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Month: October 2018

  • Best Body Wash for Daily Use

    Best Body Wash for Daily Use

    There’s nothing like that clean feeling you get after a good shower. Finding the right body wash for daily use can be difficult, though, since there are so many options! Today we’re looking at some of the best body washes on the market to use every day!

    Best Body Wash for Daily Use

    Purely Northwest Tea Tree Oil Body Wash

    People who have reviewed this Purely Northwest body wash have stated that it’s great for a number of reasons. Reviewers have stated that it’s great for cystic acne, making it a must-have for those who suffer from chronic acne. Additionally, users have noted that it’s effective at stemming infections, especially fungal and bacterial skin conditions.

    Notably, this body wash is really marketed at people with issues like eczema or athlete’s foot. That said, it’s great for daily use, especially those who suffer from acne.

    Everyone 3-in-1 Soap

    This soap lasts for a long time, thanks to its design. Reviewers have noted that just two pumps of this 3-in-1 soap can clean you from head to toe. It’s also usable as a shaving cream and is marketed at people of all genders. You can shave your legs, face or whatever else, as it doubles as a shaving gel. That’s not to mention it works great as soap and shampoo!

    It’s also marketed as being cruelty-free, which is a great bonus. It also has no synthetic colors or dyes and doesn’t have any fragrance. It leaves a slight clean smell, but it doesn’t linger.

    Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash

    People with chronic dry skin have reviewed this body wash very highly. They’ve stated that it has a great fragrance and works wonder for dry, flaky skin. This is especially important in the colder months, as the air is so dry and damaging to sensitive skin.  It’s got a creamy, almost lotion-like texture, and helps to heal dry skin.

    The bottle is rather large for its price, and it’ll last you for a while if you use the recommended amounts for washing. While it doesn’t have a lot of natural ingredients, its low price is a great selling point for people with dry skin.

  • Best Online Stock Trading Platform

    Best Online Stock Trading Platform

    Stock trading can be a scary concept. After all, investing in markets is something difficult that only professionals can do, right? Well, not really. All you need to start trading today is some money to invest and a good online stock trading platform.

    Best Online Stock Trading Platform

    E-Trade

    The poster child for online stock trading, E-Trade is a great place for beginners to start. If you’ve never done any trading before, we recommend E-Trade. You can get acquainted with the basics through their learning tools. They offer web seminars, reading material and more to get you comfortable with the idea of investing in stocks.

    They even have a team of market analysts who can help guide you in the best ways to invest your money. Their analyses are available through the site, and you can even contact a 24-hour helpline to give you market advice. Really, it’s a great all-in-one for beginners.

    Ally Invest

    Ally Invest is fantastic for those looking for a more budget-friendly way to trade. That’s because they have a low price for trading and a low commission structure for an online stock trading platform. They offer $5 trades, or $4 trades for people with more than 30 trades per quarter. That’s a pretty enticing deal for those looking to make a lot of trades!

    If you’re a relatively confident investor who just needs a good, stable and inexpensive platform, Ally Invest is for you. They’ve got a few nifty tools for users, and they offer the best bang for your buck.

    TD Ameritrade

    TD Ameritrade doesn’t have the low price of Ally Invest, but they offer some other interesting features. Trade Architect is TD Ameritrade’s beginner-friendly platform that will introduce new investors to all the concepts they need to know. The simplified platform is considered a rival to E-Trade’s easy-to-understand approach.

    TD Ameritrade also offers a platform called Thinkorswim, which is great for established and confident investors. Thinkorswim offers market analyses, charts, graphs and in-depth reports fit for the most discerning of investors. So, whether you’re a greenhorn or a grizzled vet, TD Ameritrade has an online trading platform that will work for you!

  • How to Find Free Makeup Samples

    How to Find Free Makeup Samples

    It can be hard staying pretty! After all, cosmetics are really, really expensive. If you’re trying to keep up with the latest fashions and stay pretty, you’re going to spend some money. Unless, that is, you’re able to find some free samples online! Let’s talk about how to find free makeup samples!

    How to Find Free Makeup Samples

    Order Gifts

    This is the most straightforward way to get free cosmetics. Most makeup brands will offer free gifts with checkout when you order through their online site. Sometimes you’ll have to select what free samples you want, and other times they’re just included. Large retailers often offer these samples as incentives when you try out new cosmetics. Other retailers cycle through new types of makeup they want you to try.

