I haven't really considered at any length how you, who live with snow, cope with the cold. I am grounded. I must admit that I am quite a wuss this year. Is the cold weather why I got sick or is it because I haven't been exercising much?
Physical activity helps boost our immune systems and therefore helps fight off sickness. Those of us who are physically active even heal more quickly. That's the good news. But what happens when the cold or flu does finally overtake us and slam us down onto the sheets?
It is recommended that if the illness is localized in the head, it is okay to exercise at a moderate pace. If the illness presents as a sore throat or respiratory distress, well, consider yourself grounded and symptomatic, as well.
It is a dangerous myth that you can "work out an illness." That will only set you up for being sick longer. And it is already advised to wait a week or two, post symptoms, before heading back to the Trikke. While your head spins from that estimation of time-off-trail, there is good news if this cold hasn't gotten to you yet...
Those of us who exercise regularly (most days for about 30 minutes) have a lower chance of respiratory infection, and when we do succumb it is for a shorter duration. Those of us who exercise 30-60 minutes have a 40% lower incidence of sick days during the cold season.
So if all that is true, what happened to me? I must have stopped to tie my shoe-laces and the cold caught me. Or I forgot to wash my hands after riding the bus. However I got this bug, this time, I won't be down much longer. Research says so.
At this point I am again, waiting for the water to boil. It's for my tea. I'm going back to the couch, blanket and Kleenex in hand, just for a few more days.
That's a great parallel you've made between waiting for you tea's water to boil and for your shoulder and cold to get better. Sometimes I think that could be a metaphor for my life as well. But seriously, I'm sorry you are dealing with so much adversity at the moment. It's been a rough winter for nearly everyone I know. I had a head cold for nearly three weeks, and am just starting to feel like myself again. Hang in there, and know that better days (i.e. spring!) are ahead.
ReplyDelete