popular, and for good reason. In the case of chicken soup, scientific studies have shown that it contains naturally occurring compounds that fight the inflammation responsible for most of a cold’s misery. But teas have enjoyed an even wider appreciation as a traditional remedy on every continent of the world. Japanese green tea is used to support the immune system. In India and China, ginger tea relieves chest and sinus congestion. Tart, tasty rose hip tea, abundant in vitamin C, is beloved in France. Other teas include:

Horehound – This is a common plant from the mint family whose Latin name, Marrubium, originates from a Hebrew word meaning “bitter juice.” Herbalists know it as a tea that expels phlegm from the chest, relieving congestion. Drink it either warm or hot to induce perspiration. Horehound lozenges have been used for hundreds of years as a cough remedy.

Thyme – Tea made from fresh or dried thyme leaves acts as an expectorant, assisting the body’s natural inclination to clear out the respiratory passages through coughing. Thyme’s relaxant effect can gently ease muscle soreness that may come from too much coughing.

Elder – Elder flower tea helps decongest the sinuses, soothes postnasal drip, and brings down a fever. You can also add the berries to the tea to ease a scratchy, sore throat.

Echinacea – Echinacea root is best used at the onset of a cold rather than as a preventative. Clinical research suggests that it supports immune system functioning, helping your body’s natural defenses. Echinacea possesses antiviral and antibacterial properties, making it one of the most popular herbal medicines in the West. Mix it with a teaspoon of licorice root, which soothes sore throats.

You might also try these other soothing teas for cold symptoms:

Licorice root: relieves sore throats

Ginger: treats the chills

Chamomile: overall soother

Peppermint: relieves congestion

Garlic: fights infection (steep crushed cloves in cold water for several hours)

To get the most health benefits from herbal teas, check with a herbalist, who can advise you as to whether a particular herb works best alone or in combination with others. For example, elder flowers work well alone, but they are often combined with peppermint, ginger, yarrow, or rose hips. Each herb brings its own strength, but blends offer more cold-fighting benefits.

It’s not called the common cold for nothing. Americans get an estimated one billion of these mild-but-miserable infections each year, due to invasion by any of 200 known respiratory viruses.

This time of year, sniffles, sneezes, and coughs are positively everywhere. But before you give in and start stockpiling tissues and chicken soup, try a few simple tricks to help you and your family avoid those dreaded colds altogether.

Colds are spread by breathing in virus-containing droplets that an infected person has sneezed or coughed into the atmosphere. So one sure way to get infected is if someone sneezes or coughs directly on you.

Unfortunately, you can also catch a cold by handling something an infected person has touched and then rubbing your eyes, nose or mouth. In fact, most colds are caught this way. Careful hand washing with antibacterial soap is important to avid picking up the virus on your hands.

Insist that cold sufferers in your house wash their hands frequently–especially before contact with food or other people. Also, using disinfectants on surfaces such a doorknobs, telephones, and countertops is another way to avoid viral encounters.

You can also make life more difficult for invading germs by creating a hostile environment for them. Viruses thrive in dry conditions, so it’s important to drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day, especially when you’ve got a cold. Staying hydrated helps thin mucus and deliver nutrients in the body. Increase your fluid intake with vitamin C-rich juices and juicy fruits such as melons.

Chicken soup, a favorite healing food from your childhood, provides a steamy bowl of liquid comfort that can help keep you hydrated. Beyond that, research suggests that it contains compounds that reduce respiratory inflammation. Homemade chicken soup appears to be more effective than canned varieties; some speculate that the chicken bones, which simmer on the stove before the meat is stripped from them, may impart healing properties. Additionally, canned soups are often loaded with salt.

If you should get a cold, in addition to all of the above, a good way to fight a cold is with fire. Hot, pungent foods such as horseradish, curry, and spicy, hot peppers, such as jalapenos and chili peppers may be just as effective as over-the-counter remedies in combating common cold symptoms like sinus and chest congestion.

Spicy foods contain a compound called capsaicin, a mucus-moving agent, fiery foods work by releasing waves of watery fluids, which thin out and move the lung’s secretions away from air passages, which helps op en stuffed-up noses. Avoid heavy dairy products like milk, which can worsen congestion.