A cold or flu is an illness caused by a virus. Symptoms include, headaches, stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, and coughs. It is hard to treat colds and flu with antibiotics because antibiotics treat bacteria, while a virus causes cold and flu. The best remedy for cold and flu is natural home remedies, which may improve the symptoms quickly. They include:

1. Ginger
Ginger is known to have antibacterial properties that help in relieving sore throat. It also acts as a painkiller and reduces inflammation. Taking ginger in water may assist in sweating out a fever. Raw ginger can irritate your throat. You can choose to chew, crush it and add in warm water or crush it and boil it in water.

2. Chicken soup
You may reduce nose congestion by drinking chicken soup. Taking warm soup is said to facilitate the movement of a type of white cells, neutrophils in your body, offering protection from infections.

3. Use a humidifier or vaporizer
A humidifier increases moisture in the air. Humidity reduces the spread of flu because the flu virus thrives more in dry areas. It also treats the nasal infection. Vapor from topical ointments clears the nasal passage to ease breathing when you have a cold or flu.

4. Breathe in steam
Steam from boiling water can help ease congestion by covering yourself with the nose in a container full of boiled water.

5. Drink lots of fluids
Drinking lots of fluids ensures you are hydrated, and when infected with cold and flu, it relieves nose congestion by loosening mucus in the nose. You can either take plain warm or hot water.

6. Take vitamin C
Citrus fruit such as lemon is rich in Vitamin C. Squeezing a lemon in warm water and drinking it is said to cause relief in the upper tract infection and clear the throat. Vitamin C also helps in boosting immunity to prevent more diseases.

7. Honey
Honey has antibacterial properties that will fight infections, to ease cold and flu symptoms such as sore throats and coughs. It is advised to take honey in small portions to benefit from it, either a teaspoonful or tablespoonful. You can also mix with lemon juice to perform the same function.

8. Garlic
Garlic is said to have properties to fight viruses and infections. Most individuals prefer taking garlic as a spice in food and not raw because of the strong smell it leaves in your mouth. You can choose to crush raw garlic on a mortar with a pestle or slice it into small chewable pieces.

You are likely to catch a cold twice in a given season. The symptoms of a cold and flu may hinder you from having regular interactions with others. Chances of getting a cold and flu are high in places that experience cold and wet winters. Such an environment breeds viruses that result in colds and flu. Going for a Fluzone vaccine will reduce the risk of getting ill from the flu.