The FastDay Forum

Another first whilst on 5:2, my first cold. The fact that I haven't had a cold since I started 5:2, which means 8 months, I find eye opening as well. I know its been the summer months, but I normally have at least one notable cold during the summer months, but not a one this year, so far.

I have the onset signs, a really sore throat and the annoying tickle at the back of the nose.

I am going to medicate myself as normal and see if fasting (tomorrow is fast day) will help or hinder a cold.

I hope it helps as hubby is in hospital all next week and I want to be able to visit him, which I won't do if I've got a cold. I also don't want to give him a cold as it may mean he can't go in.

So wish me luck.

Oh thats rotten luck Julie x
They say feed a cold,starve a fever but i dont know how true that is.
You mightnt feel like much more than liquids anyway..but i would concentrate more on being comfy than whether youre fasting or not
Hope youve thrown it off before tomorrow anyway,and good luck to hubs going into hospital x

Good luck with it Julieathorne. I am like you, my first cold and a soreish type throat on 5:2 since I started. I am planning to fast today but will see how things go. I try not to take anything when I have colds but I've succumbled to Benylin-4-Flu to get through today. I reckon you'll be over it by the time you need to visit your husband.

I would be making up a pot of veggie broth with lots of goodies from the veggie crisper and have it handy to ladle out and sip. I see colds as cleanses anyway but agree with you Julie since starting 5:2 I haven't had a cold either. They make you miserable though so spoil yourself

On third day of the mother of all colds (or maybe throat infection) started overnight on Monday, and in full flow by Tuesday .. I am off work now and can't say I've noticed any difference thru having done 5:2! I have not kept up the fasting this week as I have felt just too awful - sometimes like not eating, and then a but later on a hunger pang. So have just gone with what I feel like. I just wish I could stop coughing and give the ribs a rest ... However just been over on the 69ers thread and had a laugh (ouch!) at Juliana's latest comment ...

If the cough is a dry one @silverdarling , try this trick that an old doctor told me about. It really does work.
Get a cloth (try out different ones to find what suits best). wet it and wring it out. Then place it over your nose and mouth and breathe through it. What your sore throat and nose need is COLD damp air and this is what the cloth supplies.

You need a cloth that is porous enough to allow breathing but not so heavy or thick that it makes you feel as if you are suffocating. In the UK I have found that clean yellow dusters work brilliantly. Just use the wet cloth whenever you are sitting down and fairly inactive. Such as watching TV or online. I do look a bit daft sometimes when I'm on the PC with a big wet yellow bandanna tied across my face, but it works at soothing sore internals.

Over the years I have found that when I get a cold the coughing starts up a vicious cycle where by my throat and bronchial tubes become sore and ticklish, so I cough, which makes it worse, so I cough even more. I can end up with a 2 month cough after a cold. This wet cloth method breaks the cycle of cough, sore, cough enough for the inflamed parts to heal.

Chicken soup for fasting tomorrow.

Also good for the soul and a cold

Thanks Julie - but am afraid it is a very loose and phlegm-y cough! Hopefully it will get all the germ-ridden phlegm out rather than in!

Fasting today and really all I crave is chicken soup. Its supposed to be poached smoked haddock with veg and new potatoes tonight, the thought of the fish is rather bleurgh at the moment. But chicken soup, give it to me.
The cold is full blown but not severe, as in its not sent me to bed yet and I fell as if I could do 'stuff' as long as take it easy.

Julie - that's good! You have escaped then - wouldn't have wished mine on anyone. Just up today for first time, have defrosted some pumpkin and sweet potato soup, but now eyeing a packet of crumpets ...

Ooops, went over my calories to about 800kcals. The usual culprit, once I started eating I became more hungry and feeling as grotty as I do, I had no willpower. So I slid over. Maybe my temperature will burn off more calories?

Wouldn't concern yourself too much Julie - you can't have gone too much over, and you can always cut back a bit next week when you're feeling better

I appear to be starting a cold too and it's my fast day today (I failed yesterday). Lots of good tips here, thanks. I may need the wet cloth as I went to bed with a tickly dry cough and had a good swig of prescription codeine linctus to soothe it before lights out. That's off the menu today, obviously - it's syrupy so I'm assuming it's full of sugar.

I've still got my cold but I took Benylin 4 Flu on a fasting day and this morning I still lost weight. Its more important to get rid of the cold than to worry about a little bit of sugar in medicine I think.