What is good to eat when you have a cold?

Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
Updated on February 02, 2025
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For dietary considerations during a cold, it is generally advisable to eat light, consume more fruits and vegetables, and avoid spicy, greasy, raw, or cold natured foods. If the cold is severe, some cold medicines may be necessary to combat the virus. It's important to rest regularly and avoid excessive fatigue. Consuming foods like millet porridge, Eight-Treasure porridge, egg soup, and thin noodles can be beneficial as these foods are nutritious and do not burden the gastrointestinal tract, aiding in the recovery from a cold. When the body's immune function is compromised, viral infections may occur, necessitating antiviral medications for treatment.

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How to treat a stomach cold in winter.

Gastrointestinal colds are commonly seen in the transition between winter and spring or autumn and winter. If you feel discomfort in your gastrointestinal area during these times, it might be a gastrointestinal cold. In this case, it is suggested to take standard medications for stomach pain and diarrhea and also to drink plenty of water. A gastrointestinal cold generally causes a high fever, so if you have a fever, you can take some antipyretics to lower your body temperature. Additionally, it is important to rehydrate timely during diarrhea and to adjust your diet to include more fresh vegetables and fruits. Eat semi-solid foods like rice porridge and soup, and avoid greasy, spicy food. Avoid intense physical activities, rest more, and get plenty of sleep to allow your body to recover quickly.

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What to do if you have a cold and a headache?

If you have a headache with a cold, it might be due to a viral infection, and you should go to the hospital for a routine blood test to identify the source of the infection. Then, take the corresponding anti-infection medication to treat and alleviate the symptoms. Also, you should pay attention to eating light, drinking more water, promoting excretion, and enhancing your immune system. Avoid eating spicy, greasy, and cold irritating foods. If the headache is severe, you may need to take some painkillers to relieve the symptoms. Additionally, symptomatic treatment should be applied; apart from the headache, you should check if there is any fever. Once the temperature exceeds 38.5°C, you should take some antipyretic drugs for treatment. Also, pay attention to using physical cooling methods, drinking more water, and avoiding spicy, greasy, and cold irritating foods. It is advised to follow the doctor’s guidance closely and cooperate actively with the doctor to alleviate the symptoms.

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Is scraping effective for a stomach cold?

When experiencing a stomach cold, gua sha can also be quite effective. Because during gua sha, it can effectively promote the digestion of the gastrointestinal tract and also improve internal heat conditions. It's also necessary to pay close attention to diet, such as avoiding overly greasy, spicy, or cold foods, and primarily sticking to a light diet to effectively prevent worsening the condition. Additionally, it's important to rest well and you can also massage the abdomen in a clockwise direction, which can effectively help promote gastrointestinal digestion and provide substantial relief from the illness.

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What is the difference between a stomach cold and a common cold?

Gastrointestinal flu and common cold have certain differences. The so-called gastrointestinal flu, clinically, often involves some viruses infecting the respiratory tract, which causes patients to have not only upper respiratory symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, fever, and throat itchiness. These patients will also experience gastrointestinal discomforts like nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, diarrhea, and a decrease in appetite. These symptoms indicate gastrointestinal flu. On the other hand, patients with a common cold typically exhibit only upper respiratory symptoms, such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, fever, throat itchiness, and coughing. Generally, a common cold does not accompany symptoms like abdominal distension, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.

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Is it good to run and sweat when you have a cold caused by wind-cold?

Patients with a cold caused by exposure to cold and wind are advised to rest as much as possible and avoid running and sweating, as this could lead to catching a chill and potentially worsening the cold. If you are indoors, running and sweating can be okay, but make sure not to expose yourself to drafts afterwards. It's best to sit down and rest to ease the sweating before resuming activities. If the condition is severe, medication can be taken for effective improvement. Also, avoid consuming stimulating, greasy, or cold foods in your diet; instead, drink plenty of water and urinate frequently to help effectively improve your condition.