Gargling with Saltwater

I'm sure all of us at one time or another got this advice from grandparents and aunts explaining that gargling with saltwater could help clear up a sore throat.

I remember doing this as a child but somehow in the middle of drinking all of my teas I forgot about this.

A recent article in The New York Times, cited a study reported in The American Journal of Preventative Medicine that a group of people who gargled up to three times a day saw a 40% decrease in upper respiratory tract infections compared with the control group.

Are you convinced? Use a half a teaspoon of salt in a full glass of warm water and gargle the solution for a few seconds before spitting it out.