From Deseret News archives:
Starving cold, fever isn't wise
As we soldier on through the cold and flu season, you have to wonder.
Well, neither version is right, according to Karen Collins, a dietitian with the American Institute for Cancer Research.
"With both of these viral illnesses, it's best to eat according to how you feel," she writes in the AICR's newsletter.
The adage to "Feed a cold and starve a fever" may be based on the idea of "stoking the inner fires" and giving yourself extra fuel to keep going when you've got a cold and chills. In the same vein, people might figure that if you're overheated with fever, you should take in less food, with the idea of bringing the fever down.
But neither of those assumptions is supported by good research, said Collins.
On the flip side, "Starve a cold, feed a fever" may come from the idea that when you're congested with a cold, you can't smell or taste food much anyway, so your appetite is naturally lower. But there doesn't seem to be any actual therapeutic benefit in deliberately starving yourself. In fact, soup and warm drinks are soothing, and evidence suggests that chicken soup really does help, said Collins.
As for the idea of feeding a fever, calorie needs are increased somewhat when you've got a fever, said Collins. But if the illness is short-lived, the body generally makes up for any shortage of calories later on.
The most important thing is to prevent dehydration with cool water, fruit juice and any kind of non-alcoholic drinks.
My favorite "home remedy" for colds and sore throats is a mixture of 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of honey and a cup of boiling water. Stir it up so the honey dissolves and sip it slowly. The fluid wards off dehydration, the steamy brew helps clear your nose, and the honey and vitamin C seem to soothe a sore throat.
Chicken soup has been used to fight cold symptoms at least as long as the "feed a cold, starve a fever" adage has been around. Doctors have found some truth in the tradition. A few years ago researchers at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha found that that the soup probably inhibits white blood cells, which stimulate the runny noses and coughs. In the American College of Chest Physicians, the researchers included a recipe for homemade soup that included chicken, onions, sweet potato, parsnips, turnips, carrots, celery and parsley. But they evaluated 13 commercial soups purchased at a local supermarket and found they also worked.
Spicy food is another congestion-buster. So head for the hot salsa or phone in for Thai take-out.
But don't starve your cold or your fever.
E-mail: vphillips@desnews.com
