The minute we have that first sniffle or sneeze, we launch into desperate search for immune boosters to prevent our oncoming illness. Many so-called immune boosters on store shelves are more marketing than science, so we wanted to arm you with these simple, actionable ways you can avoid those pesky bacteria and viruses that seem to come out of nowhere.Our biggest advice: Trust your mom! When it comes to words of wisdom you’ve heard all your life, she’s right!Wash your handsWhen sinks are remote, rub a dime-size squirt of antibacterial gel on your hands. But no need to be paranoid or antisocial to fight germs. Like we said before, getting rid of too much bacteria could take the good bacteria along with it!Don’t drink that!Use a water filter. Some employ reverse osmosis that pulls water across a membrane that cleans it for the whole house. Or you could get a simple filter for your water pitcher.Complete your antibiotic treatmentIf you do get a bacterial infection that you can take antibiotics for, continue doing so until the end of treatment directed by your doctor. It is very important that you do not stop mid-treatment. If you only weaken the bacteria instead of knocking it all out, the bacteria can come back even stronger than before!Natural Immune BoostersMost American adults catch two to four colds each year. Everyone seems to have their own remedy to cure a cold, but the truth is, you really can’t. You can however, shorten its course with these three things: Chicken soup, Zinc lozenges and vitamin C.We still don’t know exactly why they work, but they’ve been proven to. At the moment you start feeling symptoms, start taking regular doses of any of these. That’s 500 milligrams of vitamin C, four times a day. Drink plenty of water at the start of symptoms, and for the next two to three days. You can take a zinc lozenge every six hours. Or try a cup of chicken soup four times a day.How can all these help? They may bring the duration of your cold down from five to three days.QUIZ: Are You Feeling Healthy?