The Common Cold and Influenza

Every one of us has had the feeling before. You wake up in the morning, or in the middle of the night, and something is just not right. Maybe your stomach is upset or hurting and you feel a bit nauseous, or perhaps you have developed a cold sweat accompanied with hot flashes. Other times your throat is on fire and you can barely catch your breath between body wrenching fits of coughing or sneezing. All of these symptoms are typical of the common cold and influenza. Millions of us every year experience these symptoms at one time or another and are thus forced to combat them and call upon our every resource to restore our body's health.

Although the common cold and influenza are two very different illnesses, their symptoms are often interchangeable, with the flu usually offering the more severe and persistent varieties. And the old saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" has never rung more true than when applied to dealing with these two familiar maladies. The Web is brimming with information about how to best protect yourself from the common cold and the flu, including some tips that may sound very familiar (Mom is always right).

While avoiding a cold or the flu may simply be unavoidable, regardless of the precautions you take, it is always a good idea to tap the Internet as a source of information that will get you back on the fast track to speedy recovery.