In a recent study, zinc gluconate lozenges containing 23 mg of zinc taken every two hours reduced the average duration of the common cold by roughly seven days. Use these lozenges, which are available in health food stores, for only one week. Take half a dropper-full of echinacea extract two or three times a day. Echinacea is a powerful immune stimulant. It should be taken at the first sign of a cold, and only for the duration of the cold.
Some cold remedies combine echinacea with goldenseal, another herb with immune-enhancing properties.
Take ProBoost once or twice a day. This purified protein, cloned from a bovine thymus, stimulates the immune system by increasing the number and activity of disease-fighting T cells. It comes in sublingual packets that you dissolve under your tongue.