The 'ABCDE' method is the best way to conquer the common cold - here's how it works

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The common cold season is upon us, and, each year, millions of us become afflicted.

Colds are caused by more than 200 varieties of viruses and should only last about 5-8 days as these viruses are usually rapidly killed by our bodies' immune systems. Unfortunately, in many cases, the damage caused by poorly managed colds permits the growth of bacteria that cause sinus and ear infections which drag on for weeks.

Blowing nose

Skye Gould/Tech Insider

Most of us receive little guidance about how to manage our colds or those of our children in order to end these illnesses quickly. Internet searches for common cold treatments yield advice such as drinking lots of fluids and getting lots of sleep. No one can argue with this general advice, but it will not keep you or your children comfortable or your noses clean, clear, open, and dry. Unruly, lingering colds do lead to sinus and ear infections that often require oral antibiotics.

There is a better game plan for weathering colds that has been time-tested on thousands of children and their parents. A strategy that requires no prescription medications and mainly relies on agents applied to the nasal linings rather than taken orally. The method is as simple as ABCDE and is contained in 6 simple tips: FIVE things that you should do and ONE thing that you should avoid.

This ABCDE Program involves four ingredients that you take or give your child three times a day during the week of a cold. You begin the program immediately at the first signs of a common cold: nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and some sniffling. The fifth step of the ABCDE program offers a set of ingredients that's helpful for managing lingering "colds."

One tip that applies throughout this process: DO NOT BLOW YOUR NOSE. The nose is an air intake and not a horn or a sewer outlet for snot. When you blow your nose, you force infected material up into the sinuses and the ears.

Now, onto the program:

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