Can you eat onions when you have a cold?

Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
Updated on January 21, 2025
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During a cold, it is appropriate to eat some onions. If the onions are cooked, they are easier to digest. If consuming raw onions, eat them in moderation without overdoing it. Because they are spicy food, they have certain stimulating effects. Since onions are spicy, they can irritate the respiratory tract, leading to increased secretion of mucus, which in turn causes more nasal discharge and phlegm production. The expulsion of these secretions can help clear the respiratory pathways. Additionally, onions are rich in vitamins and can enhance the body's immunity.

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Can babies spit up milk when they have a cold?

After a baby catches a cold, symptoms such as vomiting milk can occur. Following a cold, the secretion of digestive enzymes decreases, which can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms including sudden nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. When cold-induced vomiting is severe, it's important to feed the child a light, easily digestible diet and administer antiemetic medications, such as Vitamin B6, compound rennin, or aluminum phosphate gel, which can effectively stop the vomiting. Additionally, it is crucial to actively treat the cold, primarily through symptomatic treatment, increased fluid intake, and taking cold medicine.

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What department should I go to for a cold?

Colds are generally divided into common colds and influenza. For a common cold, one can visit the department of respiratory medicine; if this department is unavailable, one may alternatively visit the general internal medicine department. This disease can also be treated at community hospitals under the general practice department. Additionally, influenza is a contagious disease, so it is typically advised to seek treatment at a fever clinic or a clinic specializing in infectious diseases. If these options are not available, it is recommended to go to a hospital that can treat influenza.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
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What foods can you eat when you have a cold and a fever?

Generally, when experiencing a cold or fever, it is important to focus on eating light and easily digestible foods. This is because our gastrointestinal function tends to decline during the cold and fever stages. Consuming spicy, greasy, and indigestible foods at this time may add extra burden to the stomach and intestines, leading to indigestion. Additionally, there might be symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, or even diarrhea. Therefore, it is advisable to consume warm, well-cooked foods such as porridge, millet porridge, vegetable porridge, noodles, or dishes like wonton soup, vegetable soup, and dragon whisker noodles. Moreover, it is essential to drink plenty of water during a fever to promote metabolism and enhance the body's resistance. It is also appropriate to eat some fresh fruits and vegetables to replenish vitamins. Vitamin C can help boost metabolism and aid cellular repair, which is significantly helpful in recovering from colds and fevers. At the same time, it is recommended to maintain a positive mood, and if the body temperature exceeds 38.5℃, it is important to take antipyretic medicine promptly.

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Symptoms of a baby's cold

Generally speaking, common cold symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, some may have a cough, and others may have a fever. Generally, after most babies catch a cold, the symptoms are mainly respiratory. A small part may show symptoms of the digestive system, such as vomiting and diarrhea. There are also headaches, mental fatigue, lethargy, sleepiness, etc., so there are many symptoms of a cold.

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Written by Qiu Xin Hui
Traditional Chinese Medicine
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How to get better from a cold caused by excessive internal heat?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, a cold due to "internal heat" is considered to be caused by a decrease in the body's resistance and exposure to wind-heat. At this time, it is appropriate to take some mildly cool, exterior-releasing medicines to regulate the condition. If at home, one can choose to use Banlangen granules, or make a soup with pears, or drink water boiled with white radish. These can significantly improve the symptoms of a cold due to internal heat. It is also advisable to drink more hot porridge to induce a slight sweat, which can help treat the condition. (Note: Specific medications should be taken under the guidance of a physician.)