Can I eat watermelon if I have a cold and cough?

Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
Updated on November 17, 2024
00:00
00:00

When suffering from a cold and cough, it is appropriate to eat some watermelon as it contains a lot of water which can help replenish the fluids the body needs. It also has a soothing effect on the throat. However, be careful not to eat too much because watermelon has a high sugar content. Excessive sugar intake can exacerbate coughing by increasing phlegm. Additionally, watermelon has cooling properties, so consuming too much can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort. Patients with weak spleen and stomach, already having frail gastrointestinal systems, may experience discomfort from consuming too much watermelon. It is recommended to eat moderate amounts and maintain a light diet, drink plenty of water, and consume more fruits like apples, pears, or grapefruits which are more suitable. It is crucial to actively cooperate with medical treatment during a cold and cough to alleviate symptoms.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Qiu Xin Hui
Traditional Chinese Medicine
54sec home-news-image

Is catching a cold from excessive internal heat the same as a wind-heat cold?

Colds caused by excessive internal heat are common in everyday life. They are mostly caused by wind-heat type colds, and part of them are what we often refer to as "cold wrapped in heat", meaning one has caught a wind-cold type cold while also showing symptoms of excessive internal heat. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctor in person for diagnosis. Based on one's condition, the diagnosis is made through the four examinations of inspection, listening and smelling, inquiry, and palpation to differentiate the syndromes and decide on the treatment. Colds caused by excessive internal heat generally require the use of herbs that clear heat and purge fire, combined with herbs that expel wind and release the exterior for treatment to achieve recovery. (The use of medicines should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Qiu Xin Hui
Traditional Chinese Medicine
42sec home-news-image

The cause of colds and flu

Cold and influenza are what traditional Chinese medicine refers to as 'wind-cold common cold.' The main causes are due to a decrease in the body's resistance, exposure to cold wind, and the inability to expel it from the body promptly. This results in a series of symptoms related to the wind-cold common cold, such as nasal congestion, clear nasal discharge, sneezing, sore limbs, chills, and fever. At this time, active treatment should be carried out, and it is appropriate to eat more warm foods or take medicines for conditioning. At home, you can use ginger brown sugar water, drink more hot porridge, and cover with thick blankets to make the body sweat slightly, which can alleviate the symptoms.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Ying Ying
Traditional Chinese Medicine
53sec home-news-image

Is a wind-heat cold contagious?

In traditional Chinese medicine, a cold caused by wind-heat is seen as resulting from the combination of wind and heat pathogens. The symptoms include fever with relatively high heat signs, slight aversion to wind, not much sweating, headache, facial redness, coughing, sticky or yellow phlegm, thick yellow nasal discharge, dry throat or red and swollen throat, and other symptoms such as swollen and painful throat, nasal congestion, and dry mouth. The wind-heat type of cold in Chinese medicine generally corresponds to what is considered the common cold and influenza in Western medicine, both of which are recognized as viral infections. Therefore, the wind-heat cold is contagious, and patients should maintain a certain distance from others.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wu Xiao Sheng
Pulmonology
1min 3sec home-news-image

Can Banlangen treat a cold?

Banlangen belongs to the category of Chinese medicine. From the perspective of Chinese medicine, Banlangen has certain effects on treating the common cold, meaning it can be used to treat colds. For example, Banlan根 is most commonly used to treat colds, mainly treating wind-heat type colds, and its effectiveness for colds due to wind-cold or summer dampness is relatively poor or non-existent. However, from the perspective of modern medicine, the common cold is often caused by viral infections of the respiratory system, classified as acute upper respiratory infection, which can cause symptoms such as fever, nasal congestion, runny nose, and sore throat. Therefore, a combination of medications is used to improve the clinical symptoms of a cold. Common medications include compound paracetamol and amantadine, Mameimin tablets, etc. Banlangen is generally not used for treatment. (Please follow medical advice when using medication.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
53sec home-news-image

Is nasal congestion the same as having a cold?

Nasal congestion is not necessarily a cold. Cold medicine has many symptoms, with nasal congestion being one of them. However, there could be more reasons for nasal congestion. A cold is just one factor causing nasal congestion. Other reasons might include chronic rhinitis, acute rhinitis, sinusitis, deviated nasal septum, and nasal polyps. Often, these conditions are primarily due to pathological changes in the nose itself. Therefore, it is recommended to visit an otolaryngology clinic, particularly for persistent nasal congestion, and consider undergoing a nasopharyngoscopy. If needed, a sinus CT may also be considered, along with symptom assessment and additional diagnostic tests, to make a more comprehensive and accurate evaluation.