COLDS and flu seems to be common  during and after the rainy season. Over the counter medicine is the quick and easy solution while others resort to the conventional remedies like sipping hot chicken soup, taking vitamin C and Echinacea.

A report from Rodale News suggest some cures and activities to do to keep colds at bay especially at the onset of the flu season and prevent the virus from attacking the immune system.

* Have sex. An oft-cited study from Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found that people who have sex once or twice a week have stronger immune systems than people who have less sex. Researchers analyzed the saliva of 111 college students. Those students who reported having sex up to two times a week had 30 percent more of the antigen immunoglobulin A (IgA) in their saliva. IgA is the body’s first line of defense against colds and flu. 

* Do the Tai Chi. Tai chi is a graceful slow dance that can be done alone. It can rev up your body’s illness-fighting defenses by as much as 47 percent and even triples the protection you get from a flu shot. The secret to tai chi’s elixir-like effects, scientists suspect, lies in its slow movements and controlled breathing. It also eases stress and helps you to sleep better. All this contributes to a healthy immune system.

* Sing in the shower. Steam is a natural decongestant, and a hot shower loosens mucus in the nasal passages. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the shower for fun; it has antimicrobial properties when inhaled. While you’re at it, start singing. Take some deep breathing to bring the healing steam deep into your nasal passages. 

* Chili food. Eating vegetables with chili can also help prevent colds and the flu if you make it with the right ingredients. All of the vegetables (including the onions and garlic) offer immune-system-strengthening phytochemicals, but the tomatoes are particularly powerful. In addition to the phytochemical lycopene, tomatoes contain potassium and vitamins A and C. Adding some hot sauce to your food will open up your nasal passages and avoid congestion.

* Eat food with mushroom. This simple white button mushrooms contain powerful antiviral proteins that can strengthen your immune system, according to studies at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.