Working out when sick.

Hi Readers.

We might not be in peak season for this topic but we all know that it is coming very fast.  Today I’m going to address the question of:

"Should I workout if I’m sick?"

You've been very consistent in your training the past few months, you’ve been eating well, your energy levels are high, you're sleeping well and making good progress.  All of a sudden, you get sick!

You've worked so hard in the last months, will it be hard to get back on track if you skip a few days in the gym?

Guess what? In some situations, moving around and getting some sort of exercise can actually boost your immune system and help you fight this germ.

To understand this concept further, first, let’s learn how our bodies are built to fight infection. We have natural immunity and acquired immunity.

• Natural immunity
  • Physical barriers (skin, mucus lining in nasal passages etc.)
  • Chemical barriers (stomach acid)
  • Protective cells (white blood cells)
• Acquired immunity
  • Blood cells that have been exposed and recognize a pathogen
  • Vaccinations received

Everyday we face tons of bacteria, fongi, viruses and parasites and the most common of them cause colds, coughs, throat infections, ear infections, sinusitis, influenza, etc.

Now that we know we live in a jungle of germs and that our bodies are adapted to fight most of them, why would exercise help?

When talking about your immune system there is a reference called the J-Shape Curve of immunity.

This curve basically shows that being sedentary or over-training (over 2 hours) will both decrease your immune system and that regular exercise under 2 hours duration will boost your immune system. Therefore, #1 is exercise to prevent sickness!

It's also possible to catch a cold even if you do exercise regularly as we all know and this is because other factors affect your immunity such as sleep, stress, age, gender, etc.

To answer the main question of "should I workout if I’m sick," I’ve created a little graph to help you answer this question.

Very simple rule of thumb. If you are getting symptoms in the green zone, you should still exercise, it will help you fight the sickness. Low intensity and not with anyone else to prevent transmission. You can come back in the gym 24 hours after the symptoms are gone. If you are getting symptoms in the red zone, do not exercise, you are currently fighting an invader and you need rest. Come back to the gym only 48 hrs after the symptoms are gone!

Hopefully this will help clarify the subject.  If you want to avoid sickness and stay healthy, follow these simple rules:

• Stay active most days of the week.
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Wash your hands often.
• Clean your equipment once you are done with it.

That's all for now folks. If you have any topics you'd like to see address please message me at info@orleanscrossfit.ca.

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