10 Super Easy Ways to Fight off a Cold

Steam helps loosen mucus. So, by getting into a really hot shower, you'll allow the steam to get inside your body and work its magic. After getting out of the shower, bundle up, lay down and put a warm washcloth over your eyes. You might even want to try taking your shower with a Vicks VapoShower Tablet. We swear by them in my house.

I have an easier time getting my toddler to take his medicine than I do getting my husband to drink tea because he's not a tea drinker, but trust me- you should be drinking tea if you're sick. I mean, there's a reason that everyone tells you suck down tea and everyone isn't wrong. Tea has very strong antibacterial and antiviral properties. The warm liquid will soothe your throat and loosen excess mucus. Traditional Medicinals is the brand we reach for. Just be sure to load your tea up with lots of honey and lemon juice.

If you're not already taking a daily vitamin that has vitamin C, you should be. Taking vitamin C can cut the number of days you're plagued with a cold. I'm not saying it's the end-all, be-all miracle, but it'll help.

This is tough for me because whenever I'm sick, I crave homemade French onion soup, topped with loads of gooey cheese, but you should stay away from stuff like that. Dairy will just make the phlegm in your throat worse. If you want soup with cheese, think about reaching for a plant-based cheese.

I had the worst sinus problems my entire pregnancy and nothing (and I literally mean nothing) worked...until I started eating hot and sour soup. And then, it was like the floodgates opened and everything started flowing the way it was supposed to. Spicy foods increase blood flow in your body and helps clear up your sinuses.

Ice cream makes everything better, right? Nope. When you're sick you should stay away from sugar because it can decrease the activity of your immune system. That's bad. You want an active immune system. Also- ice cream is packed with dairy. Sugar and dairy are two no-nos when you're sick. Feed your sweet tooth with some sugar-free candy.

Exercise? I'm insane, right? When you're sick, you want to camp out in bed and watch every episode of Sons of Anarchy, but hitting the gym is really what you should be doing. When you exercise, it boosts your immune function and removes toxins from your body.

When I'm sick, one of my best friends is Cool Touch tissues, made by Kleenex. I mean, you already feel awful, so why make it worse by using tissues that feel like sandpaper on your face? Indulge yourself in tissues that are soft and that have a moisturizing lotion.

Have you ever noticed when your stick that you breathe better when you're sitting up? Well, then, why are you laying down flat in bed? Prop yourself up with an extra pillow or two. If you lay as propped up as possible, your nasal passages will drain better.

It's said that sleep is the best medicine, and that's the truth. Shut the world off for a bit and rest, it'll still be there when you wake up.