Getting ready for flu season

The weather is cooler, leaves are turning and football season is under way -- you can almost feel the sore throat coming on.

Cold and flu season officially kicks off in the next few weeks, and now's the time to bone up on the latest prevention and treatment measures for you and your family.

Here's wishing you a healthy, virus-free winter. But just in case:

Prevention

• Get a flu shot: The vaccine is available via three delivery methods: the traditional shot, a needle-less injection system called a "biojector" and an inhaled spray. You may feel a little sick afterward, but the vaccine is made of dead viruses, so it won't give you the flu.

* Wash your hands. Often: Everything we touch presents the potential to pick up germs: door handles, phones, computer keyboards, elevator buttons, chairs, the company water cooler, other people's hands.

* Clean susceptible surfaces with disinfectant: Phones, computer keyboards, desk, etc.

* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth: They're germ receptacles.

* Avoid people with colds: Especially at the beginning of their cold, when they are most contagious.

Remedies

• Water, juice or tea: Non-caffeinated beverages keep you hydrated and help loosen congestion.

* Saltwater gargle: Helps relieve sore throat.

* Chicken soup -- for real: It blunts your immune system's inflammatory response to germs. It also relieves congestion by speeding up mucus' flow through the nose and limiting the amount of time viruses are in contact with the nose lining.

* Humidity: Cold viruses like dry conditions. Dry air also dries mucus membranes, causing a stuffy nose and scratchy throat. Humidifiers combat dry conditions, but you have to be vigilant about changing the water so that you don't introduce mold, fungi and bacteria to your house.

* Rest, rest, rest: Stay home from work or school. This will give your body a chance to recuperate and stop you from spreading germs.

* Pain reliever: Medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) will help relieve aches and pains from fever.

What doesn't work

* Antibiotics: They kill bacteria, not the viruses that cause cold and flu. Taking antibiotics will do more harm than good. It's sort of like crying wolf. If you use them when you don't need them, they might not work when you do need them.

* Cough medicine, especially for kids: It just doesn't work. Most cough syrups have ingredients that help, but not enough to make a difference. Experts warn not to give these medicines to kids younger than 14. Just expect a cough to last up to three weeks and deal with it.

* Echinacea: A recent study showed that the herbal remedy had no effect on symptoms or length of illness.