Possible cold remedy or wives tale?

Feed a cold, starve a fever.

I assumed it meant that feed someone who's got a cold, don't feed someone if they have a fever. And by fever, I believe they meant the old-fashioned kind where either the fever would break or you would die kind, where you're too delirious to do much more than drink some water or gruel now and then. Those kinds of fevers are rare nowadays where western medicine is available. I may have read somewhere that during fevers your body concentrates on that and your digestion is low priority, so I’d recommend liquid only if you’ve got a bad fever.

Sorry you're so miserable. Basically, my advice for colds is homemade chicken soup...I crave the broth when I'm sick, I leave the chicken & veggies in it for the rest of the family...fresh squeezed orange/tangelo juice, and the medicinal yogi tea (I thought I'd put it in the recipes here, but can't find it--if you'd like it, I'll post it again).

Eat lightly of easily digestible foods like rice, toast, soups, maybe use the excuse of illness to indulge in some rice pudding or vanilla custard. A little comfort food to feed your soul.

Hot toddys are a great cold remedy. My stepfather always made his out of rum but you can use whisky, bourbon, or brandy if you like. Unfortunately, I don't have a recipe on hand, but what I do know is you mix the liquor, some honey, pour water just under the boiling point into it, add lemon juice and cloves if desired. Wrap yourself up in something soft, get comfy, and sip slowly. Even if it doesn't kill the cold at leasht you feel better...(hic)

If caught early, hydrotherapy always helps me. (Take a long, hot, hot bath to raise your body temp, put on cold, wet cotton socks then wool socks over that, climb in bed with plenty of warm covers, and sweat it out.

There's been a virus going around here that lasts for six weeks. I feel like I'm just now getting over it after coming down with it in late November.

Take care.