Can you drink tea when you have a cold?

Written by An Yong Peng
Pulmonology
Updated on February 21, 2025
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It is not recommended to drink tea when having a cold; it is advised that patients drink more plain water instead. Patients also need to maintain a light diet and eat some fruits, and it’s recommended to avoid both tea and carbonated beverages, as well as alcohol. For conditions like the common cold, it is important to avoid staying up late and overexerting oneself. The common cold is usually self-limiting, meaning it will typically resolve on its own as the patient's immune system fights off the illness. However, if the symptoms of a cold are severe, it may be necessary to take medication for symptomatic treatment. It is also important to note that while the common cold is usually self-limiting and does not often lead to serious consequences, complications can sometimes arise. For example, it could lead to acute sinusitis or bacterial pneumonia. If a cold sufferer's symptoms persist or worsen, it is important to seek medical attention promptly for proper treatment.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Do common colds cause vomiting?

In clinical practice, the common cold can cause significantly different symptoms in patients due to various infecting pathogens. For instance, in addition to common symptoms like fever, nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, itchy throat, and pain, patients with a typical viral cold may also experience various degrees of gastrointestinal discomfort such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Thus, when symptoms related to the gastrointestinal tract are present during a common cold, it is necessary to consider the possibility of a gastroenteric type of cold. Therefore, it is a common occurrence for vomiting to be induced by viral infections during a common cold. Prompt administration of rehydration, antiviral treatment, and symptomatic relief can effectively alleviate the vomiting symptoms caused by the common cold.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
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Can you eat watermelon when you have a cold?

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.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Can you eat eggs when you have a cold?

A cold, commonly caused by chilling, is characterized by symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, fever, throat itchiness, and coughing. These symptoms often occur when the body's immune function is low, allowing viruses to take the opportunity to invade the respiratory tract. For such patients, we recommend a light diet, avoiding spicy and irritating foods. It’s advisable to eat more foods high in vitamins and proteins daily. Eggs, for instance, are high in protein and also contain nutrients such as lecithin and amino acids, which are needed by the body. Therefore, it is appropriate to eat some eggs when suffering from a cold.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
1min 9sec home-news-image

What should pregnant women eat when they have a cold?

If you experience cold symptoms during pregnancy, the first thing to note is not to take medications blindly on your own. If it becomes necessary to take medication, it must be taken under the guidance of a doctor and specifically for the symptoms. Initially, you can improve the symptoms of a cold by daily conditioning, such as eating some light fruits and vegetables, supplementing vitamins, and appropriately consuming some porridge. Also, rest more, avoid overexertion, consume fruits rich in Vitamin C to boost metabolism and enhance your immunity, do not stay up late, and ensure sufficient sleep. If the situation is severe, you can appropriately take some anti-cold traditional Chinese medicines, such as anti-inflammatory traditional Chinese medicines to treat and alleviate symptoms. (The doctor's answer is for reference only, please take medication under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)

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Written by Wu Xiao Sheng
Pulmonology
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Can you not eat seafood when you have a cold?

Cold patients can generally eat seafood unless they are allergic to it. The common cold is the most frequently seen acute upper respiratory tract infection in clinical settings, and it is a contagious disease. It can cause a variety of clinical symptoms such as fever, cough, nasal congestion, runny nose, and sore throat. Therefore, patients with a cold will experience certain consumption, including nutritional and fluid loss. Seafood is the most common marine product food, and it does not affect the common cold. This means that eating seafood does not worsen the clinical symptoms of a cold. Moreover, seafood contains rich nutrients, which can beneficially supplement the losses caused by the cold. Of course, a very small number of cold patients may have an allergic constitution and be allergic to seafood, in which case it is not suitable for them, but this situation is very rare.