Salt to the rescue.

Time flies when you are checking mattresses. An anonymous reader reminded me via comment that I promised to share the salt water secret. Here it is. The Power of Salt according to Dr. Vinay Goyal, an intensivist and thyroid specialist with more than 20 years of clinical experience. His advice was specific to H1N1, but I believe it is excellent, preventative advice to incorporate into your daily routine -- particularly when traveling when you are exposed to people who are not always considerate of others.

Dr. Goyal says, "Garge twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prvents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

"Clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Not everybody may be good at using a Neti pot, but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton swabs dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down the viral population.

"Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm."

Personally, I like Himalayan rock salt. Dr. Goyal also reminds to keep your hands away from your face and wash your hands frequently.