Cold got a hold of you? Make sure you’re working with—not against—your sickness by avoiding these seven things. By Karen Asp Try as you might, it’s not always easy to dodge colds. The average American, after all, gets two to three colds a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to Dr. Tina Q. Tan, an infectious disease specialist and medical director of the International Patient Services Program at Ann & Robert H.