I think the real problem is in the messages telling you what you got.

I've been running around colorblind a while, probably because of bloodloss from encounters with zombies. Tried eating and drinking a lot, never got the message I was full, but it didn't seem to work.

When I found alcohol, I used it to clean my wounds. Then I got a message in my inventory screen, that I was 'sick', while running around I got messages that my wounds where getting better or cleaner and my colour came back slowly. Eventually the 'sick' message went away and is now 'healthy'