It turns out that your grandma was on to something.

Soothing the common cold can be as easy as gargling with salt water and spooning down the chicken soup. Here are 10 cold remedies to try at home that will have you feeling better before you know it.

Drink Lots of Fluids

Good hydration helps moisturise the lining of the nose and throat, which makes mucus easier to clear. Aim to drink more fluids than usual. But be sure to avoid caffeinated or alcoholic drinks, as they can cause dehydration.

Use a Diffuser

You can also help keep nasal and throat passages moist by using a diffuser with an essential oil. I would suggest such oils as Breathe and On Guard.

Try a Neti Pot

Another way to prevent nasal dryness is with a neti pot, a nose-rinsing device found in drug and health-food stores. These pots are filled with a saline (salt water) solution and are inserted into one nostril while the user tilts his or her head to the side to allow the solution to flow up the nasal passage and out the other nostril.

Chicken Soup

The adage about chicken soup being good for a cold is practically as old as the common cold itself. And there’s some truth to what your grandmother has been telling you all these years. “Chicken soup is nice for the common cold because it loosens up your mucus,” says Norman Edelman, MD, a professor of preventive medicine, internal medicine, and physiology and biophysics at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and a senior scientific adviser for the American Lung Association.

Take Echinacea

Evidence is mixed on the effects of echinacea on the common cold, but some experts say it can be helpful. “Echinacea does not prevent infection, but several studies have suggested that echinacea helps reduce the duration of upper respiratory infection symptoms,”

Reach for Some Zinc Lozenges

Like echinacea, the mineral zinc gets mixed marks when being assessed for its effectiveness against the common cold. “I have not seen any evidence for prevention,” says Dr. Fugh-Berman, “but there is some evidence — according to a review article published in the June 2013 issue of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews — that zinc in the form of lozenges can decrease the symptoms of a common cold.”

Take Vitamin C

It’s up there with chicken soup as far as legendary cold remedies go, and there may be some truth to vitamin C’s being helpful. Get it as a supplement or by upping your intake of vitamin C–rich foods, like citrus, green peppers, dark leafy greens, and kiwi fruit. Several studies show that it can reduce the duration and severity of a common cold, according to research published in January 2013 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Give Your Nose a Massage

Try massaging the acupuncture point known as yingxiang, located at the lower border of the nostril. Scientific research on the effectiveness of this technique is limited, but an older, small study published in the American Journal of Rhinology did find that this type of nasal massage can provide relief from nasal congestion.

Gargle With Water

Research suggests that gargling with water three times a day can actually help prevent upper respiratory tract infections. So gargle away, before that common cold gets any worse. You can also put On Guard or Melaleuca onto your throat to help with a sore throat.

Stock Your Medicine Cabinet

So I would suggest some oils such as peppermint for tummy issues and fever. Breathe for clearing nose and sinus (great on the heels of the feet to help with coughs). Hot water with lemon and honey is always good too. Don’t forget the lavender for sleep!!

And of course, there’s no substitute for eating right and getting plenty of rest to keep your immune system strong so that you’re in prime shape to keep those colds at bay!