I love the holidays! The parties, shopping, gift wrapping, baking, and holiday traveling is fun and exciting, but can sometimes be a little overwhelming. With the holidays, comes stress, whether working or currently job hunting. And this can leave us more vulnerable to sore throats and colds. The following effective remedies, taken from my doctor-recommended book, "Hollywood Beauty Secrets: Remedies to the Rescue", can address a sore throat and help prevent a cold at the onset. Do check with your doctor before taking supplements or remedies listed, especially if you have health concerns.

1. After spending time around those with colds, a highly effective cold-prevention remedy is rinsing the sinuses with saline nasal wash (saline and water solution) immediately after your visit. The rhinovirus begins in the nasal passages. By keeping nostrils clean, prevent a cold with ready-made, Ocean Nasal Wash. It's about $3 at all drugs stores. Are you flying during the holidays? To prevent sickness, rinse sinuses once you arrive to your destination. Just keep a bottle of Ocean Nasal Wash in your carry-on.

2. A sore throat is usually the first sign of a cold coming on. Be sure to take immediate action! Deter a sore throat from manifesting into a cold by gargling with any one of the following: apple cider vinegar, salt-water, or Listerine.

3. Feeling the onset of a cold? Consider taking olive leaf supplements. Olive leaf extract is an anti-bacterial, anti-viral and antifungal. Make sure the brand you choose contains17% oleuropein. Find it at any health food store.

4. Zinc is clinically proven to quickly banish a cold. At the onset, or any time during a cold, apply Zicam® homeopathic zinc gel into nostrils three times daily. It helps wipe out cold symptoms in three to four days. Another option is sucking on Cold-EEZE® or Zinker® sugar-free lemon zinc lozenges zinc. Find both brands at any drug store. Another benefit of zinc lozenges? It helps keep acne in check!

5. Drink two cups of green tea daily to boost immunity. Polyphenols in green tea attach themselves to cells, preventing cold viruses and flu. Another bonus of drinking green tea? It contains thermogenic (fat-burning) properties to prevent holiday weight gain! Whoohoo! Enjoy those holiday treats!

Be sure to note "Aol Jobs / cold" in the "comments" box if ordering my book, Hollywood Beauty Secrets: Remedies to the Rescue at HollywoodBeautySecrets.com, and you'll receive a free gift with purchase.