Separating myth from fact on what makes you sick

CLEVELAND (WPVI) -- Your mom & grandmom meant well.

But some of their advice on avoiding colds, flu, and other winter ailments, wasn't truer

One of the best ways to prevent catching any kind of illness is good handwashing, disinfecting surfaces and staying away from others who are sick.

That's especially true for tight, crowded spaces like an airport.

Going outside with wet hair or no jacket in the cold?

That's just a myth.

It won't make you sick unless you're exposed to germs.

As for another popular myth -- feed a cold, starve a fever.

Experts say that's not true either.

"For either a cold or a fever, you should hydrate, you should eat as much as you can nutritionally; keep yourself tanked up. I wouldn't starve anybody who is sick; you need your nutrition and your hydration," says Dr. Dan Allan, of the Cleveland Clinic.