What should you not eat when you have a cold?

Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
Updated on May 06, 2025
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After catching a cold, one should generally avoid eating spicy, greasy, or cold foods such as chili peppers, ice cream, and seafood, and should not drink coffee or strong tea. Avoid greasy foods and try to eat more light fruits and vegetables. It is important to keep warm, avoid catching a cold again, and rest well. If one has a cold due to wind-heat, one should not eat heaty foods, commonly including citrus fruits and lamb. If it is a cold due to wind-cold, then one should avoid cold foods such as beer and watermelon.

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What to do with excessive sweating from a cold?

When you have a cold and experience excessive sweating, this situation is fairly normal and there is no need to worry excessively. Your body is in a state of rest and is metabolizing at a higher rate to combat the invading cold viruses or bacteria. During this time, it is important to keep warm and avoid exposure to wind or cold. After waking, it's advisable to drink an adequate amount of water to stay hydrated and prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Additionally, under the guidance of a doctor, you should take the appropriate anti-inflammatory and anti-infection medication, or antiviral drugs to treat the condition and alleviate symptoms like sweating. It is recommended to maintain a light diet and avoid spicy, greasy, cold, or irritating foods. It is also essential to follow the doctor's instructions regarding the accurate timing and dosing of medications. Overmedication should be avoided as it could potentially weaken the body and exacerbate symptoms like excessive sweating.

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What are the symptoms of a stomach cold?

Gastrointestinal flu primarily manifests symptoms of both the common cold and the gastrointestinal tract, predominantly with gastrointestinal symptoms, accompanied by symptoms of a cold, such as fever, headache, dizziness, and general body aches. The gastrointestinal symptoms mainly include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain. Severe diarrhea and vomiting can lead to significant loss of electrolytes and water in the body, causing shock and electrolyte imbalances. This may present as shock, sweating all over the body, profuse sweating, pale complexion, and arrhythmias, among others.

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How many days has the cold caused a runny nose?

If you have a cold with a runny nose, it will generally recover within about seven days. Since this is just a common cold and it is self-limiting, there is no need for excessive worry. However, if the symptoms are more severe and include coughing, phlegm, and fever, it is important to take some anti-inflammatory and anti-infection medications along with symptomatic treatment to alleviate the symptoms. Recovery should also take about three to five days, and there is no need for excessive worry. Additionally, it is important to keep warm, avoid catching cold, eat a light diet, avoid spicy and greasy foods, cold and irritating foods, drink plenty of water to promote metabolism, and enhance your immunity. Do not stay up late and ensure sufficient sleep to help the illness recover faster. (Please follow the guidance of a professional physician when taking medication and avoid self-medication.)

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Why does fetal movement become frequent when a pregnant woman catches a cold?

When pregnant women catch a cold, there may be abnormalities in fetal movement. This is because symptoms such as fever, nasal congestion, runny nose, and headache can occur after catching a cold, leading to discomfort. Nasal congestion can cause insufficient oxygen supply in the pregnant woman, thereby affecting the nourishment to the baby. This can also increase fetal movements. In addition, nasal congestion may lead to hypoxia in pregnant women. These conditions are detrimental to the health of both the fetus and the pregnant woman. It is advisable to visit the hospital timely for examinations and symptomatic treatment, and oxygen therapy might be necessary if required.

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Is it good to eat oranges when you have a cold?

Eating oranges can help alleviate the symptoms of a cold. Oranges are rich in various vitamins and contain a lot of water. They help moisten the lungs, stop coughs, and enhance the body's immune system, aiding in the relief of symptoms. During a cold, it is also important to increase nutrition by consuming high-quality, high-protein foods such as milk, beef, and lean meats to replenish energy. If cold symptoms are severe, such as headaches, nausea, and high fever, one can take traditional Chinese medicine anti-cold treatments under the guidance of a doctor, such as Lianhua Qingwen capsules. If a secondary bacterial infection occurs, presenting symptoms like fever, cough, and yellow sputum, use antibacterial medication prudently based on the results of sputum culture and drug sensitivity tests, such as azithromycin or cephalosporin antibiotics.