There are generally two types of people when it comes to having a cold. There are those people who try to power through it. They still completely function, they go to work, they may even exercise. To them, they don’t even want to acknowledge the fact that they are sick. It’s almost as if they pretend they don’t have a cold, the germs will just figure they must not be doing a good job and vacate immediately. Then, there are the white flag wavers. These are the people for whom colds mean its time to move to the bedroom, or the couch, and pretty much never leave it. They’re usually surrounded by empty cold or flu medicine packets, and mounds of tissues. Whichever of the two categories you personally fall in, we’ve got some tips and tricks on how to best avoid catching a cold in the first place.

Wipe It Down

So we’re not exactly saying that everything you come in contact with needs to be industrial level cleaned. But, wiping off surfaces that you know many other people have come in contact with can go a long way to keeping a cold at bay. Things like tables at a restaurant or cafe, shared keyboards, desks, or even carts you might use at a grocery store, could all likely use a good wipe down. Try to find an antibacterial wipe that contains alcohol or bleach. They come in travel sizes, and a pack could easily fit in your purse. Depending on things like humidity and temperature, viruses can stay infectious on everything from metal, paper, plastic, glass, and even fabric.

Stop. Touching. Your. Face.

You’re probably touching your face way more times in a single day than you realize. Maybe your nose itched. Maybe your eyeliner was running. Perhaps you heard something funny or unbelievable and whoops, there goes a hand over your mouth. A study done a few years back found that people who touched their nose and eyes occasionally throughout the day are a whopping 41% more likely to catch an upper respiratory type cold or infection.

Wash Your Hands, You Filthy Animal

Yes, we know you know this one. But, it bears repeating. That’s because simple, proper handwashing alone can decrease a person’s chance of getting a cold by 16-21%, according to the CDC. The trick though is to do it frequently and correctly. You should be washing your hands for no fewer than 20 seconds. Don’t forget to get under those fingernails. Though an anti-bacterial hand sanitizer is all well and good, soap works best for scrubbing off viruses. Make sure to wash frequently as well. Wash before making or eating food or putting in contacts, especially. Also, don’t skip drying thoroughly. Wet hands are more likely to spread germs than dry ones.

Consume More Cold Fighting Foods

While we all love our coffee, green tea has been proven to damage flu virus particles and stop them from even entering the body. The scientists who discovered this massive super-power also believe that it might also give bacteria that causes pneumonia a tough time as well. Fish, high in omega 3’s can also combat those pesky colds. It helps to boost the body’s production of infection-fighting cells. Greek yogurt can aid in keeping you cold-free too, as long as you consume the types which contain probiotics. Finally, ginger can totally come to your rescue. Adding some fresh to some tea, or even a delightful stir-fry style dinner, can help inhibit certain respiratory virus from taking hold and turning into something like pneumonia.