Should you starve a cold or starve a fever? Or neither?

August 1st, 2012

Ovens & Cooking

It’s well and truly flu season, with the Appliances Online office beginning to resemble that epic battle scene from Gone with the Wind:

We all know that there’s really no better way to recover from being sick than to get plenty of rest. But is there anything in particular you should eat to ensure a speedy recovery? Or is the key to avoid food altogether?

“Feed a cold, starve a fever”

This is an old saying that you might have heard your grandma say at some point in your childhood. But is it actually good advice?

Incredibly, the origin of this saying can be traced back as far as The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer. In this text it was written as “Fede a cold and starb ob feber” which translates as “feed a cold and die of fever.” But please note that people from this era also believed that bathing caused illness, so any medical advice from Chaucer should probably be taken with a grain of salt!

The reason why the “starve a fever” idea has persisted is because some believe that digestion requires energy from the body which diverts energy away from fighting the flu virus. It’s also true that your digestive system might be compromised while you’re sick, resulting in additional problems such as stomach aches and indigestion.

However the average flu lasts for around 7 days, and not eating for that amount of time will do more harm than good.

Foods to eat when sick

Ice-blocks

One of the most important things to remember when you’re sick is to stay hydrated. An ice-block will help to keep your fluid levels up, with the additional benefit of soothing a sore throat. Plus if you get ice-blocks made from 100% fruit juice, you’ll be getting important vitamins and nutrients too.

Vegetable juice

Juice is great because it gives your body a quick hit of nutrients while being easy to digest. If you don’t already have a cold-press juicer or a Breville juicer, you know where to find one! 😉

Chicken soup

The cliché is true! Chicken soup is both nourishing and hydrating, and fairly easy on the ol’ stomach (assuming of course that you’re not a vegetarian). Check out a great recipe for chicken soup at our Bachelor MasterChef blog.

Hot tea

Black, green, and oolong tea contains disease-fighting antioxidants, plus breathing in the steam can help to ease a congested nose. Add a spoonful of honey and a squeeze of lemon for additional flavour and health benefits.

Banana

Known as “nature’s super food”, bananas are easy to digest and are packed with goodness. Bananas are one of the things doctors recommend to people recovering from stomach flu and are ready for solid foods again.

Toast

Humble toast – it’s convenient and easy to handle when you don’t feel like eating much. Plus it goes well with chicken soup, and with a generous smear of Vegemite it will give your body a B vitamin hit.

Meal replacement drinks

Drinks such as Up&Go and Sustagen can be useful when you don’t feel like eating. They’ll give you protein and energy to fight your flu, putting you onto the road to recovery.

For more tips on how to beat the dreaded lurgy this winter, don’t forget to check out: Appliances For When You’re Sick.

What are your favourite flu cures?