    The main thing to remember is to just read the fine print. Most retailers offer lots of free samples, and all you need to do is keep up with which ones are offering which samples. Just keep your eyes peeled for great deals!

    Facebook Promotions

    Check on Facebook promotions for free samples. Every company has a social media rep trying to get more clicks and likes. If you follow your favorite brands, odds are good they’ll run some giveaways. Whether that’s in the form of discount codes, sweepstakes or straight-up free samples, it’s worth following them.

    This is the easiest way to keep up with free samples, since it’s somewhat passive. You’re likely already following your favorite brands online, so you just need to keep up with their promotions. It’s worth it for those sweet, sweet free samples!

    Test Groups

    The most active way to receive free makeup samples can be a great option for influential or social people. Joining test groups is a great way to have assorted free samples sent to you for testing. You wear the makeup or perfume, or whichever item is sent to you, and then you fill out a survey on it. You’re often encouraged to leave reviews or do other promotional tasks, as well.

    While this type of free sample is most often available to influencers like those on Instagram, anyone can sign up for these programs! All you need to do is test the cosmetics and answer the surveys to keep the free makeup coming!

  • Top 7 Horror Movies of the 70s

    Top 7 Horror Movies of the 70s

    The 70s where an amazing decade, It was an amazing decade for film too. Most of all it was an amazing decade for horror flicks. With the emergence of Steven king and the newly spawned  slasher films, that have dominated the scary genera for half a century, the 70s made great, timeless horror movies. What is really great about the films of the seventies, even the low budgets ones, is how well lighted, large-format 70 mm celluloid stands out. They hold up so well when we increase the tech and resolution of out 4k HD TVs of today. Add in the culture or lack of culture in the 70s you get films that are stunning to see and fun to watch or re-watch. Since all hallows eve is approaching, lets take a look at the Top 7 Horror Movies of the 70s.

    Number 7: Carrie

    Steven Kings Carrie, 1976. Directed by Brian De Palma. White, a shy, friendless teenage girl who is sheltered by her domineering, religious mother, unleashes her telekinetic powers after being humiliated by her classmates at her senior prom. Carrie is a horrifying look at supernatural powers, high school cruelty, and teen angst — and it brings us one of the most memorable and disturbing prom scenes in history.

    6: Texas Chain Saw Massacre

    1974, Directed by Tobe Hooper. Two siblings and three of their friends en route to visit their grandfather’s grave in Texas end up falling victim to a family of cannibalistic psychopaths. The inspirations for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre are surprisingly diverse, ranging from director and co-writer Tobe Hooper’s attempt to make a modern retelling of Hansel and Gretel to real-life Wisconsin murderer and corpse defiler Ed Gein. 4 decades later it is still, terrifying, exciting and a load of fun to watch.

    5: The Wicker Man

    Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) arrives on the small Scottish island of Summer isle to investigate the report of a missing child. A conservative Christian, the policeman observes the residents’ frivolous sexual displays and strange pagan rituals, particularly the temptations of Willow. This intelligent horror film is subtle in its thrills and chills, with an ending that is both shocking and truly memorable.

    4: Dawn of the Dead

    1978, American independent zombie horror film directed by George A. Romero. As hordes of zombies swarm over the U.S., the terrified populace tries everything in their power to escape the attack of the undead, but neither cities nor the countryside prove safe. One of the most compelling and entertaining zombie films ever, Dawn of the Dead perfectly blends pure horror and gore with social commentary on material society.

    3. Halloween

    1978. On a cold Halloween night in 1963, six year old Michael Myers brutally murdered his 17-year-old sister, Judith. He was sentenced and locked away for 15 years. But on October 30, 1978, while being transferred for a court date, a 21-year-old Michael Myers steals a car and escapes Smith’s Grove. A man in a William Shatner mask and a knife, what could be more fun..

    Number 2 on The Top 7 Horror Movies of the 70s … The Exorcist

    1973. And still the scariest movie of all time. When a teenage girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her daughter. Fightful and magnificent performances all around. This is one for the history books of film. Horror, and religion. Be in the right frame of mind before watching… I still hesitate every time I go to watch it.

