Can you eat watermelon when you have a cold?

Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
Updated on February 26, 2025
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In the case of a cold, it's appropriate to eat some watermelon, but not too much. Since watermelon is cooling in nature, eating too much may cause discomfort in the digestive system, so it should be consumed in moderation. However, during a cold, it is best to follow a doctor’s advice and take medication for treatment. If it's just a common cold with minor symptoms like a runny nose, sneezing, and nasal congestion, it should be allowed to heal on its own. It is self-limiting and will generally resolve within about seven days without intervention. This is important to remember. Also, daily life and diet should be light, avoiding spicy, greasy, and raw or stimulating foods. It's important to maintain a relaxed mood, avoid excessive stress, and actively cooperate with the doctor’s treatment.

Other Voices

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Does Yin deficiency make one prone to catching a cold?

Patients with Yin deficiency are prone to catching colds. However, generally speaking, it does not cause colds. It might be that some individual patients are prone to colds, so it varies from person to person, and there is no specific situation. Yin deficiency mainly causes physical weakness, poor health, and reduced immunity, which can then easily lead to colds and other symptoms. Therefore, if Yin deficiency occurs, it is crucial to treat it promptly with medication and also to eat more foods that nourish Yin and supplement Yang in the diet.

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Why do I catch a cold again after just getting over one?

Repeated colds indicate that the body has weak immunity, making it susceptible to repeated infections by cold viruses, leading to symptoms of a cold. Therefore, it is important to regularly exercise, get more sunlight, balance work and rest, and develop good living habits. Avoid smoking, alcohol, and staying up late; ensure sufficient sleep to allow the body to recover. Eat fresh vegetables and fruits and consume more protein-rich foods, such as milk, beef, and lean meats, to enhance the body's resistance. It is crucial to keep warm, especially during weather changes, to avoid catching cold. Adjust your clothing accordingly and try to avoid crowded places during the cold season. If you must visit these places, it is advisable to wear a mask.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
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Cold symptoms also include diarrhea.

Colds may involve symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, coughing, and phlegm. If there are also symptoms like diarrhea and watery stools, it is possible that it might be a gastrointestinal type of cold. Besides the common cold symptoms, there might also be gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, acid reflux, or burping. It is recommended that in such cases, in addition to taking anti-cold medicine, one should also take medicine to regulate the spleen and stomach for treatment, such as other traditional Chinese medicines that adjust the spleen and stomach functions. It is also important to maintain a light diet, eat smaller meals frequently, and if the diarrhea is severe, anti-diarrheal medication should be taken for treatment. (The specific use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Feng Hai Tao
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Can a baby eat pumpkin when they have a cold?

Babies can definitely eat pumpkin during a cold, but here are a few things to note. First, adopt the method of eating small meals frequently to avoid overfeeding and overeating, which can lead to digestion problems or symptoms like diarrhea in babies. Second, pumpkin is rich in vitamins and carotene, it's visually appealing and tastes sweet. It can be used in various ways to nourish the baby, such as cooking it into porridge, blending it with rice or millet into a paste, or making pumpkin cakes. These methods not only enhance the baby’s appetite but also help in providing vitamins, energy, and aid in digestion and bowel movements. Third, during a cold, appropriately adding some tasty or favourite foods for the baby can help speed up the recovery from the illness.

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What should be paid attention to for a cold caused by wind and cold?

What should we pay attention to when dealing with a common cold caused by external contraction of wind-cold? The first thing is to keep warm and avoid further exposure to wind-cold, which can aggravate the condition. Secondly, diet is also important; eat light and easy-to-digest foods, and avoid spicy, greasy, and hard-to-digest foods that can worsen the condition. Third, it is essential to rest during a wind-cold cold; failing to rest well might worsen the condition, while good rest can alleviate it. If the symptoms of a wind-cold cold are severe, such as heavy nasal congestion, severe chills, or lack of sweat and overall body aches, it is still appropriate to take some medicine. In terms of Chinese medicine, you can take some that expel wind and disperse cold, such as Fang Feng and Qiang Huo to relieve the exterior and disperse cold. You can also use Chai Hu to expel wind and release the exterior, with a common formula used being Jing Fang Bai Du San. Of course, besides taking these Chinese medicines, you can also consult a doctor to prescribe other medications based on different symptoms for treatment.