A cold or the flu is contagious a day or so before symptoms occur

A cold or the flu is contagious a day or so before symptoms occur, however, contagiousness reaches its peak about three days after contracting the virus. Let me take this opportunity to apologize in advance if anyone I have seen Thursday through today gets sick - I'll bring you some sympathy soup.

So, how does one know if they have a cold or the flu?

Being the responsible adult that I am, I took a trip to the local Minute Clinic to find out, and to make sure I didn't have the, dare I say it... dun dun dahhhh... swine flu.

Upon my arrival to the clinic the nurse-lady gave me a handout which clearly explained the difference between cold and the flu:



Had I had this chart ahead of time, I would have probably stayed on my couch... but the trip did give me the chance to pick-up some medicines and the BEST tissues in the world (be careful, they are addictive).

But its always better to be safe than sorry - and since I believe everything I see on TV, you should be really careful this year, wash your hands ALL the time, carry sanitizer and don't talk to ANYBODY (kidding).

For some tips on avoiding sickness this fall, click here.

You cannot get the swine flu from eating pork

You cannot get the swine flu (H1N1) from eating pork, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.). But you can get it from other people. There are a couple of things you can do to prevent the spread of the disease, including:

• Covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze
• Washing your hands often with soap and water
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
• Strengthening your immune system with good nutrition and vitamins

How do you know if you have the swine flu? Symptoms of the swine flu include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. If you think you may have the flu, do not go to work, school, wherever... go to the doctor. Don't wait, just go. Drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza have been effective in treating the flu. According to U.S. health officials, seasonal flu shots do not prevent the swine flu.

What exactly is the swine flu? According to the C.D.C.:

Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people.

For more information about the swine flu, visit PandemicFlu.org, or follow the C.D.C. on twitter @CDCEmergency.