It's that time of year again. Everyone is cooped up inside hiding from the cold winter weather, which gives ample opportunity for the spreading of germs! There are no known cures for colds or flu, so prevention is your best chance of staying healthy. Here are some simple tips to keep you and your family safe from colds and flu this winter:

1. Wash your hands!

This is the number one tip offered by most health experts and for good reason. Most colds and flu viruses are spread by direct contact from someone that has the virus or has gotten their germs onto an object that you then come in contact with and infect yourself. It could be a phone, a computer keyboard, a shopping cart handle, etc. Germs can live for hours or in some cases weeks on objects. So wash your hands often and teach your children to do the same. Make sure your child knows to wash their hands before they eat, after using the restroom, and after blowing their nose. And make sure they know how to wash correctly, with soap and water for at least 30 seconds, to make sure they are washing away the germs.

2. Don't sneeze or cough into your hands

Germs and viruses can cling to your bare hands, so using them to cover your coughs and sneezes can result in passing along your germs to others. When you feel a sneeze or cough coming, use a tissue, then throw it away immediately. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow.

3. Don't touch your face!

Cold and flu viruses enter your body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Touching their faces is the major way children catch colds, and a key way they pass colds on to their parents. Teaching kids to not touch their face can also prevent other infections from getting into their eyes, such as conjunctivitis, so this is a good tip to practice year round.

4. Drink lots of fluids

Water flushes your system and washes out toxins as it hydrates you. A typical, healthy adult needs eight 8-ounce glasses of fluids each day. How can you tell if you're getting enough liquid? If the color of your urine runs close to clear, you're getting enough. If it's deep yellow, you need more fluids. Also, make sure your kids are getting enough water, and use juice and other sugary drinks in moderation.

5. Get in some aerobic exercise

Exercising helps get your blood pumping, makes you breathe faster, and makes you sweat, all of which help your body fight off infections.

6. Eat healthy foods

Make sure you eat plenty of dark green, yellow, and red fruits and veggies. They contain natural chemicals that give vitamins found in your foods an extra boost. Yogurt is another healthy option and has been shown to lower the risk of catching a cold by 25%, due to the natural bacteria contained in yogurt.