Is there any truth to ‘feed a cold, starve a fever’?
If you’ve ever been struck down by a nasty cold (and who hasn’t?) ‘feed a cold, starve a fever’ may sound familiar. An ancient proverb, well-meaning aunties have been dishing out homespun health wisdom such as this since time immemorial.
But similar to the old wives’ tale that an apple a day keeps the doctor away and carrots give you night vision, is there any truth to the old adage? While some traditional remedies are rooted in truth, following questionable health advice could delay your recovery and prolong your illness.
Should you feed a cold and starve a fever?
The original saying has been traced to a 1574 dictionary by John Withals, noting “Fasting is a great remedy of fever.” But despite its early origins, the evidence to support the efficacy of this particular proverb is lacking.
‘With either a cold or flu, it’s important to drink plenty of fluid and there is no need to cut down on food intake in case of a fever such as flu,’ says Dr Paul Stillman. ‘Your appetite may well be reduced anyway. Try to eat as normally as possible if you have either a cold or flu.’
Can we trust herbal remedies?
So, should we believe anything our grandma told us? ‘According to modern evidence-based medicine, old medical folklore would often be way off the mark,’ says Dr Stillman.
‘However, for colds and flu, some traditional herbal remedies, for example, simply using honey or menthol and over the counter medicines such as Ultra Chloraseptic are valuable where the sufferer has a sore throat alongside the cold or flu.’
How do you treat a cold?
The proverb is technically half true, because you should keep eating when you have a cold. Sadly, there is still no quick-fix for curing the common cold, but there are a few over-the-counter medicines available to ease the symptoms.
‘It’s important to drink plenty of fluids; warm ones if you like them,’ advises Dr Stillman. ‘If you have aches and pains, an analgesic like paracetamol or ibuprofen is useful. Antibiotics should not be used to treat colds and sore throats and other minor infections. Most of these infections are caused by a virus, not bacteria, so antibiotics will have no effect.’
‘To help relieve the discomfort and pain of a sore throat fast, patients can try Ultra Chloraseptic throat spray, which contains a local anaesthetic and because the medicine goes straight to the site of pain the active ingredient can get to work within seconds and avoids numbing the rest of the mouth,’ he adds.
How do you treat a fever?
So, now that we’ve established that starving yourself is a bad idea, there are a few things you can do to ease fever symptoms. ‘Rest as much as possible’, advises Dr Stillman.
‘Perhaps have a pleasant sofa day if you can afford the time and catch up on sleep or some favourite TV. Again, drink plenty. Medication may not be needed for the fever itself, but again if you have q sore throat Ultra Chloraseptic gets to the site of the pain immediately and will numb the throat.’
Which cold and flu remedies work best?
When it comes to colds, flu and fever, it is wise to take full advantage of 21st century medicine. ‘One of the worst symptoms associated with colds and flu can be sore throat,’ says Dr Stillman.
‘Again, drink plenty of soothing drinks, but in particular try a sore throat over-the-counter medicine. Ultra Chloraseptic is an anaesthetic throat spray using the fast-acting ingredient, benzocaine , creating targeted pain relief within seconds, help to relieve discomfort when swallowing.
‘Benzocaine works by blocking sodium and potassium from entering nerve cells and activating the pain pathway. As it is rapidly absorbed by mucosal membranes in the throat - the tissues which become painful and inflamed when we have a sore throat - benzocaine provides almost instant pain relief.
'However, absorption beyond the mucosal membranes is poor, so hardly any benzocaine reaches the bloodstream, so overdosing is not an issue.’
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