h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The best treatment that I have found for a cold is to use zinc losenges. If I start using Zinc at the first sign of a cold, it tends to be a mild one, and only last 3 to 4 days, instead of 5-7 days. Of coarse, increasing my daily intake of vitamine C also helps. Zinc works by preventing the virus from getting a strong foot hold on the tissues of the nose and throat. Therefore, you need to follow the directions and use the losenges regularly for the duration. After a day of using them, you will notice a chalky taste in your mouth, and your sense of taste will be impared, but if you had a full blown bad cold, you wouldn't be able to taste anything anyway.