The symptoms of a cold are actually a result of the immune system and not from the virus itself.
People who never get colds actually are infected with viruses just as often as the rest of us, they just don't suffer the symptoms. Before you non-cold sufferers feel to superior, this lack of symptoms is related to a less aggressive immune system and the lack of colds is bought at the price of a slightly elevated risk of cancer.
By the time you are suffering through the worst of your cold, the body has already significantly reduced the viral load. If you were actually stimulating your immune system, you would probably make your symptoms worse and not actually clear the virus any more quickly.
Personally, when I have a cold, I take ibuprofen and excercise. I don't know if there is any proof this is beneficial but it is the only thing I have found that makes me feel well with the sniffels.
That's true. For that reason the symptoms should not be reflexively viewed as 'bad' and therefore feared. Symptoms can be reliably used to guide a course of treatment. (We're talking simple cold or flu here not anything and everything.)
Stimulating the immune system with things like echinacea aren't going to make the symptoms worse or last longer. As there is always the potential of secondary infections a boost in WBC activity isn't a bad thing. The point in herbal medicine isn't necessarily instant relief which is one reason it isn't used properly all that often. It is often recommended that echinacea and other immune stimulants be used preemptively; taking them when flu season arrives or when one has reason to feel compromised.
In the course of treating the flu with herbs the formula changes from fever and immune stimulant to cooling and lymph flushing to soothing and kidney flushing. Not necessarily completely separated in treatments "#1," "#2" and "#3" but in phases that fit the stages. Ultimately the aim of an herbal approach is to urge the body to do the fighting and come out the other side stronger than before.
That said I haven't had a cold for 40 years and haven't had the flu for over 30. That stretch of good health began with luck, youthfulness and an attitude of non-compliance with illness. It was only in '93 that I had learned enough about herbs to use them and found one in particular with outstanding effects. I have had the initial assault stage of the flu manifest a half dozen times or so since '94 and with this herb knocked the symptoms completely out in twenty minutes with no further problem. Except for one time when I didn't recognize the symptoms and let the virus progress for about 8-10 hours. That time it took me another 24 hours to completely eliminate my symptoms and restore my full vitality and I had to use a variety of herbs not just the one.
I've found 1000 mg of vitamin C twice a day and 50 mg of generic Benadryl every 6 hours as needed does the trick for me with colds. I tried exercise too soon with the flu and relapsed.
I suspect you’re unusual. I read a suggestion once that if one thinks they’re getting sick but aren’t sure, they can try doing some exercise. Usually ten minutes of exercise will make you feel better if you’re just fatigued or stressed, but if you’re getting sick it will make you feel worse.