Immersing yourself in water increases the number of disease-fighting white cells, says Dr John Harcup, medical advisor to the Spa Business Association. ‘Cold water is especially good for you. If it's hard at first, start with tepid water and gradually reduce the temperature. Five to ten minutes a week is ideal, if you're immersed up to your neck. Even if a cold or sore throat is already starting, a cold plunge will nip it in the bud. The body is primed to protect itself when it's cold, so the immune system gets a boost, while congestion and lethargy are also reduced.'

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Boost your immune system: try the spice diet

Your seasonal health guide: staying healthy and happy in the festive season

Echinacea decreases the likelihood of developing a cold by 58 per cent, according to findings from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Conneticut, published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases journal. But which product should you use? Try A. Vogel's Echinaforce - it's been on the shelves for over 50 years. Priced at £8.49 for 50ml, it's available from health stores and some pharmacies. For further information visit www.avogel.co.uk.

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Boost your immune system: try the spice diet

Your seasonal health guide: staying healthy and happy in the festive season

Clocking up three hours of moderate activity a day (including brisk walking and climbing stairs) could make you 35 per cent less likely to catch a cold, compared to those who do just one hour of activity, say researchers from the University of South Carolina. If that sounds like too much hard work, try tai chi. This Chinese art of slow movements, meditation and breathing decreases the release of catecholamine, a neurotransmitter that dampens the immune system. In one study, three sessions a week for four months enhanced immune cell function by 45 per cent.

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Boost your immune system: try the spice diet

Your seasonal health guide: staying healthy and happy in the festive season

A good, constructive argument with your partner can increase immunity, say researchers at the University of California in LA. They asked 41 happy couples to discuss a problem in their marriage for 15 minutes and detected surges in blood pressure, heart rate and immune-related white blood cells, all of which mimicked the benefits of moderate exercise. But keep it nice - couples who resort to sarcasm and insults have fewer virus-fighting natural killer cells, and take up to 40 per cent longer to recover from injuries, than those who manage to stay positive and affectionate - even when quarrelling!

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Boost your immune system: try the spice diet

Your seasonal health guide: staying healthy and happy in the festive season

Ginger is a very powerful natural antioxidant and acts as a brilliant preventative against colds and flu. If you're suffering with the sniffles then Birt and Tang's Ginger Herbal Tea will soothe a sore throat and get your body back to its best. Netdoctor.co.uk advises easing the symptoms of a cold by drinking warm drinks, so as well as being yummy, this tea will make you feel a whole lot better. A box of 20 teabags costs £1.99 from Sainsbury's, Tesco and health food shops. See www.birtandtang.co.uk for further information.

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Boost your immune system: try the spice diet

Your seasonal health guide: staying healthy and happy in the festive season

Far from being more likely to catch a cold if you're out and about with friends, your social life will protect you. Friendships have long been known to counteract the harmful effects of stress hormones - but research shows that the more friends you have, the healthier you will be. Of 83 students given a flu jab, the ones with the largest social networks produced the most flu-fighting antibodies.

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Boost your immune system: try the spice diet

Your seasonal health guide: staying healthy and happy in the festive season

HealthAid Wintervits combine all the ingredients needed to help your immune system when it's at its most vulnerable. Containing vitamin C, zinc, propolis and maitake mushroom powder, which have strong immune-stimulating properties, they can also help other health problems like high blood pressure. The one-a-day tablets are priced at £8.99 for 30, and can be purchased from health food stores and independent chemists. Find out more at www.healthaid.co.uk.

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Boost your immune system: try the spice diet

Your seasonal health guide: staying healthy and happy in the festive season

The magic ingredient is the amino acid cysteine, released from chicken when it's cooked. It is chemically similar to the bronchitis drug acetylcysteine, which may explain results. And the soup doesn't even have to be home-made. Researchers at the University of Nebraska in the US found that the majority of tinned chicken soups have the same benefits in keeping colds at bay. For an extra boost, add garlic to your soup - it contains allicin which fights infection and bacteria, and regular garlic eaters are two-thirds less likely to catch a cold than non garlic-eaters.

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Boost your immune system: try the spice diet

Your seasonal health guide: staying healthy and happy in the festive season

Coughs and sneezes are a common way for colds to spread - ward off those germs with a JML Fresh Air Globe. This clever gadget removes allergens from the air by using ordinary tap water as a filter. It costs £26.99 and can be ordered from Amazon.

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Boost your immune system: try the spice diet

Your seasonal health guide: staying healthy and happy in the festive season

Finally! No more messing around with tubs of sticky vapour rub - Lotus Olbas tissues contain oil capsules, which release natural vapours when the tissue is scrunched, to help you breathe more easily.  A single pack is priced at 59p, or £1.49 for a six-pack. Further information is available at www.lotusolbastissues.com

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Boost your immune system: try the spice diet

Your seasonal health guide: staying healthy and happy in the festive season

If you feel your body isn't at its fighting best then dietary supplement Immunace could help. Containing 24 nutrients, the one-a-day tablets provide antioxidants, amino acids and trace minerals to help your body maintain resistance to infection. It's available at pharmacies and health stores, priced at £6.49 - for further information visit www.immunace.com.

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Boost your immune system: try the spice diet

Your seasonal health guide: staying healthy and happy in the festive season