You've got the attractive red nose, the husky voice and the cough which makes you sound like you smoke 100-a-day. Then there's the shivering one moment and sweating the next. All the wonderful signs of cold and flu season.
Unfortunately, with demanding workloads and hectic lifestyles, many of us simply can't afford to be ill. And if you do, it's essential to to be prepared - which is where these helpful life hacks come into the equation.
1) Soothe your sore throat
Make yourself a nice hot tea with honey and a slice of lemon.
Or failing that have a shot of apple cider vinegar. This will help to prevent more bacteria from growing.
2) Bad cough
Ease that barking cough with a 1/4 of lemon. Sprinkle your lemon segment with salt and black pepper - and then suck away.
3) Horrific headache
Eating almonds, which are rich in magnesium, should help to soothe your head.
4) Blocked nose
Drinking lots of fluids will help to thin mucus and prevent sinuses from being blocked.
Also, try exercising to relieve nasal congestion. A few star jumps will have your nose running in no time.
5) Runny nose
If, on the other end of the spectrum, you can't get your nose to stop running then try making a DIY nasal spray.
To do this use 2 cups of distilled water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, mix the solution together and squeeze into a pipette. Then, tilt your head back and squirt a few drops into your nostrils.
6) Fever
If you're shivering one moment and sweating the next, then chances are you've got a fever. And not in a BeeGees 'night fever' kind of way either.
The best thing to do in this case is dip some cotton socks into cold water before bed, pop your feet into a bowl of hot water and then immediately after, put your feet into the cold, wet socks.
Then place dry wool socks over your cold, damp socks and get into bed. Cover your feet with a blanket and sleep. This process helps ease fever by increasing circulation.
Do you have any DIY remedies or life hacks for cold and flu? Tweet us @HuffPoLifestyle.