Should I eat with a cold/fever?

Post Reply New Topic

When I have a cold, no matter how ill I am, I still have an appetite, so I eat full-blown meals and drink plenty of juice or milk. But I heard people say something about you should starve a fever. Is that true? Is it ok to eat when you have a cold or flu?

I think liquids are more important when you're sick honestly, though if you're sick you need some sort of energy/calories in order to recover. I did some research on this and found advice from a sickness expert:

starving is not good when ill.

Fighting an illness takes a lot of energy from your body (which is why you get a fever in the first place); this energy needs to be replaced.
Yes, eating might give some energy to whatever causes the illness, but it gives more to your immune system; you should try to eat your normal meals even if you do not have an appetite.

A lot of people die from fevers, not from the fever, but because they stop eating.

Old wive's tales there Joe.

Eat and drink as you normally would. When fighting an active infection body temperature can be higher, keep an eye on the colour of your urine and drink more water should you appear dehydrated. Otherwise keep on trucking and let your immune system deal with the infection.

Eating is important if you take medication or supplements because those things can be hard on an empty stomach when your sick & maybe even if your not sick.

If you feel you can eat, and you won't throw it up, definitely. Be sure to hydrate well, as liquids are even more important than food.