Treat Cold in less than 7 days(or) week !!! Very useful

Many people believe the old adage, "Do nothing and your cold will last seven days. Do everything and it will last a week." (Actually, it's not uncommon for a cold to last a couple of weeks.) And, basically, it's true. But the following simple home remedies may help you feel more comfortable and help your body heal itself as quickly as possible.

Drink plenty of fluids. Fluids may help thin the mucus, thus keeping it flowing freely and making it easier for the body to expel, along with the viral particles trapped within it. Water and other liquids also combat dehydration. So drink at least eight ounces of fluid every two hours.

Rest. Doctors disagree about whether or not you should take a day or two off from work when you come down with a cold. However, they do agree that extra rest helps. Staying away from work may be a good idea from a prevention standpoint, too; your coworkers will probably appreciate your not spreading your cold virus around the office. If you do decide to stay home, forego those chores and take it easy, read a good book, watch television, take naps.
You should probably also skip your normal exercise routine when you've got a cold, at least during the days when you're feeling the worst. Again, let your body be your guide. If you're feeling miserable, the best advice is probably to just stay in bed.

Stay warm. While cold air doesn't cause colds, you're likely to feel more comfortable if you stay indoors and keep covered, especially if you have a fever. There's no sense in stressing your body any further.

Vaporize it. The steam from a vaporizer can loosen mucus, especially if the mucus has become thick. (You can get a similar effect by draping a towel over your head and bending over a pot of boiled water; just be careful not to burn yourself.)

A humidifier will add moisture to your immediate environment, which may make you feel more comfortable and will keep your nasal tissues moist. That's helpful because dry nasal membranes provide poor protection against viral invasion.

Stop smoking. You'll feel better sooner and cut your risk of getting even sicker. Doctors say smokers have a tougher time shaking off a cold than nonsmokers do. Worse, smoking while you have a cold irritates the bronchial tubes, which increases the risk of developing pneumonia and other complications.

In addition to irritating the throat and bronchial tubes, smoking has been shown to depress the immune system. Since you have to depend on your own immune system rather than medicine to cure a cold, you'll want it to be in the best condition possible to wage the "cold" war.

Stay away from "hot toddies." While a hot alcoholic beverage might sound good when you're feeling achy and stuffy, you're better off abstaining from booze, which increases mucous-membrane congestion and is dehydrating.

Maintain a positive attitude. Although mind-body science is in its infancy, some researchers suggest that a positive I-can-beat-this-cold attitude may bolster the immune system while you fight a cold. On the other hand, a negative attitude could cause your body's defenses to fall down on the job. Not all doctors are convinced there is a connection between the mind and the immune system, but staying upbeat certainly won't make your cold worse.

While colds are here to stay -- for now -- you don't have to be totally at their mercy. Thankfully, there are some safe home remedies to ease your symptoms once you're sick.

Home Remedies From the Cupboard

Chicken soup. Science actually backs up what your mom knew all along -- chicken soup does help a cold. It's one of the most beneficial hot fluids you can consume when you have a cold. Scientists believe it's the fumes in the soup that release the mucus in your nose and help your body better fight against its viral invaders. Chicken soup also contains cysteines, which are good at thinning mucus. And the soup provides easily absorbed nutrients.

©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Chicken soup is indeed "just what the doctor ordered" when it comes to colds.

Honey. Make your own cough syrup by mixing together 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. Pour the mixture into a jar or bottle and seal tightly. Shake well before using. Take 1 tablespoon every four hours.

Salt. The inflammation and swelling in the nose during a cold is caused by molecules called cytokines, or lymphokines, which are made by the body as it fights the infection. Research has shown that washing away these molecules can reduce swelling. You can make your own saline drops or spray by adding 1/4 teaspoon salt to 8 ounces water. Fill a clean nasal-spray bottle or dropper with the salt water and spray or drop into each nostril three or four times. Repeat five to six times daily.

You can also make a saltwater gargle for your sore throat with the same ratio of salt to water. Salt is an astringent and helps relieve a painful throat.

Sesame oil. Dry nasal passages are prime breeding grounds for the cold virus. Although doctors typically recommend saline nose drops during the winter to keep nasal passages moist, a recent study compared saline drops to sesame oil. The people who used sesame oil had an 80 percent improvement in their nasal dryness while the people who used traditional saline drops had a 30 percent improvement. While it may not be a good idea to shoot sesame oil up your nose (it could get into the lungs), try rubbing a drop around the inside of your nostrils.

Tea. A cup of hot tea with honey does the same trick as chicken soup; it loosens up your nasal passages and makes that stuffy nose feel better. Folk healers have known this secret for centuries. They often suggest drinking tea with spices and herbs that contain aromatic oils with antiviral properties. Try tea with elder, ginger, yarrow, mint, thyme, horsemint, bee balm, lemon balm, catnip, garlic, onions, or mustard.

Home Remedies From the Refrigerator

Peppers. Hot and spicy foods are notorious for making your nose run and your eyes water. The hot stuff in peppers is called capsaicin and is pharmacologically similar to guaifenesin, an expectorant found in some over-the-counter cough syrups. This similarity leads some experts to believe that eating hot foods can clear up mucus and ease that stuffy nose.

Yogurt. One study found that participants who ate 3/4 cup yogurt a day before and during cold season had 25 percent fewer colds. But you've got to start early and maintain your yogurt-eating throughout the peak cold season.

Home Remedies From the Supplement Shelf

Vitamin C. Vitamin C won't prevent a cold, but it may help once you have a cold. Although it remains a controversial idea, some research suggests that vitamin C can help boost the immune system and reduce the length and severity of symptoms. But to reap the benefits, you've got to take a lot of "C." The RDA for men and women age 15 and older is 60 mg, but studies show that you'd need to take upward of 1,000 mg to 3,000 mg to get the cold-symptom-sparing rewards of vitamin C. For the short term, experts believe that wouldn't be harmful, but taking too much vitamin C for too long can cause severe diarrhea. Before loading up on vitamin C, check with your doctor.

Zinc. Studies have found that zinc may help immune cells fight a cold and may ease cold symptoms. The most effective zinc lozenges are those that contain 15 to 25 mg of zinc gluconate or zinc gluconate-glycine per lozenge. You can get the most out of your zinc lozenges if you start using them at the first sign of a cold and continue taking them for several days.

Echinacea is a natural herb that is kept in many homes because of its effectiveness in treating colds.