10 products we swear by for combatting end-of-season colds

My strategy is multi-pronged, but I very rarely get sick. The moment I feel like I am getting sick, I make sure to take my daily multivitamin more consistently and I take this zinc supplement. It provides immune system support and includes enzymes that work to promote eye heath and skin health. — Grace High, Insider Picks analyst

Whenever I feel a little weak in the throat, the first thing I do is gargle with some saltwater. You can get sea water online — I'm not sure why — but I find that some of this sea salt works just fine. — Owen Burke, Insider Picks senior reporter

I like to drink hot water with lemon juice a dash of raw manuka honey. According to scientific research, it has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, and also fights inflammation. — Grace High, Insider Picks analyst

After making my tea mixed with lemon and honey, I sometimes like to add a bit of cayenne pepper. It works to clear my sinuses when I'm beginning to feel sick. — Grace High, Insider Picks analyst

This traditional Chinese cough syrup, omnipresent in my house while growing up, provides natural relief for coughs and sore throats — and tastes really good, too. Take a couple spoonfuls of this thick syrup, which is made from natural, herbal ingredients, and you’ll be relieved from scratchiness and pain very quickly. While it’s a long-used product among Chinese communities, it recently exploded in popularity in New York City, even prompting a Wall Street Journal write-up. — Connie Chen, Insider Picks reporter

I had originally heard of these as a way to boost your immune system before travelling, as flights can be a hotbed for germs, making them an easy place to get sick. I take these tablets when I feel a cold coming on, or am in the midst of one — which happens frequently in the winter.

Vitamin C is commonly touted as a natural way to treat and prevent colds, and just one airborne tablet has 1,000 mgs of it. Plus, there are lots of other vitamins and antioxidants, like Vitamin A, as well as zinc, selenium, and manganese. You just pop one of these tablets in a glass of water and drink it as you would normally. Whether it’s totally legit or more of a placebo effect, I feel these work for me — at the very least, anything that makes you drink an extra glass of water can’t be bad. . — Remi Rosmarin, Insider Picks reporter

People use apple cider vinegar as a home remedy for many ills, but I find it used best for sore throats. If my throat is particularly sore, I’ll gargle with some of this to soothe it quickly. I also like to add a splash of apple cider vinegar to hot water with lemon, honey, and ginger (if I have it on hand, though I usually don’t) for a soothing drink.

Apple cider vinegar is said to have antibacterial properties, which can help soothe your throat and kill any bacteria that may be causing issues. It definitely doesn’t taste great, but I’ve found it does the job well.— Remi Rosmarin, Insider Picks reporter

A few years ago, I was babysitting for a family friend who recommended this product when I told her I felt the onset of a cold. She had relied on it for years and said that it worked like a charm when it came to defending against any sort of cough, runny nose, or fever.

I followed her advice to mix it into my water, and within a few hours, felt the luring cold symptoms disappear pretty quickly. Since then I have continuously used during cold and flu season and it honestly feels like it does the trick.

The bottle label says it’s an herbal remedy that supports and strengthens your immune system — with over 20 herbs included, I don’t doubt my immune system has grown tougher. Some say it’s the placebo effect working its magic, but I’m a firm believer that a couple doses a day of this stuff will protect me from just about anything. — Megan Foster, Insider Picks intern

It's hard to gauge exactly when, where, and how we feel the effects of vitamin C, but one thing I've noticed is that the chewable tablets alleviate any scratchiness I might be feeling in my throat on their way down. It's a palpable sensation that pills don't offer. These ones by Nature Made seem to do the trick for me, and if they don't wipe out an infection altogether, they at least provide some acute (if fleeting) relief, which, in the throes of a bad cold, I'll always welcome. — Owen Burke, Insider Picks senior reporter