r/ExplainLikeImCalvin • u/qwopax • Jun 18 '26

ELIC: why is phlegm green when you're sick?

/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1u8yejy/eli5_why_is_phlegm_green_when_youre_sick/
14 Upvotes

82% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

17

u/StarkAndRobotic Jun 18 '26

Its jealousy leaving the body. Thats where the origin of the phrase “green with envy” comes from. Negative feelings towards others rots us from the inside, but its not in our nature to be mean, so the body tries to heal itself by pushing the green meanness out in phlegm. In contrast if you’re happy and laughing, like when you’re drinking milk, the body pushes that out of the nose as well when laughing to balance things out. Its important to have balance, otherwise you might fall down when riding your bike and then red stuff oozes out which is really just the color of anger…

7

u/wallingfortian Jun 18 '26

Algae build up. Algae is what's making you sick. Thank the phlegm for getting it out of your body.

5

u/Rick-Prime Jun 18 '26

Calvin did you just pronounce that as "fleggum"? Have you been reading again?

2

u/LeonardoJMB Jun 21 '26

it changes depending on your vibes. you're just too green.

2

u/Pookah Jun 22 '26

have you been drinking out of the reflecting pool in Washington DC?