One of those bodily fluids that we all produce is mucus. It is a secretion from the mucus membranes, which are found in the digestive, respiratory, reproductive and urinary tracts. When asked what is mucus, most people would think of the yellow or green phlegm that is associated with having a cold or a cough, and that it’s generally an annoying by-product of an infection.

However mucus is a very useful substance – it helps to lubricate and protect parts of the body such as the digestive tract. It also makes it easier to swallow and to prevent stomach acid from damaging the stomach wall. Mucus can also catch particles and pollutants such as smoke in your airways before they enter your lungs. It is a great natural lubricant for sexual intercourse.

Normal mucus is white, clear or yellow and has the consistency of thin jelly. It is made up of mucin (lubricant), water, inorganic salts, white blood cells and cells that have come away from tissue. In moderation, mucus is a good substance that helps with all kinds of bodily functions – as mentioned above.

The problem comes when your body produces too much mucus and gives you a runny nose, or continually gathers in your throat. When you have an allergic reaction, you can get a build-up of clear mucous, and bacterial infections often mean the production of lots of phlegm (mucus material), which can make your nose run and make you feel congested.

If you produce excess mucus, you need to look at different methods of mucus management. It’s best to work out why your body is producing more mucus than you need before you start looking for remedies.

For example, your excess mucus may be caused by an allergy or a sinus infection. The way that you breathe can sometimes cause excessive mucus production too.

It’s best to consult your GP to help identify the cause, and then work together on finding a solution.

Believe it or not, the secret I am about to share with you is actually an old wives tale – and you will have undoubtedly heard it before. So thinking about it, sorry, but it’s not really a secret at all… however it is very definitely good advice so read on…

The one single thing which you can do to improve your looks – and wait for it, it is free as well! – is to treat yourself to a good nights sleep, every night. Simple! Get your ‘beauty sleep’ and reap the rewards. Of course you can help Mother Nature along the way by taking off your make up thoroughly, slapping on a good layer of oil of olay and knocking the wine on the head, but ultimately it is that natural time of total rest and rejuvenation which really works wonders.

There are lots of people out there who may be looking in the mirror and thinking that age is catching up on them or their skin could look better. Dull, lifeless hair is another beauty issue, and all of these complaints are benefited from a switch to a healthier lifestyle. Instead of throwing money at the problem and keeping you local beauty salon in business, why not take a look at your every day habits and see if some new routines are in order. Are you eating erratically and not getting enough fresh fruit and veg in your diet? Have you slacked off on exercise? Has the number of glasses of wine sneaking into your hand a week crept up recently? All these things will impact on your looks and changing your attitude towards the value of excellent sleep will help combat the negative effects of everything else you do.

This is all very well, but if you struggle to get to sleep then your heart might be sinking right now. Well, what can you do to improve the situation? The best advice is to create a calming bedtime ritual which enables you to gradually lead your body and mind towards a peaceful state where you are likely to fall asleep. Certain products might help such as a lavender pillow, a CD of whale music or maybe a black-out mask: check out consumer reviews on sleep aid products on websites such as supersavvyme.co.uk for the best rated ideas around.

It is also ideal to ban anything work related from the bedroom, so leave your laptop and business reports downstairs and get stuck into a trashy novel at bedtime instead. There is nothing wrong with a bit of chewing gum for the brain to help you to switch off at night! Make sure your bed is comfortable and the room is the right temperature before you settle down too. Be careful with eating and drinking late on as a full stomach can make you uncomfortable and we all know the rumours about cheese and dreaming! Stick to a sensible bedtime plan and keep the environment calm and relaxing and you won’t go far wrong: night, night and sweet dreams everyone!

When you first leave home and move into your own place, it’s often a flat or a small house which doesn’t have a great deal of space. And the budget that you have to furnish the place will probably be pretty tight too.

In fact, many people start out life in their first home with a few basic pieces of furniture that they’ve begged and borrowed from parents and other relatives. It can be a bit depressing living with other people’s hand me downs until you can afford to get your own stuff, but as the old adage goes ‘beggars can’t be choosers’. You may as well make do with this kind of thing until you can afford what you really want, and just take your time to amass decent pieces of furniture gradually.

However, if you really can’t bear the flowery pattern on your Gran’s old sofas, then you can still get use out of them. It’s easy to find decent throws that will hide any pattern nicely and allow you to match the sofas up with the rest of the room. Although you might not like the pattern, older furniture is often really good quality and has been built to last, so you could get years more out of those sofas yet!

One thing that is nice to have from new is a bed. And although they can be quite expensive to buy, you can also get some great bargains when it’s sale time – and these days, you can always find a sale going on at one furniture store or another. You can live without bedside tables and wardrobes for a while. A pile of books by the bed will do for somewhere to park your tea in the morning, and you can get hold of simple clothes rails really cheaply.

Another thing that’s great to buy for a bargain price is a dining table and chairs. Keep a look out for a diningroom furniture sale taking place near you, and go and see what’s on offer. If you’re not too bothered about having this season’s stock, you can get a great deal. A good time to look for dining room furniture is just after Christmas – when shops tend to have excess stock to get rid of.

Using this approach, you’ll gradually make your new home your own, and eventually, you’ll be passing your hand me downs onto someone else.