Old Wives Tale?

I can never remember, is it ‘Starve a cold and feed a fever’ or ‘Feed a cold and starve a fever’? Ask and you will probably be told the saying goes ‘Starve a fever, feed a cold’. But to be honest we all should recognize that not eating is a detriment in either of these cases.

As recommended by registered dieticians the best scenario when you are sick is to eat enough nutritious food to satisfy your hunger, but more importantly pay attention to staying hydrated with either the cold or the flu. If you are very thirsty, if you feel tired, irritable, dizzy or light-headed or if you seldom need to go to the bathroom, these are all signs that you might be dehydrated.

To help prevent illness and/or infection, foods that are high in antioxidants are a good start. Try foods such as garlic, almonds, red bell pepper, broccoli and sweet potatoes. Healthy bacteria in foods such as low-fat yogurt may also help reduce infection.

Reference from the SIRC Collection: McCary, J. (2010). Ask the RD. IDEA Fitness Journal, 7(2), 83.