    1.The Shining… Of Course

    While Technically this was released in 1980, it was filmed, shot and set in the 70s so ill make this exception. Not only is this one of the best Steve King movies, Kubrick Movies, scary movies or just movie in general. It is an all-time classic and one of the most fun movies to watch and quote. Jack Nicholson is a master. Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado, hoping to cure his writer’s block. He settles in along with his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and his son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), who is plagued by psychic premonitions. Though it deviates from Stephen King’s novel, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is a chilling, often baroque journey into madness — exemplified by an unforgettable turn from Jack Nicholson

    The Final Thought

    Top 7 Horror Movies of the 70s  was a fun list to do. As time goes by your forget how a simple horror movie can play every emotion you have. That is what makes the genera so masterful and the best truly stand out. I hope you enjoyed perusing the Top 7 Horror Movies of the 70s as much as I did writing it.  My local theater is playing the Shining on the silver screen Halloween night. I’ll be there, you should join.

  • Top 5 DNA Tests for Ancestry

    Top 5 DNA Tests for Ancestry

    For centuries, genealogists have relied on oral and written records to trace their family trees. But around the year 2000, the age of genealogical DNA testing was launched. This provided genealogists and family historians with an opportunity to use well-established scientific methods to prove relationships and ancestry.

    Ready to take an ancestry DNA test to better understand your family’s past, but aren’t sure which one to choose? You’re not alone. Several excellent DNA tests for genealogy are now available for a reasonable cost, but picking the right one for you can be very confusing. Which DNA test is best?

    23 and Me

    Called 23andMe as a nod to each person’s unique set of 23 chromosomes, 23andMe is the only kit in this lineup to offer health screenings aside from autosomal testing.  Fill the tube with your spit, send it back for testing, and get your results in 6-8 weeks. Results are kept indefinitely, so you can log on at any time to see or update your family tree.

    23andMe’s health tests can give valuable information about genetic illnesses, health risks, carrier status on health conditions, or traits that may run in your family — providing you with an important heads up about any checkups you may want to schedule.

    23andMe is possibly the easiest to find, sold at retailers like Target as well as Amazon and 23andMe.com. Though the starting price on these sites is $29.99, the lab fee will add up to either $69 or $169 — $10 cheaper than the base price on 23andMe’s official website, depending on if you choose just the ancestry test or add the health screening to that.

    MyHeritage

    If you’re balling on a budget and are only looking for the autosomal testing, MyHeritage could be the DNA test for you. First timers may also find this kit the most appealing as it is the most user-friendly. Swab the inside of your cheek with the provided tool, send it back for testing, and have your results in 3-4 weeks. Results are kept for 25 years.

    MyHeritage is said to be the fastest and cheapest test, usually sending results back to participants in 3-4 weeks and not requiring a monthly-paid subscription to access results. MyHeritage also pulls from 42 graphic regions, the third highest number behind AncestryDNA and Living DNA. DNA can be linked online to create a family tree, and there is an option to upload raw data — so if you’ve gotten some sort of genealogy tests done before or have outside genetics information that you’d like to use, it can easily be included in results.

    Ancestry.com

    AncestryDNA makes it easy to explore your ethnic origins but can’t differentiate between maternal and paternal lineages. This test is great for tracing your ethnic roots and finding living relatives.  Though all of the DNA services provide broadly similar results for ethnic origins, AncestryDNA presented this data in a clearer manner and placed the information in a useful historical context.

    For people seeking distant cousins or even biological parents, the company’s claimed DNA database of 10 million customers—twice the size of its closest competitor’s—increases the odds of successful matches. Unlike the other services we tested, however, AncestryDNA cannot track your maternal and paternal heritage independently or trace your ancient migration path out of Africa. Ancestry.com also is one of the most affordable DNA tests out there, usually $99 but currently offering a holiday special for only $59!

    Family Tree

    Family Tree is a data trove for genealogists with a bigger budget. It has options for highly detailed analysis of maternal and paternal lineages. But the cost for the genealogist-oriented add-ons can add up quickly. Family Tree DNA offers a more comprehensive suite of testing options than any service we evaluated, with additional tools that should satisfy genealogy buffs looking to explore their connections to early human migration or find relatives from one particular side of their family tree.

    As you would at a good sushi restaurant, however, you’ll want to watch your bill. Family Tree DNA’s à la carte approach can quickly add up; you can easily spend more than than three times the testing cost of our main pick.

    Living DNA

    Living DNA is a UK-based genomics firm that offers autosomal DNA data, as well as a breakdown of matrilineal and patrilineal lines. DNA data is gathered through a mouth swab. We liked how shipping for the test kit is free.

