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Exercise and The Common Cold
Health | January 24, 2015
As the temperature drops everywhere – even here in California – the telltale chorus of all that sniffling and sneezing associated with the common cold is slowly, but surely getting louder. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 425 million cases of the cold and flu every year. Though the common cold is more of a nuisance than anything than else and not as debilitating as the flu, it can still put a damper on our daily activities including our workouts.
While it’s never a good idea to have an intense workout if you have chest cold, a fever or any kind of respiratory illness including coughs, a typical head cold ought not to be much of obstacle between you and your workout. The best way to assess this is to locate your symptoms. Above the neck and working out should be fine. Below the neck, however, and rest is definitely recommended.
Of course, use your best judgment. If fatigue brought on by illness is weighing you down, don’t try to blast through an intense HIIT or Tabata workout. Instead, try a brisk walk or a light jog, maybe throw in a few pushups and bodyweight squats if you’re up for it. As always, be smart about it though. It’s much wiser to skip a few days or even a week of working out to recover than to miss even more time by making your illness worse.
While there is no cure for the common cold, experts agree that one guaranteed to way to prevent colds or, at the very least, lessen the duration is to exercise. Dr. David Neiman, a professor of health sciences at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, states that working out five days or more during the week is a powerful way to boost the immune system and greatly lessen the chances of illness. Just another reason among many more to keep working out with me!
Private Member |
Great article:) work out and get some vitamin C and drink a lot of water 🙂
Private Member |
seattle, washington
Pretty good points there. Part of the problem with curing the cold is it’s not just one virus but possible a hundred or so. That is why you can have a cold with symptoms that vary greatly from one your next door neighbor just had.
Private Member |
I am having a cold right now, so some light activity for me today.
Private Member |
I’ve been sick with terrible high fever and cough since Monday. I can’t wait to be well enough to workout with everyone again.
Private Member |
About 2 weeks ago I had a common cold. In the past I always exercised through the cold and it lasted longer. This time I decided to skip workouts and rest more. I was fine in just 3 days. Listen to your body and stay healthy.
Private Member |
I can confirm, I am from Colombia leaving for 10 years in Slovakia, almost every winter I got increible sick, from cold to bronquitis, to neumonia. Since I started to work out with Zuzka workouts my inmunity system is getting better and better.. This winter so far so good 🙂
Private Member |
Thanks for this article. Since I do my workouts on a daily basis, almost two years now, I am much fitter and healthier than ever before. To train hard, eat healthy, sleep more and quit things in my life that made me unhappy is my personal booster for my body and mind. Stay consistent ya all ☺
Private Member |
I have strep throat and been on meds for several days. I exercised last week bc doc said I could. I Don’t feel well enough to exercise today. Love to exercise and I can, bc I love it, but I want to get better.
Private Member |
he he .. just got this terrible flu last Tuesday and only start to feel a little bit better today. After 2 days literally stuck in bed, I could move a little yesterday. My body was sore of doing nothing and also because of the flu symptomas… But I had a 30 minutes stretch and gentle yoga just to move a bit my body to get rid of the soreness in my joints, back and neck… and that was good !
So I can only recommend not going into intense WO while really sick (anyway, even if you want, you can’t !!) but to keep activating mobility and stretching the body. It energizes the body (and also the mind because just staying lying down all day is not funny and make all of us feel really miserable) and activate the flow… Tai Chi can be good also, cause very smooth and light in effort.
And of course, lots of lemon, honey, cayen peppers, veggies soups and fruits rich in vitamin C…