What to eat when you have a cold
Apr 27, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Ren Yi
Introduction
You can consume foods such as chicken soup, ginger, oranges, millet porridge, and spinach when you have a cold. Additionally, medications such as Ganmaoling Granules, ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, compound paracetamol amantadine tablets, Yinqiao Jiedu tablets, and Shuanghuanglian oral liquid may be taken as directed by a physician. In daily life, it is important to adjust clothing promptly according to weather changes to avoid getting chilled, especially during seasonal transitions when temperature fluctuations are significant. Pay extra attention to staying warm.
Generally, when having a cold, you can consume foods such as chicken soup, ginger, oranges, millet porridge, and spinach. Additionally, medications such as Ganmaoling Granules, ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, compound paracetamol and amantadine tablets, Yinqiao Jiedu tablets, and Shuanghuanglian oral liquid can be taken according to medical advice. The details are as follows:
I. Foods
1. Chicken Soup
Chicken soup is rich in various amino acids that can enhance the body's resistance. During a cold, the immune system is in a state of stress and requires more nutritional support. Nutrients in chicken soup can help replenish energy, alleviate fatigue caused by a cold, and have anti-inflammatory effects that can reduce respiratory inflammation.
2. Ginger
Ginger is warm in nature and has the effects of dispersing cold and warming the middle jiao to stop vomiting. In the early stages of a cold, drinking ginger water can promote blood circulation, help the body sweat, and thus dispel cold from the body, alleviating symptoms such as chills and headaches caused by wind-cold感冒.
3. Orange
Oranges are rich in vitamin C, which has antioxidant properties, enhances immunity, and helps the body resist cold viruses. Additionally, vitamin C promotes collagen synthesis, aiding in the repair of damaged tissue cells and reducing cold symptoms.
4. Millet Porridge
Millet porridge is easily digested and provides energy for the body. During a cold, digestive function may be affected. Consuming millet porridge can reduce gastrointestinal burden while supplying necessary carbohydrates to maintain normal body functions.
5. Spinach
Spinach is rich in vitamins A and C, and minerals such as iron and calcium. Vitamin A helps maintain the integrity of respiratory mucosa and enhances respiratory resistance; vitamin C boosts immunity and promotes recovery.
II. Medications
1. Ganmaoling Granules
Ganmaoling granules are mainly composed of herbs such as Trifoliate orange root bark, Wedelia calendulacea, Wild Chrysanthemum flower, Sarcandra glabra, caffeine, paracetamol, chlorpheniramine maleate, and peppermint oil. Paracetamol inhibits the synthesis and release of prostaglandins in the hypothalamic thermoregulatory center, causing peripheral vasodilation and sweating to achieve antipyretic effects. It also inhibits the effects of PGE1, bradykinin, and histamine, raising the pain threshold to produce analgesic effects.
2. Ibuprofen Sustained-Release Capsules
Ibuprofen sustained-release capsules are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that reduce inflammation and pain by inhibiting cyclooxygenase activity and decreasing prostaglandin synthesis. During a cold, they can relieve symptoms such as fever, headache, and muscle aches.
3. Compound Paracetamol and Amantadine Tablets
Compound paracetamol and amantadine tablets mainly contain paracetamol, amantadine hydrochloride, artificial bezoar, caffeine, and chlorpheniramine maleate. Paracetamol inhibits prostaglandin synthesis to produce antipyretic and analgesic effects. Amantadine hydrochloride blocks the uncoating and nucleic acid release of type A influenza virus, affecting the early replication of the virus and thus exerting antiviral effects.
4. Yinqiao Jiedu Tablets
Yinqiao Jiedu tablets are composed of honeysuckle, forsythia, mint, schizonepeta, fermented soybean, burdock seed, platycodon root, bamboo leaf, and licorice. Honeysuckle and forsythia can disperse wind-heat and clear heat while detoxifying; mint, schizonepeta, and fermented soybean disperse exterior pathogens and dissipate heat outward; bamboo leaf clears heat and relieves irritability. When used together, these herbs have the effects of pungent-cool exterior-resolving, clearing heat, and detoxifying, primarily treating wind-heat感冒.
5. Shuanghuanglian Oral Liquid
Shuanghuanglian oral liquid mainly contains honeysuckle, scutellaria root, and forsythia. Honeysuckle clears heat and detoxifies while dispersing wind-heat; scutellaria clears heat and dampness, purges fire, and detoxifies; forsythia clears heat and detoxifies, reduces swelling, and disperses nodules while dispersing wind-heat. These three herbs work synergistically to relieve exterior syndromes with wind and heat and clear heat and detoxify, and can be used for colds caused by external contraction of wind-heat.
In daily life, it is important to adjust clothing according to weather changes to avoid getting chilled, especially during seasonal transitions when temperature fluctuations are significant, requiring extra attention to staying warm. Additionally, strengthening physical exercise and enhancing immunity through regular moderate activity, such as jogging or yoga, can help improve resistance and prevent colds.
