Like lots of people, I've suffered from many colds in my life, and during these tough times, I've put into practice some research, and believe I've found the most effective ways to eliminate the cold, and feel back to normal again in a very quick period of time.
Firstly, I'll state the fundamentals.
You need rest, and as much of it as you can get.
I am aware people live busy lives, and resting for very long stretches isn't always a possibility, nevertheless, you should make sure to get some good rest during this time period, because it allows your body to recover and do any repairs which it needs to.
And obviously, with your body fighting a cold, it needs to do some serious repairs.
You also need a great deal of fluids.
Personally, when I have a cold, the last thing I wish to drink is water.
When I'm feeling normal, I'll drink buckets of water all day long, I'm able to easily go through 4 litres.
However, when I've a cold, I'm completely put off by the stuff.
I still make an effort to drink a decent amount of water, aiming for at least 2 litres which is what everyone ought to be aiming for anyway, but I'll also drink loads of pure orange juice to combat the cold also.
I normally drink plenty of pure fruit juice drinks in my everyday life anyway, but when I've got a cold, I'll consume mainly orange juice, but in addition attempt to include others as well.
I'll aim for about a litre of orange juice.
When you've got a cold, you'll wish to stay as warm as possible also.
So ensure that your dressing adequately, and protecting your neck and head from the elements, as I've found once a cold breeze hits these two places, particularly the neck, catching a cold is very much likely.
These are some rudimentary steps i use anytime I've a cold, and I typically see that the cold disappears after a few days, instead of hanging around for nearly one week.
Hopefully, these steps assist you in the same way also.