LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — We are in the thick of cold and flu season, and if you're suffering, you'll try almost anything to get relief.
A viewer asked for our help verifying whether one remedy works.
Juanita Birch had heard an interesting suggestion and wanted to check the credibility behind it. She asked:
"Does placing a sliced, raw potato between your foot and socks help with common cold or flu?"
Well, we took the question straight to UAMS for an answer.
And according to Stacy Petty, Director of UAMS HealthNow, the answer is no.
"The thought behind the idea of using the potato is similar to reflexology, or accessing certain healing pathways of the body via pressure points. But in the case of the common cold or the flu, no research has shown that viral illnesses are affected by accessing pressure points."
That being said, save your potatoes for cooking instead of trying to cure cold symptoms and pay a visit to your local health care professional.
If you have something you'd like us to verify, email us at verify@thv11.com or, reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter.
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