The thing people miss about this phrase is that it’s not “feed a cold AND starve a fever”, it’s “if you feed a cold (ie take good care of yourself when you’re a little sick), you’ll starve the fever (not get more sick).” It’s similar to the saying ‘A stitch in time saves nine’, if you take care of little problems you’ll avoid big ones.
The thing people miss about this phrase is that it’s not “feed a cold AND starve a fever”, it’s “if you feed a cold (ie take good care of yourself when you’re a little sick), you’ll starve the fever (not get more sick).” It’s similar to the saying ‘A stitch in time saves nine’, if you take care of little problems you’ll avoid big ones.