When you first feel a cold coming on:

1) Take a vitamin C and Echinacea combo, which may reduce your chance of getting a full-blown cold. To lessen your chances of catching a bug, eat a daily serving of citrus, like an orange or half a grapefruit -- you could cut your cold risk in half in just one month, according to experts at the National Institutes of Health. "Credit goes to citrus' immunity-boosting vitamin C and beta-carotene," explains Ann G. Kulze, M.D., author of Dr. Ann's 10-Step Diet.

2) Andrographis, an herb, is said to reduce cold and flu symptoms, and may also prevent colds. Take a supplement immediately after cold symptoms appear

3) Zinc may ease cold symptoms and block cold viruses – start taking zinc according to package directions within 24 hours of the first sign of a cold.

4) Elderberry extract may prevent and ease flu symptoms. Take it in capsule or tincture form – two or three times a day between meals.

After you have a cold:

1) Garlic will help drain mucus from your nose and chest. Add it to sautéed veggies or use it to season marinara sauce. It can also boost your immune system to prevent future cold and flu infections.

2) Sip a tea brewed with elder flowers or with the stems, berries, and bark of honeysuckle or forsythia bushes (plus lemon and sugar). These can help prevent or treat colds and flu.

3) To clear sinuses, boil a pot of water, then add a drop or two of eucalyptus oil to it. Place face about 18 inches above the water to avoid scalding, and cover your head and the pot of water with a towel. Inhale for several minutes.