I’ve had the cold a lot in my life. More than most, I’d say. I hate being sick, which is why I’ve spent a fair bit of effort to figure out what works and what doesn’t. I also hate most cold remedies because of how they make me feel.

If you care to know how the cold starts and progresses, commoncold.org has some good info. But basically the virus enters your nasal membranes and reproduces, and everything that comes after that relates to how your body reacts. Generally, though, it starts with...