Got a Cold? Eat This - The Daily Standard

Monday, February 21st, 2022

Area health professionals agree with Mom

By Leslie Gartrell

Photo by Paige Sutter/The Daily Standard

Traditional food remedies to colds and stomach bugs aren't a panacea, but they can help.

Chicken noodle soup for a cold. Bananas, rice, applesauce and toast for an upset stomach. Tea with honey or ginger for a sore throat.

Plenty of people were raised with similar home remedies and now pass the same traditions on to their families and friends. But do they actually work?

A group of Mercer Health medical professionals including Dr. John Terpstra, COVID-19 medical director, virtual health medical director and emergency physician; Dr. Michelle Winner, family physician; and Julie Hemmelgarn, registered dietician, shared their thoughts on home remedies and what works, what doesn't and what can't hurt.

While no food or drink can cure a common cold, stomach bug or other ailment, the trio said there is some value to home remedies.

"The things recommended by mom have some merit," Terpstra said.

Winner said people can help themselves by eating healthy and staying active to avoid getting sick in the first place.

"You're better off if you can do your part and stay active and eat healthy,"

she said. "There's no miracle remedy out there."

Hydration is key

Some people may not have an appetite or may not feel like they can keep anything down if they're sick. However, dehydration can quickly set in if one doesn't eat or drink anything for an extended period of time, Terpstra said.

All three medical professionals said no matter the illness, staying hydrated should be the highest priority. Dehydration can worsen an illness, so Winner said she pushes the importance of staying hydrated.

"Keeping hydrated is the biggest thing," Hemmelgarn agreed. "Our body needs that additional fluid. The body is 70% water, so we have to keep replacing that."

While water is perhaps the most obvious choice, Terpstra said other liquids such as sports drinks or drinks with electrolytes, broth, soup and tea can help prevent dehydration.

"You can survive without a lot of food and do just fine," he said. "If they can get a little bit of food in them that's good, but hydration is the most important."

The Cleveland Clinic also recommends fresh fruits with a high water content, such as grapes, berries, oranges and melons.

Cold, flu and upper respiratory illnesses

Terpstra said there's a reason parents reach for chicken noodle soup when a child has a cold.

"Chicken broth is great for upper respiratory illnesses," he said. "It's more beneficial for loosening stuff up, like a stuffy nose, secretion, loosening up a cough."

Hemmelgarn said any type of hot liquid can provide some relief. A hot cup of tea or bowl of soup can relieve congestion and thin the mucus membrane, and the steam can help soothe the respiratory tract. Hemmelgarn said hot liquids also have some anti-inflammatory properties.

Winner said aside from the comfort benefit, the salt in chicken noodle soup or broths can encourage people to drink other fluids and help with hydration.

The Mayo Clinic adds honey may help coughs in adults and children over the age of 1 and suggested stirring honey into hot tea.

Winner said elderberry can reduce the severity of flu-like illnesses, but added people should consult their doctor for using it, especially with children.

All three noted there's no cure for the common cold or similar illnesses.

"Unfortunately with viruses there's not a cure," Winner said. "You pretty much have to let your body take over and fight it."

Nausea, diarrhea, stomach flu

The BRAT diet has been said to help ease symptoms of diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast.

The group of medical professionals said there's no proof the BRAT diet helps relieve symptoms related to gut illnesses but they agreed it can can be a good starting point.

"Bland food gives the stomach time to rest, which is why it's good for nausea," Hemmelgarn said. "They're easy to digest and easy on the stomach."

Terpstra said many bland foods, such as crackers, cooked noodles, cooked vegetables and foods low in fats can be gentle on the digestive tract. Hemmelgarn added cooked eggs, canned fruits, dry cereals and mashed potatoes also can be easy on the stomach.

At the same time, Hemmelgarn said the BRAT diet and similar foods typically lack nutritional value.

Winner and Hemmelgarn said it's best to slowly reintroduce foods when combating a stomach illness.

"Listen to your own body," Winner said. "When you're ready to eat, do what you can. Slowly advance (your diet) as your body tolerates it."

Winner some evidence indicates ginger can be beneficial for morning sickness or nausea related to pregnancy, but doesn't work for everyone.

Hemmelgarn agreed, saying ginger ale can be used to settle the stomach and adding fresh ginger to cooked dishes can be a good way to incorporate it into one's diet.

What won't help

Just like some foods and drinks can help relieve symptoms, others can make symptoms worse. Some home remedies also require further study, according to the Mercer Health professionals.

Terpstra said anything high in sugar or fat, dairy products, alcohol and caffeine can exacerbate symptoms or contribute to dehydration. Winner said highly processed foods also won't help a person who is sick.

Hemmelgarn said people with an upset stomach, diarrhea or nausea especially should avoid caffeine, spicy foods, highly seasoned foods and foods high in fiber.

"High fiber foods are hard to digest, so your stomach has to work harder to break it down," she said.

Winner said some people recommend taking vitamin C and zinc when sick, but said the combination likely won't do much to help.

According to the Mayo Clinic, vitamin C usually won't prevent a cold in the average person. At the same time, the Mayo Clinic said some studies have found taking vitamin C before cold symptoms start may shorten the length of time a person has symptoms.

Several studies have suggested zinc supplements may reduce the length of a cold, but the Mayo Clinic notes research has turned up mixed results about zinc.

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