* Simple chicken soup helps cure colds (chicken, an onion, two cloves garlic, two celery stalks, two carrots, parsley... a little pepper). Now I'll add a bit of sage and thyme.
* Drink a lot of water. And tea, and juice, and clear broth. Fluids help your body heal from a cold by loosening congestion and preventing dehydration. Water, juice, clear broth, or warm lemon water with honey are the best fluids to rely on; alcohol, coffee, and caffeinated sodas only make dehydration worse.
* [[Luffa]] is taken by mouth for treating and preventing colds. It is also used for nasal swelling and sinus problems.
* Go to bed. Rather than getting in the car and heading to the drugstore, get into bed and go to sleep. While you sleep, your body recharges your immune system, which is what fights off a cold. Studies show that people who get eight or more hours of sleep increase their resistance to cold viruses — and get better faster if they do catch a cold.
* Chicken soup may speed healing by killing off some of the virus cells and soothing a sore throat or stuffy nose. Scientists believe chicken soup acts as an anti-inflammatory by inhibiting the movement of neutrophils, the cells of the immune system that mount the body’s inflammatory response. Hot chicken soup also temporarily speeds up the movement of mucus through the nose, helping relieve congestion and limiting the amount of time viruses are in contact with the lining of the nasal passages.