    If you’re looking for a DNA service that can match you to other possible relatives throughout the world, Living DNA is not the service for you. While Living DNA is beginning to build up a family match database, there’s nothing there now to work with.

    On the other hand, Living DNA’s test is quite comprehensive if you’re researching your background without regard to finding long-lost cousins. The company tests 638,000 autosomal SNPs, 22,500 Y chromosome SNPs and 17,800 X chromosome SNPs, along with 4,700 mitochondrial SNPs.

    Of particular interest to those looking backwards throughout their history, Living DNA tracks DNA to 80 geographic regions, and, for those of you with a UK family history, can even can provide an map of where your ancestors lived on the islands.


  • How to Get Out of a Timeshare

    How to Get Out of a Timeshare

    Ah, timeshares. Certainly, your timeshare sounded like a good idea when you first bought into it. After all, it’s in a beautiful location and you love the idea of visiting there! Now, however, you find that it’s not worth it and you’re stuck with it. Today we’re looking at how to get out of a timeshare!

    How to Get Out of a Timeshare

    Sell It

    The first, and most obvious, way to ditch a time share is to just sell it. It can be difficult, however, since they’re inherently a bad investment. Many people find that it’s nearly impossible to even give a timeshare away, as, after all, it has associated, life-long maintenance fees. Those fees will continue whether or not you use the allotted time of the time share. In order to even get rid of the thing, you often have to pay companies a fee to absorb the property for you.

    Similarly, real estate agents will sometimes take on the task of selling a time share. However, due to the nature of the transaction, the seller often ends up paying a lot more in commission fees and such to even get rid of the place.

    Donate It

    Some charities will allow you to donate a time share as a charitable gift. However, those charities then take on the associated maintenance costs, so this is uncommon. However, in the event that you do find a charity willing to take the place off of your hands, it won’t cost you anything. This can be a great boon to the seller, as it’s one of the few ways to get rid of it without spending any money.

    Rent It

    This is unlikely to get you to break even, but it might recoup some of the costs. The problem you run into is that resorts will charge less for rentals than your timeshare’s monthly costs. In order to entice people to take up your rental with the time share, you have to rent it for pretty cheap. This distances you further from breaking even, sadly. However, you will at least make a bit of money back to cover the costs while you look for a more long-term solution to your problem.

  • Coolest Indoor Lighting

    Coolest Indoor Lighting

    Indoor lighting is a great way to make a space pop. If you’ve ever entered a nice restaurant or home with great looking lighting, you’re probably interested in figuring out a way to make your home look the same. Here’s some tips on cool indoor lighting!

    Cool Indoor Lighting

    Lamps Plus

    Lamps Plus has a fantastic in-store experience for those looking for great indoor lighting. The in-store experience is heightened by the excellent professional help in the store. Their lighting professionals can help you decide on an interior style to make your space your own! If you’ve been looking for a place to come see what your choices would look like in real life.

    The best part about Lamps Plus is seeing lighting solutions in person. That’s something you can’t get with online shopping!

    Wayfair

    That said, there are some distinct upsides to online shopping. Wayfair is a great site to go to should you be looking for good deals on lighting via online shopping. Everything from standing lamps to desk lamps and ceiling and wall fixtures are available from Wayfair. You can also shop for bulbs, from halogen to LED and more, so you’re always able to restock your existing fixtures.

    Wayfair is also great because you can often find amazing deals on lights through their site. Keep your eyes peeled for big discounts during events and sales. You can often find discount codes on the internet to help keep costs down, too!

    Distinctive Lighting

    If you’re working on new installations for a house, or building a new house, consider Distinctive Lighting. They offer a wide variety of great-looking, modern lighting fixtures that can be build right into your home. They have experts who can help you get the desired look and brightness in any room you’re looking to illuminate.

    The best part is, they offer 15 percent off orders over $1000. If you’re about to undergo a large remodeling process and need someone to help with indoor lighting, consider Distinctive Lighting first! They’ve got you covered for all your large-scale lighting needs!

