FOR hundreds of years we’ve sniffled, and we’re still no closer to finding a cure. But still we have ways to make ourselves feel better. Here’s a roundup of the best natural cold cures, scientifically proven to ease the sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy-head and fever. 1. Oysters

    Lots of studies have been done to gauge the effect of zinc on cold symptoms, with varying results. But the most recent systematic review published in The Cochrane Library Zinc concludes supplementing with the mineral — especially within a day of the onset of symptoms — may indeed reduce the severity and duration of the illness. So toss back a couple oysters; they’re the best natural source of zinc. You’ll get 74 mg, or about what you’ll find in 6 lozenges, in just 3 ounces.

    2. Chicken soup

    According to a study in American Journal of Therapeutics, chicken soup’s medicinal power may be attributed to carnosine, a compound found in chicken breast and real chicken broth, that helps the body’s immune system combat flu-like symptoms by inhibiting the release of inflammatory nitric oxide cells.

    3. Kiwi fruit

    More commonly known as kiwi fruit, the Chinese gooseberry — a nickname given to the native Chinese fruit by New Zealanders — is also one of nature’s most powerful cold remedies. Research in the British Journal of Nutrition suggests snacking on nutrient-dense kiwi fruit can help relieve cold symptoms, and even shorten illness. The study took 132 adults and placed half on a daily diet that included four gold kiwi fruit, while the other half supplemented their diets with two bananas each day. The result? The kiwi eaters had sore throats resolve three days sooner — and head congestion resolved almost four days sooner — as compared to the banana group.

    4. Almonds and

    their skin

    A handful of almonds is both preventative against and therapeutic for the common cold, but you have to eat them whole. A study in the journal Microbiology Letters found that polyphenols — disease fighting compounds found in the skin of the almond — can increase the sensitivity of white blood cells known as helper T cells, which are involved in fighting of viruses. Like a natural vaccine of sorts, the immunity boost lingered even after the almonds had been digested in the gut, researchers say.

    5. Yogurt

    What better group to test the effectiveness of a cold remedy than 200 sleep-deprived, stressed-out college kids living in cramped quarters? A study in the British Journal of Nutrition did exactly that. Researchers assessed how a 12-week course of probiotic supplementation affected the duration and severity of cold symptoms among 198 students, as well as the impact of symptoms on their daily lives. The results were impressive: Students who took the good bacteria recovered two days faster than the placebo group, had symptoms that were 34 percent less severe and missed half as many school days. Researchers say probiotic microorganisms may help by softening the body’s inflammatory response. Yogurt is the most commonly widely available probiotic food.

    6. Honey

    Researchers say honey may be the best natural cure for a hacking nighttime cough. A study in the journal Pediatrics found that children who ate 2 teaspoons of honey 30 minutes before bedtime raw reduced frequency and severity of their nighttime coughing and an overall better night’s sleep than those who didn’t take the honey.

    Interestingly, a double-blind study by Iranian researchers found a combination of honey and coffee to be more effective than a steroid medication and a placebo at relieving symptoms among adults who had suffered a persistent cough for three weeks.

    7. Garlic

    In one study published in The Cochrane Library, adults who received a placebo came down with nearly three times as many colds as those who selected a daily garlic supplement. Moreover, the placebo group suffered with colds three times longer, reporting more than three times more sick days than the garlic group. Researchers hypothesize garlic’s cold-fighting power comes from the compound allicin, which blocks enzymes that play a role in bacterial and viral infections.