Do You Workout When You Are Sick? - The Answer May Surprise You
YES and NO!
If you are even questioning it then YES...if youre feeling so/so then yes but dont push yourself. Go and do what feels right and take more rest if you need to between sets and exercises.
If you are ridiculously ill then NO. Do not go to the gym.
Take a day or two completely off the gym. Regardless of your training schedule, if your body is telling you it can’t keep up, STOP! Catch up on your sleep, keep getting all your meals in and let your neurological and muscular system regenerate. The world won’t end if you miss the gym for a day. <- This will not set you back. Just stay on point with your diet! Your body will thank you for the rest.
Book a massage. Deep tissue massage can help increase blood flow, speed recovery and release built up tension from overused muscles. Walking around with muscles loaded with tension is only adding to the stress and strain on your body.
Natural Immune System Boosters
I’m also big on supplementing with natural immune system boosters at the first sign of a cold. Here are some of my favorites:
Glutamine – 10-20 g twice per day
Phosphatidyl Serine – 600 mg/day , two doses
Magnesium – 400-1000 mg/day
Anti-oxidant cocktails – ala, selenium, coenzyme q10, vit c, NAC
Zinc – 50 mg/day
HMB – 3 grams/day
I’ve also put together a little concoction you can try out …
Immune Boost Shot
Take 2-3 x day at the first sign of a cold.
-1/4 cup fresh, pure orange juice
-7-10 pure oil of oregano drops
-5 pure ginger drops or powdered, concentrated ginger
-1 teaspoon turmeric
-dash of cayenne pepper
-1/2 fresh lemon
-1 tbsp raw, unpasteurized honey (optional)
I prefer to mix all ingredients together and take as a shot, cold. Some would say it’s not the greatest tasting creation, but it works!
Suggest getting ingredients at a health food store such as healthy planet, planet organic or whole foods.
Then have…
Zinc – 50 mg
Vitamin C – 1500 mg
Other options to add or substitute:
-1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
-10 g glutamine
