Dairy products, in general, cause the human body to produce mucus. When you have a cold, the human body also produces more mucus than normal. It is much better to stick to clear fluids when you have a cold or flu so as to avoid too much mucus.

Milk increases the tenacity of the mucous as well. Best to drink thin fluids to keep the mucous thin as well.

My answer would be the same as the first two, so here is a tip my Mum swears by, she boils an onion and adds honey and lemon jiuce to the onion juice and drinks it! Personally I would sooner suffer.

Phlegm is the thick, sticky mucus that drips down the back of your throat when you have a cold. Although drinking milk may make phlegm thicker and more irritating to your throat than it would normally be, milk doesn't cause your body to make more phlegm. Frozen dairy products are an easy way to soothe a sore throat and provide calories to an ill child who otherwise may not eat.

Considering that my data conflicts with those above, and one must always consider psychological factors as well...you feel what you believe you feel. =============================================================== http://www.commoncold.org/special1.htm Myth 5: Drinking milk causes increased nasal mucus during a cold. Facts: 1. Milk and mucus may look alike, but milk is digested like any other protein and is not specifically converted into nasal mucus. 2. An Australian study was actually done in volunteers to address this question. (77) It showed that people drinking lots of milk had no more nasal mucus than those not drinking milk. ============================================================= http://www.abc.net.au/health/talkinghealth/factbuster/stories/2007/11/28/2102703.htm A glass of milk is probably the last thing you feel like when you've got a cold. For centuries, milk has been blamed for increased mucus production – and in turn a range of other conditions like asthma and snoring. But while many people swear milk produces mucus, the effect can't be explained by science, says allergy specialist Dr Ray Mullins. A 2005 review of studies concluded that there was no link between milk consumption and mucus production or asthma. In one study, participants infected with the common cold virus reported symptoms of increased in mucus production after drinking milk, but when their mucus production was actually measured there was no statistical difference. In another study, there was no difference in the sensation experienced between drinking soy milk and cow's milk. This doesn't mean people don't experience the sensation, says Mullins, but rather that there is no actual increase in mucus production. He puts the sensation down to the texture and viscosity of milk, and notes that most people do not report similar effects with other dairy products such as cheese. Mullins says that a sensation of sticky mucus can be caused by many medications that dry out the mouth and throat, particularly in the elderly, as well as viral infections or allergies such as hay fever, but it's rarely caused by diet. And while many people call the mucus-milk phenomena an allergy, it's not, he says. True cow's milk allergy is rare in adults. About one to two per cent of children are allergic to cow's milk. They tend to grow out of this by the time they are teenagers – often earlier – and the symptoms are severe, says Mullins. "A food allergy hits you like a Mack truck," he says, adding that symptoms of cow's milk allergy such as rashes, vomiting and breathing difficulties hit within the first 15 minutes to hour. Lactose intolerance, in contrast, can cause diarrhoea and nausea or bloating, but it doesn't cause either rashes or snotty noses, says Mullins. It is caused by a lack of the enzymes needed to digest the sugar lactose, and is common in people from an Asian background and about one in 30 Caucasians are also affected. Mullins says that people who believe dairy products cause an increase in mucus production could try an elimination diet, although in his experience the results are "disappointing". But he warns that taking people, especially children, off dairy products in the long term can have serious nutritional consequences and is inadvisable. If you do suspect you or your children have a food allergy, it is important to confirm the diagnosis, he advises. Long-term dietary restrictions should not be implemented without supervision by a dietitan and medical advice, and must include nutritive supplementation in the form of an alternative formula for babies and calcium supplements for older individuals. Dr Raymond Mullins is an allergy specialist. He was interviewed by Genelle Weule

As my mom always told me... MILK BADDDDD. Don't drink the stuff myself. So I can't really help here, but I would avoid it personally.

i'm not an expert, but probably not but i'd hate to puke it up

My wife always tells me not to drink milk or eat milk products...it makes more mucus. Feel better

Too much mucus which you don't need is the result of dairy products consumption during a flu or cold. Stay away from them and drink clear fluids only.

Yes ... it is a bad idea ... on the one hand, milk is the most nutritious food, but on the other hand, dairy milk has a tiny amount of genetic material that nature has designed to help a calf grow into an adult bovine ... when a human consumes a dairy product, this genetic material tries to turn the human into an adult bovine, but since a human is not a bovine, there are no corresponding DNA or other genetic material for the dairy to react with and the human immune system must resist the dairy product ... doing so will weaken the immune system making it easier for you to get sick and/or stay sick by making the immune system less capable of winning the war in the blood against the invading virus or germs. Dairy products should not be consumed by humans because of this ... especially not while you are already sick.

I drink milk all year round (for the past 44 years), and I only catch colds once or twice a year, and when I do, lots of people I meet also have colds. So milk can't be the culprit. And while milk may resemble mucus, it's not mucus, and I don't think that milk or any other food for that matter, can increase mucus. In any case, I would have to believe that healthy foods are better for a cold than junk food. And milk does your body good. Ultimately, if you don't want to go through ten boxes of tissues, you may want to get Antihistamines instead of decongestants?

yes it is,it promotes phlem,since a cold and flu are situated in the lungs,theres enough phlem invol;ved to float a boat,you add insult to injury.i have asthma and my allergist told me all the time dont drink milk.so no,dont drink milk.

Driking milk definetly causes more phlem. But dilute it with double quantity of water, boil it with turmeric, pepper and add honey to it. Then it doesn't create phlem.

You need a lot of water. When your fighting say the flu, it puts your body into overdrive. So your body throws off water in huge amounts. So you need to replace this water, so your body can expel toxins produced, by your immune system as it destroys the virus. You can also apply water to the outside of the body. This will help with congestion. Or jump into a hot bath or shower for 5 minutes. Milk absolutely not. It increases mucus and will make, the nasal congestion even worse. Now ginger tea will help relieve nasal congestion. Take a 5 inch piece of ginger, and put it into 2 cups of water for 5 - 10 minutes. Warm this up and drink, it at least a couple times a day. This will also help with muscle aches. Even a sore throat. Vit C will also help. Vit C will help prevent a cold, and if you have one it will help with a faster duration.

I've always been lead to believe (thanks Mum!) that it is a bad idea to drink milk when you have a flu/cold. It makes for more mucus for one. Sadly - eating chocolate is also not good when one has a flu or cold :(