Saturday 4 December 2010

Feed Or Starve A Cold? I Can Never Remember

It's not often lurgey gets me, but on waking this morning there were tell-tale signs that a cold was doing its damnedest. It only got worse after watching 2012 at the insistence of the little Ps. I felt my antibodies - and my soul - throwing a stick and spotted hanky over their shoulders at around about the hour mark.

So, as you can imagine, I'm not much in the mood for writing. Instead, urgent restorative measures are required, consisting of Mrs P's friend coming over to help mop my fevered brow, alongside the application of known remedies - red wine (I prefer white but cures were never meant to be easy, eh?), and copious servings of curry - to limit the damage. Yes, it's going to be tough, but I can handle it.

In the meantime, here's something I lazily pinched from the comments at one of the few places I visited today. I'm sure many will have seen this Independent article from 2000, but I hadn't. Well, it made me laugh anyway.

Snowfalls are now just a thing of the past

However, the warming is so far manifesting itself more in winters which are less cold than in much hotter summers. According to Dr David Viner, a senior research scientist at the climatic research unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia,within a few years winter snowfall will become "a very rare and exciting event".

"Children just aren't going to know what snow is," he said.

David Parker, at the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research in Berkshire, says ultimately, British children could have only virtual experience of snow. Via the internet, they might wonder at polar scenes - or eventually "feel" virtual cold.
Especially after seeing this on the same thread.

Anyway, must go. Our visitor is expected so I need to prepare myself for the upcoming torturous treatment.

Oh, woe is me!


15 comments:

JuliaM said...

It's 'feed a cold, starve a fever'..

But if you're anything like me, you won't feel much like eating. Just drink lots.

Bucko said...

Cooking wiskey and plenty of it.
You'll be rough in the morning but that cold will be gone.

Dick Puddlecote said...

Ta, Julia. As if that weren't enough, a toothache is threatening too (always the weekend, isn't it).

Bucko: If I had whisky that would be an option. But I don't (only gin) so I will have to put up with the double head massage, dusted off red, and dhansak. Life really sucks sometimes. ;)

Mark Wadsworth said...

DP, the full saying is "IF YOU starve a cold YOU WILL feed a fever".

i.e. if you don't eat enough when you're feeling a bit off, you'll make it worse.

Bucko said...

Ring the head massage woman and tell her to bring wiskey.

You know, I should start charging for this ;-)

Bill Sticker said...

Algorithm for cold / illness treatment;

Are you hungry? Yes / No

If 'Yes' - Eat

If 'No' - Drink lots of fluids followed by hot toddy (Whiskey, warm water & honey) to aid restful sleep.

If 'Yes', Hot toddy may also be consumed. If 'No' Mulled wine with Honey and Cinnamon is also good. Who needs an excuse?

Rest, bath, massage, all good. Get well soon.

Woodsy42 said...

I almost always get toothache when I have a cold. For me a nagging toothache that is not caused by hot/cold sensitivity is often the first sign of an oncoming cold hitting the sinuses.
Add a couple of paracetamols to the whiskey!

Witterings from Witney said...

As Julia M says: drink lots - in my case scotch to the point where you wake up the cold has gone and been replaced by a headache! Works everytime!

Anonymous said...

Hello, Dick

Hope you feel better v. soon!

Vicks First Defence nasal spray works a treat if you get to the cold in the early stages. Worth buying some now (over the counter) for the next bout. Not very expensive but highly effective and will last you quite a while.

Get well soon
Churchmouse

Woman on a Raft said...

Wish you better.

I recommend a hot bath and then drinking ginger tea and wrapping in towels to sweat it out, but it's not a pleasant process.

subrosa said...

You feeling better yet? Hope you didn't try a toddy with gin - it's vile. :)

I had to get a tooth extracted when I had the cold some weeks ago so try to get it seen to asap if you can.

Keep warm.

Snakey said...

My hubby swears by a curry when he's feeling a cold coming on, he adds garlic and onion, even if it already has garlic and onion it.

Anonymous said...

Here's a sattelitte photo of frozen Britain,no it's not the image we all saw this week in the press ,it's the image from Jan 10th 2010 not November 2010.
The MET office ?
Liars,liars,liars.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/2010/01/08/stunning-new-satellite-image-shows-extend-of-arctic-weather-gripping-britain-86908-21951250/

Anonymous said...

If I may suggest a treatment given to me by my old Padre.
Place a hat at the end of the bed.
Drink the alcoholic drink of choice until you see TWO hats.
Go to bed.
Repeat as necessary.
I canot guarantee that you will be "cured". I can, however, guarantee that you will not care.
TTFN :)
Michael (too idle to muck about with this registering rigmarole as it eats into valuable drinking time!)

timbone said...

If you have flu, eat a vindaloo.