One theory is that this could be a mistranslation, Wilkinson says, and the original phrase was “feed a cold, stave off a fever”, as proper nourishment may help prevent secondary infections.
When you get a respiratory viral infection, otherwise known as a cold, your immune system is activated, he explains.
“Activated immune cells are among the most metabolically demanding – they take a lot of energy from the body,” Wilkinson says.
Tom Wilkinson, professor of respiratory medicine at the University of Southampton, says there is some truth to this age-old saying.
Your ability to fight it off depends on how strong your system’s responses are – and you need to be fuelled up in order to respond well.
