Debunked Myths

This ancient adage dates back to a 1574 dictionary and reflects medieval medical theories about body heat regulation. The logic suggested eating generated warmth that helped colds but worsened fevers, while fasting cooled feverish bodies. Modern medicine has completely overturned these notions.

Both colds and fevers represent your immune system fighting infection, requiring substantial energy and fluids. Starving yourself during illness can actually weaken immune response and lead to dangerous dehydration, especially problematic when fevers increase fluid loss.

The best approach is to 'feed both' with nutritious, easily digestible foods and plenty of hydrating fluids like water, broth, and electrolyte drinks. This 400-year-old myth demonstrates how folk wisdom can persist long after science renders it obsolete. It's time to retire this outdated advice in favor of supporting your body's natural healing processes with proper nutrition.