Fact, or just "old wives tale?"

[A.S.A.P]

<p>My son and I are arguing about the consequences of drinking milk or eating ice cream when one has a cold and throat congestion. He says there is no harm in it. I have always believed, and my experience bears this out, that milk is mucus causing, and is not advised when one has a cold.</p>

<p>He says this is just an old wives tale.
CC parents… medical people and old wives…which is true?<br>
If he’s right, I’ll quit nagging. (He’s currently recovering from a summer cold) and let him enjoy his ice cream.</p>

[binx]

<p><a href=“http://today.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=273844[/url]”>http://today.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=273844&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

Another myth is that dairy products produce increased nasal mucus during a cold. “Milk is digested like any other protein and is not specifically converted into mucus,” explains Dr Gordon.

</p>

<p>A quick Google search found plenty of “alternative therapy” folks recommending that you avoid dairy products. I even found a college health center making this recommendation.</p>

<p>I think that in this case, going with your “gut” (sorry) is fine - in other words, if your S craves dairy, then let him have it. My guess it that some folks won’t like it; some will be fine. I myself prefer watery drinks - like hot tea. But I’m a believer in letting the body heal itself, and listening to cravings.</p>

<p>Edit: found this one, too, FWIW:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.youqa.com/general-health-care/2663-youqa-3.html[/url]”>http://www.youqa.com/general-health-care/2663-youqa-3.html&lt;/a&gt;

Are dairy products bad for you if you have a cold/flu?</p>

<p>“In a study published in 1990, healthy adults infected with a common cold virus had no increase in congestion or amount of secretions after milk ingestion. In another study, people who believed that milk increased mucus production reported increased sensation of mucus after drinking milk — but the same sensation occurred when drinking a similarly flavored soy drink that was indistinguishable from milk. Researchers studying people with asthma have found no increase in asthma symptoms or decrease in measured breathing capacity after drinking milk.”

</p>

[ldmom06]

<p>I think it’s one of those ‘replacement’ things. Milk is okay when you have a cold as long as it’s not replacing water or clear fluids which are beneficial to relieving cold symptoms. (Btw…got the same advice from my urologist in dealing with my frequent kidney stones. Diet Coke and tea are okay to drink as long as they are not replacing water which helps flush kidney stones from the body.)</p>

[doubleplay]

<p>I’m not sure about colds, but people who sing avoid milk products like the plague for the few hours before a concert performance. It does have something to do with the clarity of the vocal cords/throat lining, something like that. Instead, most of the vocalists I know like to drink tea or water before a concert.</p>

[A.S.A.P]

<p>doubleplay…I knew that there was something I experienced that reinforced my belief about milk coating the throat. I sang in college, and remember it well. Maybe there is something in the consistency of milk that “sticks”. Milk may not actually cause extra mucus, but instead make it feel thicker .<br>
In surfing the net to see what info I could find, one medical site recommends drinking clear fluids after drinking milk products to help the mucus thin and clear. (is this topic getting to yucky for anyone;)) That makes sense to me, corresponds to my own experience, and also doesn’t conflict with the medical studies on the topic. ( My son sites an Australian study where it concluded that milk does not act differently than other protein and does not cause mucus production.)</p>

<p>Maybe we’re both right??</p>

<p>And binx, I am often accused of being one of the alternative therapy folk, but this goes way back for me - 20-30 years, when myths and wives tales ruled!</p>

[soozievt]

<p>I don’t know about colds, but my D is a singer and avoids dairy when performing, as do most she knows in her field.</p>

[blucroo]

<p>Dairy, chocolate, caffeine…all are avoided by serious singers before performing because of the affects they have on the laryngeal tissues and vocal chords (mucous, dialated capillaries, etc). Dairy will not slow down or hinder recovery from a cold. Colds are caused by a virus. Dairy will “coat” the throat but not affect the nasal passages or lungs which are generally the culprits during a cold. The feeling of increased mucous may be bothersome, so it would be a personal preference. Hot tea with lemon “feels” better because the acidity in the lemon and tea, cut the sensation of mucous congestion in the throat and the heat feels good. Again, tea with lemon, does nothing to help the nasal passages or lungs.</p>

[A.S.A.P]

<p>Makes sense to me, blucroo…</p>

<p>I guess I’ll let him eat his ice cream in peace.</p>

[mommusic]

<p>LOL. I remember way back when this guy I was dating had a cold. At some point I offered him some milk, and he looked at me in shock. “Too mucus!”</p>

[conyat]

<p>My pediatrician way, way back in the day always said no milk with fever. Not much truth to it either apparently. </p>