  • SmartPhone Spotlight: The Palm

    SmartPhone Spotlight: The Palm

    Palm Pilot is back. No this is not a tech throwback, this is legit. Palm is back in action after being shut down in 2011 by HP. A startup out of California now uses the Palm name, and it’s serious about breathing new life into the brand. They are releasing a new android based smartphone sidekick. It’s a back up phone of sorts? The Robin to your smartphone Batman? The new phone known as just the Palm. The Palm is a small device you carry around when you don’t want to bring your main iPhone or Galaxy along. Like to the beach or warped tour. Let take a look in to this, “The Palm”

    The Great

    • Small
    • Tiny
    • Miniscule
    • Cheap

    The Not

    • Lacks everything you need on a daily bases
    • No NFC

    The Conclusion

    It’s a backup phone that fits is the palm of your hand. It is a thin version of the iPhone 3g with slightly more power and running android. My first impression, it’s a giant smartwatch. I think I want one

     

    The Palm In Your Palm

    So lets address the elephant in the room, new Palm has nothing to do with the old palm or Palm pilot. They just got the name. That said, The Palm is a 3.3 inch LCD display with Android 8.1 OS. Palm has redesigned the interface to give it a more friendly Palm feel. The Palm is a beautiful little thing, crafted from aluminum and Gorilla Glass 3. Its has a amazingly sharp screen, with pixel density of 445 PPI. For those keeping score at home that is top of the charts iPhone XS level. The Palm is crystal clear.

    The guts are comprised of a octa-core Snapdragon 435 chipset with 3GB of RAM. Pretty unimpressive and available in any free android MetroPCS is giving away this month. This is a Verizon exclusive, but for any of you that pay attention we know all Verizon phones are factory unlocked so The Palm will be able to be used with any carrier.

    An 800mAh battery tucked away inside. Palm claims will last about 8 hours on a single charge. You can extend that battery life a bit with a feature Palm calls Life Mode, which is meant to help you disconnect when needed and focus on what’s happening in front of you. Its like enabling airplane mode.

    The Look

    With rounded edges, no fingerprint reader and only one power button on the entire thing, the Palm’s resemblance to the iPhone is unavoidable. Extremely easy to hold and use, it almost slipped out of my hands a few times. Palm wants you to buy accessories for this phone accessory like a workout sleeve or lariat. Palm will also sell you a bi-fold wallet case and a Kate Spade clutch which you wear around your wrist.

    “Creating a smaller smartphone would have been easy, but Palm is unique in that it augments the smartphone in a special new way,” said Brian Higgins, vice president of device and consumer product marketing at Verizon. “Palm and Verizon set out to reinvent something in a smaller form factor that allows you to connect with only what matters.”

    The Palm Quick Speck Look

    • 3.3-inch, 445ppi. 720p resolution
    • 12-megapixel rear camera and flash
    • 8-megapixel front-facing camera
    • 32GB local storage/3GB RAM
    • No expandable storage
    • Battery capacity: 800mAh
    • Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor
    • Proprietary optical sensor to unlock the phone, but not 3D, not secure enough for mobile payments
    • One speaker on front
    • USB-C port
    • One button power/lock
    • Gesture controls
    • Android 8.1
    • No NFC
    • Water-resistance: IP68

    The Final Thought

    It’s a backup phone that does all of the things your current phone does, just not as well. It to be used in a pinch. I really don’t know what to make of this. I have carried a backup phone for the last 10 years, and I’m enjoying not having 100% communication reliability. There has to be some fail safe to just go off grid for a moment. I will get its own number or a simple sim switch and you are good to go with your regular number. For $299 it is a pretty inexpensive phone, my just be the phone I slip in to my baggies on those long boat days.

  • Smartphone Spotlight: Xiaomi Mi Mix 3

    Smartphone Spotlight: Xiaomi Mi Mix 3

    We have the First 5g Smartphone, I said It would happen. I said it would happen before the end of the year. Here we are. WE know Chinese phone maker Xiaomi is working on one of the first 5G-enabled phones you can buy. However you’ll have to wait until next year for it. I know I know, next year. We have hard details though. Lets take our first look in to the first 5G- enabled smartphone. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3.

    The Great

    • 5G
    • Good Power Spec
    • Snapdragon 845

    The Bad

    • Unknown yet

    The Conclusion

    Xiaomi’s Mi Mix phones are traditionally its most expensive and configurations with more storage typically cost more. It is priced great and will be our Guinea pig in to 5G. This will not be a commercial success but is much needed. Bugs, glitches and kinks galore are to be expected.

    Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 and What We Know

    Thursday at the Forbidden City we got our first 5G enabled smartphone annonced, the Mi Mix 3 is the latest addition to Xiaomi’s line of all-screen flagship phones. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, it has a 6.39-inch display like the Mi Mix with a 2,340×1,080-pixel resolution, meaning 93.4 percent of its body is screen. All the standar features are here. It has four cameras — two each on the front and back — as well as an astonishing 10GB RAM variant. That is impressive now, this time next year it will be the norm.

    Battery capacity is a less impressive 3,200 mAh, although I don’t expect great battery life. I have a feeling the 5G power will be more draining then the engineers are accounting for. While this isn’t the biggest battery we have seen, the phone does supports wireless charging. Also check out the fingerprint senso, it is right there on the back of the phone, no surprise there.

    For starters The Mi Mix 3 will come in three versions. You can get 6GB or 8GB RAM and 128GB onboard storage, or the top-end model with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. It will be available in three colors: onyx black, jade green and sapphire blue. It will have a starting price point of $475 and be available early next year.

    Quick Spec Look

    • Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor
    • 6.39-inch AMOLED screen, full-HD+ display (2,340×1,080 pixels)
    • 6GB RAM with 128GB onboard storage; 8GB RAM with 128GB storage; 8GB RAM with 256GB storage; 10GB with 256GB onboard storage
    • 12-megapixel dual rear cameras
    • 24- and 2-megapixel dual front cameras
    • Rear fingerprint sensor
    • 218 grams (7.69 ounces), 158 by 75 by 8.5 mm

     

    The Final Thought

    It is sleek, simple and elegant. Make no mistakes though The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 will be clunky, it will over heat and underperform, but we are here. The future isn’t ahead its now. Remember what I told you a few months back, the 5 g network will power the wifi at the resorts on the moon. Today is the start.

  • 7 Home Remedies for the Flu

    7 Home Remedies for the Flu

    Winter is coming! With the change in seasons comes a different group of viruses that flourish, and these viruses make people sick.  Being sick, even when you’re home in bed, isn’t fun. Flu symptoms can cause a world of misery, from fever and cough to sore throat, nasal congestion, aches, and chills.  But there are ways to feel better and flu remedies are ample and effective.

    Prescription antiviral drugs may ease symptoms of the flu when taken shortly after you get sick. In many cases, however, simple home remedies may be all you need for relief of mild to moderate flu symptoms. Here are 10 natural remedies for the flu!

    Drink Up

    The flu can leave you dehydrated, especially if have vomiting or diarrhea. So be sure to get enough fluids. Water is fine. So are fruit juices and electrolyte beverages. You may want to stay away from caffeinated drinks, because caffeine is a diuretic. Herbal tea with honey can soothe a sore throat. If you feel nauseated, try taking small sips of liquids — gulps might cause you to throw up.

    Sip Some Soup

    For generations, caring parents have been serving chicken soup to kids with colds and flu. But was mom right? Possibly. A study published in the journal Chest showed that chicken soup may help with symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections like the flu.

    Be a Couch Potato

    Listen to your body. If it’s telling you not to exercise, don’t. If it’s urging you to spend all day in bed, do. Don’t press on with daily chores even in the face of severe cold or flu symptoms. Rest is another way of supporting the body’s ability to fight infection. And don’t skimp on nighttime sleep. Good sleep cycles help the immune system work well, so it’s important to get your full eight hours of sleep each night.

    Humidify

    Breathing moist air helps ease nasal congestion and sore throat pain. One good strategy is to indulge in a steamy shower several times a day — or just turn on the shower and sit in the bathroom for a few minutes, inhaling the steam. Another is to use a steam vaporizer or a humidifier. Clean it often to make sure it’s free of mold and mildew.

    Be a Sucker

    Cough drops, throat lozenges, and hard candy can be surprisingly effective at easing a cough or sore throat. Some doctors swear by lozenges containing slippery elm. Others recommend zinc lozenges to help shorten cold symptoms.

    Swish and Spit

    Gargling with salt water helps get rid of the thick mucus that can collect at the back of the throat, especially after you’ve been lying down. It can also help ease stuffy ears.

    Try Nasal Irrigation

    To ease stuffiness and post-nasal drip — and perhaps cut the risk of getting a sinus infection — some doctors recommend nasal irrigation. You can buy a neti pot in health food stores and drugstores, or opt for a saline squeeze bottle. You pour salt water into one nostril and let it run out the other, clearing out your nasal passages. You can buy pre-made saline solution or make it by mixing salt and lukewarm sterile or distilled water.