What foods should be avoided when you have a common cold? Generally speaking, for both colds caused by wind-cold and wind-heat, all nourishing and greasy foods should be avoided. Additionally, for colds caused by wind-cold, cold and raw foods should be avoided.
1. Avoid Honey
During a cold and fever, the focus should be on clearing heat, and tonifying the body is not advisable. Honey is a nourishing supplement that replenishes qi and the middle jiao. Consuming too much honey will prevent the body's internal heat from being properly cleared and eliminated, and it can easily lead to other complications.
2. Avoid Duck and Lamb
Because a cold is an external disease, treatment should focus on expelling the pathogen from the exterior. Duck meat is cooling, greasy, and can cause diarrhea and trap the pathogen. Pork is greasy, which can generate dampness and phlegm. Lamb is sweet and warm, which can generate heat, but it also has the drawback of trapping the pathogen.
3. Avoid Eggs
While eggs are indeed nutritious, they should not be eaten in large quantities during a fever. This is because the protein in eggs breaks down in the body to produce extra heat, which can raise the body's temperature, worsen fever symptoms, prolong the duration of the fever, and increase the patient's discomfort.
4. Avoid Strong Tea
Drinking strong tea can keep the brain in an excited state, speed up the pulse, and raise blood pressure. This, in turn, can cause the patient's body temperature to rise and lead to restlessness. Additionally, tea can interfere with the breakdown and absorption of medications, reducing their effectiveness.
5. Avoid Coriander
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, coriander is believed to expel all pathogenic qi and has a warming effect on the middle jiao to strengthen the stomach. However, people who frequently catch colds should avoid coriander, as they often have a deficiency of qi. Eating coriander can lead to more frequent colds.
6. Avoid Freshwater Clams
Clams, also known as freshwater clams, are cooling and have a moistening effect. Eating too many can hinder the expulsion of the external pathogen. Furthermore, due to environmental pollution, river seafood often contains high levels of heavy metals, which adds to the burden on the digestive system of a person with a cold and is不利于 absorption and excretion.
7. Avoid Persimmons
Persimmons are inherently cold and astringent, and have a moistening effect. However, they are not suitable for those with wind-cold type colds. Eating too many can easily trap the pathogen, delay recovery, and worsen the condition.