(NAPSI)—According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chances are good you'll get a cold or the flu this year. Adults have an average of two to three colds per year and children have even more, while 5 to 20 percent of the population gets the flu. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to minimize your risk and ease your symptoms.

Consider these tips from Chloraseptic^® pharmacist spokesperson Maria Mantione:

• Get a flu shot. The CDC recommends a flu shot for everyone over the age of 6 months. It's easy to get—just talk to your pharmacist. It's the best way to prevent the spread of the flu. It does not prevent the common cold, but the flu is a devastating, serious illness that could put you out of commission for a week or more or, even worse, land you in the hospital with pneumonia or infect someone you love with a weaker immune system—such as babies, the elderly or those undergoing chemotherapy.

• Wash your hands often. Washing your hands with soap and water is the best way to prevent the spread of the common cold.

• Prevent illness by practicing healthy habits. Make sure to get enough sleep, eat a balanced, nutritious diet, exercise and minimize stress.

• If you do get sick, talk to your pharmacist about how to manage your symptoms with medications. Before cold season, stock your medicine cabinet with the essentials. Stick to single-ingredient products, so you have what you need to treat your specific symptoms. These include pain relievers and fever reducers, a decongestant, cough medicine, lozenges and a sore throat spray. Topical medications, such as Chloraseptic sore throat sprays and lozenges, are great to have on hand because they're portable, can be used safely with other cold medicines and have very few side effects.

In fact, Chloraseptic is the No. 1 sore throat relief brand around. It provides fast-acting relief for sore throats and mouth pain to help you get through your day.

From lozenges that soothe nasal passages and suppress coughs to sprays that target pain when and where it hurts, there's a broad portfolio of products based on your preferences and needs.

The lozenges have a soothing liquid center that relieves pain and cools nasal passages. MAX Wild Berry is the strongest throat relief lozenge in the line. Chloraseptic Total offers a multisymptom lozenge formula that can suppress your cough for up to four hours.

Chloraseptic's sprays are the No. 1 pharmacist-recommended brand. The new and improved Cherry Spray tastes great, works on contact and is free of aspirin, sugar and gluten. The MAX Wild Berry Targeted Throat Spray is convenient for travel or to keep in your purse. The targeted spray makes it easier when you're on the go to coat and protect specific areas in your mouth and throat. All these products are available at mass retailers, major drugstores and grocery stores.

Also helping to keep you ahead of the flu this season is an online Cold + Flu tracker. To check for outbreaks and symptoms, go to www.chloraseptic.com, click on Cold + Flu Tracker and enter your zip code.

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)