Just can't live that negative way...make way for the positive day!--Bob Marley

By: Muah
Got this all from observation and personal experience

Prevention
1)The classic-Wash Your hands-FREQUENTLY! You touch all kinds of germ infested things each day, all the time. Remember to especially before you eat. These next to go hand-in-hand with this one.
2)Keep your hands away from your face at all times unless you know for sure they're clean. Especially if there are obviously sick people around you.
3)Be observant. If you notice someone around you is sick, keep yor distance. It doesn't mean don't talk to them, just don't sit to close, and make sure if you have to touch anything they've touched, wash your hands afterwards, and don't touch your face.
    a)This also goes with family members. If it's a younger sibling, tell them to cover their mouth. Stay in your room, and try to avoid them.
4)Get your Vitaman C. It works Good sources of Vitaman C are orange juice and crannberry juice. Personally, I prefer crannberry. I drink it every morning with breakfast.
5)Take vitaman tablets if you can. Vitaman C ones are good, and Zinc are awesome for building up a strong immune system. (I'm lucky because my mom is into all this stuff)
6)Get enough sleep! I know it's hard sometimes vut you have to get the right amount of sleep you need. And that number's different for everyone. Everyone has there own personal amount of d;eep they need to be fully rested. For me, it's 9 hours, but I'm ok on 7-9. Not getting enough sleep makes your immune system weak and vulnerable. (Probably how I cought this cold)
7)Keep your area (bedroom specifically) germ-free. Don't let sick people in there, especially on your bed. (For adults that's different...But I'm mainly writing this for kids and teens) If they do go in there and cough or sneeze, spray it down with Lysol or something. You don't want to sleep in a germy place every night.
8)Keep your room between 65-68 degrees. (Actually, I got this one from a magazine, but I've done it) You sleep better, and it doesn't allow nasal passages to get dry, letting germs in easier.
9)Tip: No matter what anyone says, you can't get sick from being outside in the cold!! Cold weather doen't give you a cold. You're actually less likely to get sick from cold since germs can't survive well in that. Of course you could get frost bite if you were to stand out in well below freezing temperatures for a long period of time, but you wont get a cold!
10) Finally, keep a postive outlook on life. Being more optimistic makes you less likely to get sick. Pessomists get sick more often-it's true. Look it up. XD. Always think "I am not going to get sick!" This is one of those things where it doesn't jinx it.

So You've Got A Cold...Now What?
ACT FAST!!!

*Before I go into these, let me say something quick. So you're sick. You feel crappy, but you don't want you're friends too also, do you? TRY NOT TO GET ANYONE ELSE SICK!!! It may seem your germs are 'clean' but they're not. You wipe nose on you're hand, (everyone does it, c'mon) and you think, "Eh, it wont do anything if I touch stuff" But it will!! Think about it as if it were someone else doing it. Would you want they're snot on your stuff/body? DON'T GET YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS SICK!!! That's probably how you got it, after all.*

1)Drink lots, and I mean LOTS of water. Whenever you have the opportunity, drink water. Substitute your usual drink with water. You're cleasing the sickness from your body.
2)Again, get that Vitamin C. It will help your immune system kick in.
3) From list one again, get plenty of sleep. It also allows your body to fight illness.
4) Don't think that because you have a cold, yuo can just let other sick people cough all over you and stuff. It still matters. The reason why there is no actual cure for the cold is because there are so many different strains. Your buddy may have a different cold than you, so you don't want to get it double.
5)Again with the positive attitude. Don't walk around thinking "Ugh I'm sick...I feel like crap" Think, "I only have a little sniffle/sore throat/etc and I can get rid of this easily"
6)If you have a stuffy/runny nose BLOW IT! Don't sniff it in. You have to get all of that out of your body, not sniff it in and swallow it. Yuck.
7)Taking medicine should be your last resort. Don't run for the Tylenol every time you get a sniffle. Medicine gives you a false feeling that you are better, and you're not. It gets you off task of trying to get better, and you put more wear and tear on your body. You start running and jumping around, but it doesn't feel good later when the medicine wears off, like when you chew on your lips and tounge when you have novicane.
8) The whole act fast thing. This stuff works best when caught early at the first signs of a cold. Don't wait till you're hacking madly. At that point, you might as well wait it out.

Follow these tips, and you'll have a better Cold/Flu season.

Wow...I know alot about this stuff...

copywright February 2005 JKS Use these, but don't copy this. It's my original stuff in my own words.