English Proverb: Starve a fever, feed a cold
Starve a fever, feed a cold is a long-standing belief among many people. When someone has a high temperature, that person should not eat, but when a person has a cold, they should try to eat a lot.
This proverb may be an old wives’ tale, or it may have some truth in it.
The proof is in the pudding as they say, so the next time you get sick, try it out.
If you think about it, it makes sense because when you have a fever, you don’t have an appetite. Plus a fever usually only lasts for a short time – hopefully.
A cold, on the other hand, may last for three days – if you’re lucky- or it may last for ten days – if you’re unlucky. It would be quite challenging to stop eating for ten days.
Either way, I am just introducing you to this well-known proverb. You can decide for yourself whether the maxim starve a fever, feed a cold is true or not.