Cold and flu bugs thrive in dried-out throats and nasal passages, but drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day can help keep your mucous membranes moist so they're better able to trap viruses. Then you can either blow them out your nose or swallow them so they're destroyed by your stomach acids before they have a chance to make you sick. Not only can this help prevent colds, but it's just as useful if you're already sick.

If you have a sore throat, sip your water hot with a bit of honey (to coat your throat) and lemon (to shrink swollen throat tissues and help kill off virus cells), or add honey and lemon to tea.

Aim for: At least eight glasses of water or other fluids each day, and more if you have a fever.

Helpful hint: When choosing fruit juice, choose unsweetened varieties that do not have added sugars. To get the most vitamin C from your juice, grab some frozen juice concentrate from the freezer section and drink it within a week of mixing it up.