According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), there are over 150 million episodes of allergy, cold and flu each year. One of the most certain things in life is that someone you love will experience a case of the sniffles or a bout of itching eyes. Be prepared to take care of your medication cabinet to relieve symptoms such as a sore throat, dry lips, runny eyes, and itchy eyes.

“The cold and flu season brings on body aches, sore throats, chapped lips, headaches and fevers,”Dr. Charles Zugerman is a clinical associate professor of dermatology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “When suffering from these ailments, it is important to stay home and not risk spreading germs to others. Therefore, it is critical to make sure you have the necessary items on hand to combat your symptoms before the season starts to ensure a restful recovery.”

Here are some basic information about medicine cabinets.

* Sanitizer. Keep germs at bay by using disinfectant wipes and a hand soap that contains 60% ethanol or isopropanol. These products will kill germs and prevent them from spreading.

* Nasal Decongestant. Stuffy noses are one of the most irritating signs of allergies. Decongestants are used to relieve nasal congestion, shrink the tissues and blood vessels of the eyes and nose that swell due to allergies or colds.

* Lip balm. The flu, allergies, and congestion can lead to mouth irritation and dryness that makes the lips more susceptible to infection. Cold and allergy sufferers will feel better if they can relieve their discomforts like pain in the lips. This will help them to rest better.

Dr. Zugerman’s two personal lip balm picks: New Blistex Cold & Allergy Lip Soother and Medicated Lip Ointment. While they won’t cure a cold or sniffles, both can soothe and comfort chaps that are under the weather. Blistex Cold & Allergy Lip Soother is formulated with soothing ingredients and an advanced analgesic to bring lips relief and prevent further irritation. Blistex Medical Lip Ointment can heal chapped lips. Clinical studies have shown that it has four medications to relieve pain, itching, discomfort, and inflammation. Visit www.blistex.com for more information. www.Blistex.com.

Experts recommend that you get a flu shot as soon as possible to protect yourself and those around your family.