To exercise or not to exercise when your sick,
that is the question.
We get asked this question a lot come winter time, so now is the time to dispel the myths and old wife’s tales of whether or not to sweat out a cold or flu with exercise.
One of the best check’s I’ve read about is the “Neck Check” ...if all your symptoms are above the neck such as a runny nose, sneezing, sore throat or coughing then you should be ok to exercise. Of course bearing in mind your fellow gym buddies as you don’t want to be coughing and sneezing all over them and spreading your germs!!
Listen to your body and reduce the intensity of your workout if your regular workout level is feeling strenuous. Illness and fatigue can increase levels of clumsiness and poor techniques too, potentially leading to muscle strains and injury.
If your suffering from congestion or low energy, a brisk walk can often help unclog sinus and also rev up your circulation to counteract that sluggish run-down feeling.
However, if you have any symptoms below the neck, such as body aches, chills, fever, stomach problems or diarrhea , then I advise you to take it easy until your feeling better. Dr Stephen J. Nicholas of Lenox Hill Hospital’s Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Support says “Working out when ill could lead to very serious problems, including heart disease. We don’t know why, but some viruses that have settled in other parts of the body can move to the heart if you exercise too much.” This can cause viral cardiomyopathy, a very serious and sometimes fatal condition that weakens the heart muscle. Although this type of condition is rare, it is best not to take chances. If you choose to exercise when ill, it is important to keep your heart rate low (under 100 to 110 beats per minute) Dr Nicholas advises. Mild walking and working out with light weights is fine as long as it feels comfortable to you. (American Fitness Nov 2001, by Wendy Ponte)
So, if you want to keep exercising...prevention is the key! Eat a balanced diet, take your vitamins and minerals, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, laugh a lot, and have a regular massage as this helps to boost your immune system too!
Remember the above rule for having a massage too, although only on the tail end of a cold, never in the first few days as that is when you are contagious and your body is fighting the bugs and therefore doesn’t need to release even more toxins from the muscle tissue into the system as this will often make you feel worse before you feel better. 
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