Foods & news that fight colds & flu: how to shorten a cold, ease the flu and keep your home from turning into a germ factory

Colds are a fact of life every winter but that doesn't mean you can't take some precautions (and save some of your sick days for spring fever). A cold is a virus, so antibiotics can't conquer it--they only work against bacterial infections--but you can shorten the misery and avoid spreading it to those around you. Here are some tips on how to relieve the symptoms and germ-proof your home, from so-called old wives' tales to a few new surprises. Listen up, and you'll be ditching those tissues sooner than you can say "spring."

GRANDMA'S REMEDIES

Hot tea & herbs

The facts Any hot liquid can help break up congestion, but tea has extra benefits. It contains compounds called theophyllines, which open up airways and ease breathing. So curl up with a mug of your favorite green, black or herbal tea, and soothe your scratchy throat while you ease your stuffy nose.

The latest Chamomile tea might be especially powerful: People who drink five cups of it daily have elevated levels of hippurate--a by-product of plant compounds that may have antibacterial properties--according to a report in the January 26, 2005 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Soup & C

The facts Like tea, soup's healing properties come partly from any hot liquid's ability to ease congestion. But if you're looking to do more than clear your head, add some crushed garlic to your next bowlful. Crushing garlic releases allicin, a natural antibiotic that fights viral and bacterial infections. In other words, Grandma's chicken noodle soup could have worked just as well without the chicken!

The latest We've all heard that vitamin C can ward off or knock out a cold. Sadly, a review of multiple studies says it isn't so. Taking vitamin C at the first sign of a cold doesn't shorten or lessen your symptoms, reported reviewers in October 2005 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. So stick to your soup and slurp away--we won't tell.

Steam & scent

The facts Steam soothes irritated nasal passages and helps clear your least temporarily. Eucalyptus oil helps loosen phlegm, says the University of Maryland Medical Center, so head to the shower, and use a eucalyptus body wash for a head-clearing aromatherapy lift. Imagine you're at a spa, and you'll feel even better.

The latest Have a humidifier? You may need one. Cold viruses thrive in low humidity, which may be one reason we get more colds in winter than any other season. To the rescue: cool- or hot-mist vaporizers (you can add eucalyptus oil or medications to hot-mist). The Mayo Clinic suggests no more than 50 percent humidity in a room; too much and mold will thrive. Keep your machines mold-free with a thorough daily cleansing and water change.

COMMON SENSE

Tissues & trash

The facts Get those germ-filled tissues into the trash and out of the house as soon as possible lest anyone else come in contact with them and catch your cold.

The latest The art of tissues keeps evolving--Kleenex now makes an antiviral tissue that purports to kill 99 percent of cold viruses. Made up of three layers, the center one is treated with an antiviral formula.

Bleach wipes & kids

The facts If you've already got a cold, stop it from spreading to everyone in the house by sanitizing everything you touch: light switches, doorknobs, books, phones, remote controls, you name it--give it a once-over with a disposable bleach wipe. And don't forget everything in the kitchen and bathroom, such as refrigerator handles, drawer knobs and faucets.

The latest Germs can live up to three hours on your skin and hard surfaces, according to the National Institutes of Health. And kids catch and carry home more cold germs than anyone, so run those bleach wipes over all the surfaces in your kids' rooms too.

Soaps & sanitizers

The facts Wash hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. The easiest way to spread infections is through human contact, says Jack M. Gwaltney, MD, director of internal medicine at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville. About 15-20 seconds of vigorous hand scrubbing (the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice) is the most effective way to prevent the spread of germs--short of becoming a hermit.

The latest Any soap will do (it's the sudsy scrubbing that removes germs). Antibacterial soaps may have other purposes, but they're no better than regular soaps at fighting colds and flu because both are caused by viruses, not bacteria. What's better than soap? Alcohol-based hand sanitizers--the alcohol zaps germs, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW

Yogurt & supplements

The facts Yogurt is loaded with probiotics--beneficial microorganisms that settle in your intestines and enhance overall immune function. Yogurt with live cultures also helps promote the "good" bacteria in your body; this is particularly helpful if you're taking antibiotics, which destroy bad and good bacteria.

The latest Taking a probiotic supplement along with a multivitamin/mineral pill could help reduce the number and severity of cold symptoms, found a study in the July 2005 issue of the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Paper cups & toothbrushes

The facts Bathroom cups brim with icky germs, so stock up on paper cups for rinsing, gargling and swishing liquids to soothe sore throats.

The latest The CDC says there's no research to suggest you should change your toothbrush after recovering from a cold. But not everyone agrees: Germs can thrive on your toothbrush, says R. Tom Glass, professor emeritus of oral pathology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. A possible compromise: Opt for transparent or translucent brush heads, which seem to resist contamination better than solid colored ones. The reason may have to do with how easily ultraviolet light--which may eliminate viruses from your brush--passes through them.

Of course, there are other suggestions to cut colds short, but not all are warranted. For instance, many people swear by echinacea but a study in the July 28, 2005 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine found that it doesn't prevent or ease colds. Studies on zinc are inconclusive too: Taking zinc lozenges after you've caught a cold doesn't seem to help more than any other lozenge. But using zinc lozenges daily when you aren't sick may reduce the chance of catching a cold, reported a November 2002 study in the American Journal of Therapeutics. However, zinc can have some side effects such as nausea and a metallic taste. So maybe just try sipping some soup and stocking up on paper cups--it's better to be safe than sneezy.

A frequent hand-washer and a big fan of bleach wipes, freelance writer Carla Davis hasn't had a cold in two years.

$4.4 BILLION--THAT'S HOW MUCH AMERICANS SPEND EACH YEAR ON COLD REMEDIES

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