Health tips - How to avoid catching cold & cough ?

How to avoid catching cold or cough ?

Ever thought of saving yourself from these petty but dreadful illnesses ? I figured this out the hard way, after going through these for more than 15 years, that there are some specific things that can save us the trouble.
First we would see, how to prevent cold / cough :

1) Sleep well. Take at least 7 hours of sleep at night. Any irregularities here cause an immediate discomfort.
2) Drink lots of water - minimum 8 glasses (2 litres) a day.
3) Don't skip a meal. Keep yourself hydrated even if fasting.
4) Exercise regularly. Walking for at least 2 miles / 3 km a day, is greatly beneficial.
5) All this simple stuff keeps our immune system in shape, which, if unbalanced, gets attacked by cold fastest.

Now, how to avoid or get rid of cold / cough :
Whenever the cold is going to attack, we get untimely sneezes, or a little soreness of throat. As soon as any such stuff is noticed, you know that you have already been attacked. Now, you can try to prevent it from increasing.

1) Start following as much as possible from the above points.
2) Immediately eat / drink a citrus fruit / juice. It better be natural. e.g. 1 Lemon / Orange / Amla
3) Chew at least 1 clove or / and black pepper a day. More the better (depends on your like & endurance).
4) Do this for a day or two. You will be safe & healthy. Better follow the 1st point always.

Let me know about your experiences / comments / suggestions.

--Anshu Singare