I've been using echinacea for several years.
It really does cut the duration of the cold.
I agree. I keep some at the office and some at home. Recommended this stuff to a friend just the other day.
If you take it with zinc and Elderberry it works even faster, you'll hard even know you had a cold... and if you are really quick and take it at the first sign of a scratchy throat you may feel sleepy for a few days, but that's about it... NOW makes a elderberry, zinc and Echinecia lozenge and you can suck on one every couple of hours. Always keep a bottle in our cabinet.