Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever?

     Hello Fam...  Are you ready for your holidays.  There are many on the horizon, right about now.  Let's see, Hanukkah just finished, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year's are the way.  All are pretty predictable as far as timing and expectations.  The one thing that may also come along during these times are colds and fevers, and in some cases, the FLU... 
     I remember as a child, hearing my elders and people on the television talk about how to make you feel better if you had a cold or a fever.   There were so many remedies and suggestions you couldn't keep up.  I do believe that my parents had stock in Vicks VapoRub and Bayer Children's aspirin--which we, as kids used to want to eat like candy.  Looking back, I wondered where the phrase came from, "feed a cold, starve a fever".  After doing some research, I found that this saying possibly originated back in the 1500's when it was noted that "fasting is a great remedy of fever".  According to Scientific American, the belief was that eating food may help the body generate warmth during a "cold" and that avoiding food may help it cool down when overheated.  But, now it seems that the thought should be the other way around.  Your body needs some energy when you are sick, so eating will help.  Eating can help generate body heat, as well as wearing layers of clothing or just getting under the covers (you know when you are sick the one thing you want to do is curl up under the heavy covers). 
         Now, here is the NEW thought about eating for a fever.  As most of us know, your body usually spikes a fever as a way for your immune system to rid itself of unwanted bugs that cause disease.  Increased temperature leads to increased metabolism, which leads to calories burned.  So you need to eat to accommodate all the changes that are happening in your body.  Fever also makes you dehydrated.  So in any case, cold or fever, you need to drink plenty of fluids.  Hydration will keep that nasty mucus in your throat and nose running away (yup, pull out the tissues).  The last thing you want is to have all that mess dried up in your nose and throat, clogging your sinuses to the point you can't breathe (that's when my parents would pull out a big glob of the Vicks VapoRub and slather it on me, under my nose and on my chest like pork chop grease).
    Our biggest worry these days is to stay free and clear of the FLU.  A cold and fever may last 3-4 days, but the FLU comes in, bags packed, puts you down and out, and doesn't leave for at least a week.  The FLU is a contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus.   The FLU symptoms include:  a FEVER higher han 100 degrees, BODY aches that come on suddenly, BODY chills not related to a cold, TIREDNESS associated with the other symptoms, as well as, a cough, sore throat, and headache.  In some cases if things get complicated,  you could wind up with these issues and you should definitely see a doctor:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

Purple or blue discoloration of the lips

Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

High fever (i.e., temperature above 102.2 degrees)

Sudden dizziness

Confusion

Severe or persistent vomiting

Seizures

Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough

  
    The best defense against the FLU is to get the FLU vaccine every year, especially those folks in high risk categories like young children and older adults, people with weakened immune systems(cancer patients, HIV/AIDS patients, those on anti-injection drugs), persons with chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and asthma and those who are obese.


     Look, winter is here.  Although some of us are having mild fall weather, the cold and FLU bugs do not care.  When it's their time to raise their ugly heads and cause havoc, they do.  Be prepared.  Get your flu shot.  Make sure everyone around you is washing their hands.  Don't be ashamed to wipe down your shared keyboards and telephones with a disinfectant, and cover your dang mouth and nose when you are sneezing and coughing (then wash your hands again).  Prevention is the only defense for the cold and FLU monsters. 


SMOOCHES