<p><a href=“http://www.bluesuitmom.com/health/pediatrician/feverandmilk.html[/url]”>http://www.bluesuitmom.com/health/pediatrician/feverandmilk.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[citygirlsmom]

<p>anecdotealy, if my kids do dairy when they have a cold, they cough more, and same with my husband, who has a touch of asthma</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.newstarget.com/010443.html[/url]”>http://www.newstarget.com/010443.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/06/29/1056825277905.html[/url]”>http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/06/29/1056825277905.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3030122.stm[/url]”>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3030122.stm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>wow, the dairy/asthma angle is interesting</p>

<p>seems dairy allegies are very common, that drinking dairy products when younger can help prevent getting asthma, but can make asthma worse when older</p>

<p>very confusing</p>

[citygirlsmom]

<p>and from another site:</p>

<p>Dairy products do NOT make mucus worse in any way. This is a common misconception. Dairy products give mucus a white color, making it a more impressive sight.</p>

<p>and from another</p>

<p>if you have an underlying mild allergy to milk, you may never know and it can get worse if you drink milk and have a cold…</p>

[great_lakes_mom]

<p>Yes, the mainstream medical view is that milk makes no difference in a cold, and as cited above, there are studies to back this up. </p>

<p>In the alternative health world I was raised in, cows’ milk is mucus producing, and hard on the immune system. Not a good protein for humans, hard to digest, and causes allergies. Despite my current grounding in the normal medical world, I approach dairy products, liquid milk especially with a certain degree of caution. Milk allergy runs in my family, as do all sorts of other allergies. Though rare, I skin tested positive to milk allergy. I can drink it, but my hay fever, dust allergy, etc. is far worse in the 24 hours after any significant dairy intake…though I love it. As with many allergies, is worse with multiple immune system stressors. Staying up all night, in ragweed season, drinking milk or eating ice cream, while cleaning a dusty basement would probably send me into a horrific cold. The rest of my family has similar, if not worse reactions. I’ve raised my kids for the most part without drinking milk, because of the family history, and now they seem to tolerate it well on occasion. And only one has any hay fever or allergies. </p>

<p>The point for the general population, is that our immune sytems are stressed, and allergies of all sorts are on the rise, hay fever as well as more serious anaphyactic reactions. If milk is one more immune system stressor, why risk it if allergies might be a concern? On the other hand, what are you going to replace it with? Milk is cheap and good nutrition, and if you’re just going to drink soda instead, general health might suffer more. </p>

<p>In response to the OP, I’d avoid dairy, as given your experience, there might be some underlying milk allergy, as well as the congestion that vocalists notice. But of the two, ice cream, especially with higher fat content, would be better, as has less of the milk protein that causes problems.</p>

[Marian]

<p>Even if there existed clear-cut evidence that milk worsened cold symptoms, would that be enough reason to forbid your son to drink it?</p>

<p>We’re talking about a cold here, not some dire medical problem. I see no harm in letting him do his own experimentation and see whether milk helps or hurts. And even if it hurts, if he chooses to drink it anyway, so what?</p>

<p>In our household, we have a somewhat similar problem. My daughter has a scar from an operation she had three months ago. The surgeon told her that using vitamin E oil on the scar would help keep it soft and better-looking as it heals. We bought some, but I know she isn’t using it – probably because she doesn’t want to get the oil all over everything. Does it really matter? No. She doesn’t care what the scar looks like anyway. So I’m not making a fuss. </p>

<p>On the other hand, if your kid or mine wanted to discontinue an antibiotic before the 10 days are up, I bet we would both insist that this is forbidden. When something really matters, it matters.</p>

[A.S.A.P]

<p>

Even if there existed clear-cut evidence that milk worsened cold symptoms, would that be enough reason to forbid your son to drink it?

</p>

<p>Forbid?? lol. Can I do that?</p>

<p>Believe me, forbidding was the furthest thing from my mind. Frowning, raising an eyebrow, or at most, “Are you sure you should be eating that with your cold?” , but that’s about it. The kid is almost 19. Even antibiotics, if prescribed, are up to him at this point. All I can do is suggest, and gently nag if need be.</p>

<p>Thanks again, everyone. It seems like science vindicates the boy, but perhaps there are some differences in people’s individual sensitivity to milk products which may account for my experience with them. </p>

<p>Meanwhile, DS is feeling fine with just a trace of cough left over, but now DD has caught the bug, only worse, it seems.
With luck, they will both be ok by a family wedding we’re attending next week. Trying to stifle a cough during wedding vows is not pleasant.</p>