starve a cold, feed a fever

The reverse of the more common axiom "feed a cold, starve a fever," antiquated advice that suggests that someone with a cold should fast, while someone with a fever should eat. Most health experts now agree that "starving" is not the right course for either malady. A: "She has a fever, so I'm making her some soup. You know what they say—starve a cold, feed a fever." B: "I don't think that's what a doctor would say."