NCTV Episode 69

Continuing with the series of bitesize health tip videos which can be found here on my YouTube Channel, this episode, includes:-

  • The facts about them
  • Why they occur
  • Symptoms & warning signs
  • How to avoid them
  • Treatments available

Transcript

If you’d prefer to read the content within, rather than watch the video, then feel free to read the transcript, as follows:-

Hello and welcome to NCTV Episode 69 which is all about exercising with colds and flu.

So, should you or shouldn’t you? It’s a question that I get asked in clinic every so often and it’s no doubt a thought that crosses most people’s minds, so a topic well worth covering.

Ultimately, it’s very much a personal choice and it will also depend on the severity of your symptoms but hopefully the following information will help you come to a decision on the matter, if and when the situation arises.

When it comes to physical activity and the immune system a growing number of research studies are consistently showing that people who participate in regular physical activity suffer from fewer colds than inactive people. Research has shown that moderate exercise causes a boost in the immune system which appears to reduce the risk of infection in the long-term. However, the age-old adage applies, everything is best in moderation. There is also well-established evidence that high intensity exercise can suppress your immune system and leave you at greater risk of infection so heavy weights or high heart rate cardiovascular training are definitely not advisable when you’re feeling unwell.

Should you exercise if you feel unwell? Research has shown that moderate exercise when you have a cold does not appear to affect the severity or the duration of the cold. In addition, it is likely that if you are suffering from a cold you will feel better if you take some mild activity such as going for a short walk, than if you sat in a stuffy room watching TV. However, there are different circumstances when you should and shouldn’t take exercise if you are feeling unwell. These are summarised by the ‘neck check’ rule.

The ‘neck check’ rule is where if you don’t have a fever and your symptoms occur above the neck, such as a being stuffed-up, having a runny nose, sneezing or a light sore throat it should be fine for you to exercise. Begin by exercising for 10 minutes lightly (at a much lower intensity than your usual session) and if you feel better during this 10 minutes, continue to exercise lightly. If you feel worse then it is advisable to stop exercising and give your body a chance to recover from the illness.

If your symptoms are cold-like and not flu like then it is safe to resume intensive sessions a few days after the symptoms have disappeared. If however, you have more flu-like symptoms such as a fever or your symptoms are below the neck such as chest congestion, vomiting, aching muscles, diarrhoea or swollen glands, then you should not work out that day. Under these circumstances your cardiovascular system is likely to already be under stress combating the infection and exercise will only increase this stress and possibly lengthen your recovery time. If you are still unsure whether the cause of your illness is a cold or flu and you’re not sure whether you can exercise, be sure to consult your GP. If you have flu-like symptoms such as extreme tiredness, aching muscles, and a fever it is best not to resume full intensity training for at least 2-4 weeks after the symptoms have gone because although you may feel better, your body is likely to need more time to recover. During this time it should be OK to do mild to moderate intensity exercise.

With colds and flu, both are caused by viral infections of the respiratory tract and figures suggest that the average adult suffers 2-3 of these infections each year with children suffering more than double this amount. Unfortunately, there is very little you can do to speed your recovery from a cold once you have one. As antibiotics are only effective in the treatment of bacteria, and colds and flu are caused by viruses, there is absolutely nothing to be gained from taking antibiotics in these circumstances. There are plenty of herbal remedies or over-the-counter medications aimed at making you feel more comfortable but nothing that will get rid of the infection for you other than your own immune system.

As you’re unable to do much to speed recovery once you’ve caught a cold the best thing you can do is try to avoid colds in the first place by making sure your immune system is the most resilient it can be. The immune system has been shown to be affected by a number of factors such as stress, age, lack of sleep, smoking and poor nutrition as well as infection from other illness. So whilst you can’t do much about the age factor you can of course modify your lifestyle to make improvements to the likes of your diet, stress and sleep. All of these topics have been covered in previous NCTV episodes so be sure to check those out if you’d like to find out more.

That’s it for this week’s bitesize bit to help your health flourish and I’ll see you again next time. Bye for now!