The common cold, or simple rhinitis, is a mystery disease. No one has yet found a cure. Yet, in a few simple steps, it is possible to make the most severe of the symptoms go away. The common cold is not flu or influenza - it's a simple condition that makes you sneeze, cough a little, and run a medium temperature perhaps. It's mostly in the head. Your nose runs and gets blocked, your eyes are watery, and you feel you need to rest. Here are some things you can do to make yourself feel better without serious medication.

First, you need some time to yourself.

You need to concentrate to get this right!

What will you need? Here ae some good things: an orange, a shot of whisky, some boiling water, a hot bath, a warm drink such as tea or soup, two paracetamol tablets, a nice clean bed and some soft music. You will also need some Vicks Vapo-Rub.

First, cut the orange into thin slices and eat it, peel and all. What!? Yes, you need the citrus oil inside you - the peel contains a lot of orange oil and vitamin C.

Take a hot bath - not overly hot, of course. If the water makes your skin red and bloated, it's far too hot. You should be comfortable and relaxed, but get out before the water starts to cool too much. Rub yourself down with a very dry towel and get into some nice warm sleepwear. Rub some Vicks onto the bottoms of your feet and put on some socks, then get into bed. You should start to feel quite warm, relaxed and better already.

You need to swallow the two paracetamol tablets with a large glass of water, because tablets always must be taken with water and you need a lot of fluid right now.

You must also make yourself a warm drink such as tea or Milo, or soup.

You now need your shot of whisky. You need not take it all at once. Try lacing your warm drink with it. This will raise your body temperature and it will feel really warm in bed now.

This is when you turn on the music!

Okay - it's all nice and wam and comfortable, and you are feeling drowsy.

When you wake up, your cold will be nearly gone. Good luck.