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The only time I ever succeeded in preventing a cold when I felt one coming on, was when I was in Mexico. I went out and bought about a kilo or two of fresh limones (key limes), and sat up all evening drinking hot tea with the limone juice squeezed into it. I woke up the next morning feeling fine, and never came down with a cold.
One other time, I needed to go on a trip that would require about 36 hours of nonstop driving. I came down with a cold the day before, and had to go anyway, and when I got there my cold was gone. Driving in the winter, heater on, very dry air in the car, boxes of tissues on the seat next to me in my controlled isolation chamber. (Mapquest says the drive now is 28 hours, but there were no interstates in those days.)
They've tried to develop a cold vaccine, but the problem is that colds are viruses, that genetically modify frequently which makes getting the right range of viruses difficult. Until then, we'll just have to suffer.
My favorite cold remedy is zinc tablets. Zinc seems to lessen the effects of a cold, and I get better faster.
I used to use Zicam nasal swabs before they banned the sale of them. Whatever that company still has on the market doesn't work as well for me. (It was banned because it was known to make frequent users lose their sense of smell. Too bad because it was great for colds.)
Without that to use anymore I tried something called Coldcalm by Boiron, a homeopathic med made in France that is put in your mouth to dissolve. It is supposed to be taken immediately after symptoms appear, so I carry a blister pack in my purse. You never know when a cold will creep up.
I have never found anything that completely stops a cold from coming on but this stuff really did lessen the severity and duration.
. . . I have never found anything that completely stops a cold from coming on but this stuff really did lessen the severity and duration.
I haven't had a cold since 2003. That's when I began taking Vitamin C every day. I take 500 mg twice a day, because the body is unable to absorb more than 500 mg at one time.
This is my experience and I stumbled onto it because I'd started to catch a cold the day before flying to Jerusalem and I panicked, fearing I'd be feeling miserable.
It totally worked; no cold developed! I was taking 1000 mg 2 or 3 times a day for the first couple of days. I didn't know about the maximum absorption ratio at that time, but a Dr. told me later.
So that's my method; I don't let myself get one in the first place. Don't know if this would work for anyone else.
the whole line of teas that throat coat comes from is good for colds, they have a bunch, my favorite was teh gypsy cold care, i think the brand name was traditional medicinals, but they are all really good and dont taste that bad... tho the throat coat is a bit syrupy, add a teaspoon of honey and it goes down like candy
also, vitamin c... dont care what the doctors say, when i get sick i start poppin vitamin c like candy and within a day or so im over whatever i have
Zinc 12mg chewable tablets one daily when I feel the beginnings of a cold myself or when other people around me are sick. Vitamin C 500mg daily. I have found this combination has made me less susceptible to getting a cold.
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That's when I began taking Vitamin C every day. I take 500 mg twice a day, because the body is unable to absorb more than 500 mg at one time. 
I was taking 1000 mg 2 or 3 times a day for the first couple of days. I didn't know about the maximum absorption ratio at that time, but a Dr. told me later. 
