This winter has had some good days and some bad days. I'm sure you've also had some crazy weather where you live!

And with winter comes the cold and flu season. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help prevent colds and influenza. Here are a few tips that could help you build up your immune system, avoid spreading germs, loosen up phlegm and relax at home.

Fighting Colds With Tea and More

1- Avoid spreading germs by washing your hands with regular soap and water right after using the washroom, handling money, or handling dirty tissues from your kid's runny nose. While antibacterial soap is great in some environments (hospitals, etc.) and antibacterial spray can be a lifesaver when you don't have access to water and soap, most homes should stick to regular soap to prevent the spread of super resistant strains of bacteria.

2- Get in the habit of drinking white, green, oolong or black tea. To maximize the benefits of tea, you should brew it yourself (as opposed to purchasing sugar and additive-laden bottled tea). Start with one cup daily and work your way up to 3 to 4 cups daily. Black tea contains more caffeine, followed by oolong, green then white. Tea (even black tea) contains far less caffeine than coffee and it is also available decaffeinated.

See how caffeine in coffee compares to caffeine in tea

Learn more about antioxidants in green tea and other teas

3- If you catch a cold or the flu, tea and other warm beverages can help you feel better. A warm cup of tea or infusion can soothe your throat and even tame your cough, depending on the ingredients. Here is a good expectorant infusion that should relax your respiratory tract and help you feel better:

• Use 15 ml (1 tbsp) of dried thyme (or 30 ml - 2 tbsp of fresh thyme) in 250 ml (1 cup) of hot water.
• Let it steep for a few minutes (use a tea strainer).
• Remove the herb.
• Add a little honey.
• Stir and drink slowly.

Don't worry if you end up drinking some of the thyme! After all, it's used in many food recipes!

4- To relieve a cough, you can make this tasty syrup at home, using horehound, a bitter herb that triggers the cough reflex and helps bring up phlegm:

• Slice 3 lemons and place them in a pan.
• Add honey and some Horehound leaves and flowers.
• Simmer until the syrup thickens.
• Strain it and wait until it cools before drinking it.

5- To loosen up phlegm, you can also try this herbal solution:

• Add about 2 ml of Licorice tincture to a cup of hot water and sip slowly.

Please note that licorice can increase blood pressure, so you should only do this for a few days and you should NOT drink this tea if you suffer from high-blood pressure.

You should NOT give this tea to infants, toddlers or children without talking to a doctor.

6- If you feel drained and need more energy during or after fighting a cold, consider drinking yerba mate. It's a caffeine-free drink that offers loads of benefits, including added energy.

Learn more about Yerba Mate here

Book of the Month

Don't forget to check out my two book-of-the-month recommendations for this month.

Remember to Relax