5 Most Common Myths About the Common Cold
Will going outside with wet hair make you sick? Find out if your favorite old wives' tale about the common cold, from "feed a cold, starve a fever" to "eat chicken soup," actually has a grain of truth.
Feed a cold, starve a fever
Being sick often kills your appetite; force-feeding won't help. What will help is staying hydrated and getting enough calories. A 2008 study in the Journal of Nutrition found that mice exposed to the flu took longer to recover and were more likely to suffer ill effects if they were on a low-calorie diet. The researchers’ recommendation? Skip dieting until after flu season.
Health's Top Stories
Get a weekly look at the most popular stories on Health.com.
Hot Topics on Health.com
11 Foods for Healthy Bones
Maintaining great bone-health is essential to your mobility and quality of life. A diet high in calcium and vitamin D will help ward off thinning causes by Osteoporosis, and these foods are loaded with them! Read MoreMore Popular Stories on Health.com
- Quiz: Do You Know How to Beat Heartburn?
- 8 Classic Snacks Under 80 Calories
- Foods That Fight GERD
- 10 Ways to Have Great Posture as You Age
- How Friends Make You Healthier
- 7 Heart-Healthy Foods
- 13 Conditions That Mimic Fibromyalgia
- Body and Soul: Bone-Building Action
- 23 Easy, Low-Fat Dinners
- Get a Beautiful Butt in 4 Weeks












