It makes little difference if it's occurring as a result of bronchitis, a viral infection you caught from a coworker, or your decision to wear your hair wet outside on a chilly day. Phlegm-producing coughing when you have a severe case of the common cold has no redeeming aspects whatsoever.
But if you do catch a cold, you'll probably stock up on soups, decongestants, and other remedies to treat the symptoms. But what about improper behaviour? These are also very crucial because some foods and beverages you consume may worsen your illness.
In actuality, taking antibiotics to treat a cold may not be the best idea. Additionally, the following foods can make your cough and cold worse, so you should stay away from them.
Sugar
What would you do without some comforts when you're sick, after all? You might crave a sugary tea or something sweet when you have a cold. Consuming sugar, however, is a surefire method to aggravate your cough. An increase in sugar consumption can weaken the immune system, especially while battling viral infections, according to a 2017 study that appeared in Frontiers in Immunology. Keep in mind that this also applies to the typical cold, so avoid eating those sweets.
Alcohol
Your stuffy chest would only be relieved by a sip of rum mixed with honey and water, right? Wrong! A 2007 study published in the journal Alcohol found a correlation between drinking alcohol and an increase in bronchial and lung inflammation. The white blood cells in your blood, which you need to fight the cold, are also suppressed by alcohol. Additionally, alcohol dehydrates you, and when you have a cold, you need to drink extra fluids.
Caffeinated Drinks
As previously said, when you have a cold, your body needs more fluids to keep you hydrated. As diuretics, coffee, tea, and caffeinated beverages increase the body's excretion of water and salt. It is therefore obvious that drinking your usual three to four cups of coffee or cappuccino while contagious is not a smart idea.
Milk
When you have a cold, you may have been advised to avoid milk and dairy products since they increase phlegm production, which will undoubtedly make matters worse. However, research has shown that milk actually makes the mucus already present in the body thicker and more challenging to eliminate rather than increasing the amount of phlegm it produces. It's advisable to avoid milk while you have a cold in any case.
Spicy Food
You probably have heard that eating spicy food helps to thin out mucus and make it easier to expel when you have a cough or cold. This is indeed true, because chilli peppers' capsaicin also has a desensitising impact and aids in inflammation management. However, capsaicin also promotes the formation of more phlegm, as shown by a 2016 study that was published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. Eating that hot curry could temporarily ease your symptoms, but it will ultimately worsen the situation and prolong your recuperation.