Peel the carrots. For a hearty stew, make sure they are about 1 inch (2.5cm) in size. Larger vegetables will keep their consistency better when heated.  Consider peeling and cubing four small potatoes if you want an even heartier stew. You could also use turnips, parsnips or rutabagas in place of potatoes.  Loosen the browned lamb bits from the bottom of the pan as you heat the vegetables.

Summary: Trim the ends off the celery, onions and carrots. Chop the celery stalks, carrots and onions into rough sections. Add the chopped fresh rosemary and fresh thyme. Fry the vegetables and spices for 10 minutes.


Ideally, you should only apply beard pomade after a warm shower. Warm water helps open up your pores and raise up your beard hairs. This makes them more receptive to treatment and styling. Use a beard shampoo if you have it. Otherwise, you can get away with using a face wash, as long as it’s not too harsh (if it’s made for dealing with acne, don’t use it for your beard). In either case, use a small amount, and rub it gently into your beard so it lathers. Massage the product into your skin and rinse well. Dry off your beard right after you get out of the shower. Don’t be too rough with the towel, or you might rip out some hairs and end up with a less than full looking beard. It doesn’t need to be bone dry, but it shouldn’t be drenched either.

Summary: Take a shower. Wash your beard. Towel off.


Nasal and sinus congestion are common symptoms of the flu. If you are suffering from congestion, using steam may give you some relief. The heat of the steam loosens mucus while the moisture helps to relieve dry nasal passages.  Try a hot shower or bath to help to clear your congestion faster. Turn the water as hot as you can stand it and let the bathroom fill with steam with the door closed. If the heat leaves you feeling a little weak or dizzy, stop immediately and do not continue. When you get out of the shower, dry your hair and body thoroughly. Damp hair can cause you to lose body heat, which is not good when you are sick. You can also use steam by filling your bathroom sink with hot water and placing your face over it. Drape a towel over your head to keep the steam in. You can even add a couple of drops of a sinus-clearing essential oil, such as eucalyptus, or peppermint, to maximize the sinus-clearing benefits. The Neti pot clears nasal passages by thinning and flushing the sinuses with a saline solution. The Neti pot is an oblong ceramic or clay teapot that can be purchased online, in health food stores, and in some pharmacies; however, any kind of bottle or container with a thin spout can also be used.  Buy the saline solution used in the Neti pot in health food or drug stores; however, you can make your own saline solution by mixing half a teaspoon of kosher salt into a cup of sterile water. It is essential that the water is sterile or properly distilled — ensure this by boiling the water for five minutes, then allow it to cool to room temperature. Fill the pot with the saline solution and, tilting your head to one side over a sink, insert the spout of the pot into one nostril. Slowly pour the solution in, which should flow in one nostril before coming out the other. When the water stops dripping, blow your nose gently, then repeat the process on the opposite side. A dry, tickly, or sore throat is a common symptom of the flu. An easy, natural way to deal with this is to gargle a salt solution. The water hydrates the throat and the antiseptic properties of the salt fight infection.  Make a gargling solution by dissolving a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm to hot water. If you don’t like the taste, add a pinch of baking soda to ease the saltiness. You can also try gargling with apple cider vinegar and warm water for a similar effect. Gargle this solution up to four times a day. A fever is your body’s way of fighting off the infection, so it is ok to let it go untreated if your temperature is less than 101°F (38.3°C). It is thought that the fever will heat up your body and blood, which makes it easier for your body to fight off the infection, or that the virus may be unable to replicate as easily when your body is at a higher temperature. However, there is no evidence to suggest that taking Tylenol to bring down a fever would prevent your immune system from working at its best. You can likely take Tylenol to relieve your symptoms with no fear of additional harm, but you can always check with your doctor if you're unsure.  Seek medical attention if your fever goes above 101°F (38.3°C). Seek treatment for an infant under 12 months old with any type of fever. Blowing your nose often is the best way to get excess mucus out of your sinuses and nasal passages when you are sick with the flu. Do not inhale mucus back into your nose because that can lead to sinus pressure and earaches.  To blow your nose, hold a tissue over your nose with both hands. The tissue should be covering your nostrils so that the tissue will catch the mucus when you blow your nose. Then apply gentle pressure on one nostril and blow out through the other one. Dispose of used tissues immediately and wash your hands to minimize the spread of germs.

Summary: Use steam. Try a Neti pot. Gargle with salt water. Allow a mild fever to run its course. Blow your nose as often as possible.


Go where you can speak with large numbers of people concerned about the issue or open to information about it. Go to public places in areas where your target audience likes to congregate or hang out to start collecting signatures. Spread the word about your petition through your office, school, and other social groups, and hand out signature forms to friends who may also want to get involved.  If you want to speak or solicit on private property or closed campuses, including schools, make sure you get the necessary permission first. If there is a local rally or event scheduled regarding your petition issue, ask if you can make a quick speech there to get people to sign. Be polite when soliciting signatures in person. Even if someone believes in your cause, they might not have the time or ability to support you at the moment. It's always better to be polite. People may still contact you or help fund your cause later on. Create an online version of your petition and send it to your family, friends, and acquaintances. Include your call to action and a brief statement about the petition in the body of the email. Then, provide a direct link to your online petition form. Try not to flood people with e-mails. Sending an e-mail every day will not get results. Instead, follow up a first round of petitions with 1-2 reminders over the period when you are petitioning. Create a blog or online forum where you can discuss your petition and answer the questions of potential signers. Media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are great ways to get the word out. In addition, building a blog or making a campaign page on a petition website will allow you to communicate updates to your signers.  Use a designated hashtag that you develop specifically for your petition so that it is easy to track the attention your social media posts receive. Even if you're petitioning for a national cause, focusing on local media can help gather support in your area and draw attention from larger media sources.
Summary: Talk to people in person. Use e-mail to circulate online petition forms. Create an online presence for your petition.