I'm Sick..Should I Exercise?
This week was a challenging week for me. It was busy at work and my bike to work commutes were limited due to extremely cold weather. By mid week I was feeling run down and not sleeping well. Wednesday saw the arrival of Mr. Flu Bug....This was not in my plan. I just started a nice new ramped-up training routine. And nowâŠ.Sick.Â
News Flash!! Everybody gets sick. But itâs tough to know what to do about it; do you exercise or go to work when sick or not?
Guess what? Fitting in some exercise when sick isnât always a bad idea. In fact, if you play it right, moving your body can actually promote immunity and help you fight the bug.
Should you âsweat it outâ or stay home and get some rest instead?
How to make working out work for your immunity.
![EXERCISE WHEN SICK?
SHOULD YOU SWEAT IT OUT?
OR REST AND RECOVER?
Everybody gets sick. But it's tough to know what to do about it.
Is exercise, or rest, the best medicine? Let's find out.
TUIIO] TRA ¢
When body is faced with foreign attack, our immune system works hard to defend us.
INNATE IMMUNITY
(NATURAL IMMUNITY)
Physical/structural
barriers (like the mucous
lining in nasal passages)
Chemical barriers
(like our stomach acids)
Protective cells (like our
natural killer ‘NK cells,
white blood cells that can
destroy harmful invaders)
ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY
(ACQUIRED IMMUNITY)
Specialized white blood
cells have a kind of
memory; they “recognize”
a specific pathogen and
mobilize more effectively
to fight it
Acquired immune
response is the basis for
vaccination. Subject your
body to a tiny dose of
a pathogen, and it will
know what to do when
confronted with a bigger
dose.
UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS
Every day, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites come at us. It's a germ jungle out
there. And the most common invaders cause:
TONSILLITIS =
MIDDLE EAR INFECTIONS
COLDS = sinusims . “
INFLUENZA © COUGHS
SL
5
O
AVI
" THROAT INFECTIONS
EXERCISE SUGGESTIONS
FOR WHEN YOU'RE SICK
Oo ACTIVITIES TO CONSIDER
WHEN YOU'RE SICK
- Walking
+ Jogging
+ Swimming
« Biking
- Qigong
« Taichi
+ Yoga
oO ACTIVITIES TO AVOID
WHEN YOU'RE SICK
+ Heavy strength training
+ Endurance training
+ High intensity interval training
+ Sprinting or power activities
« Team sports
+ Exercise in extreme temperatures
HOW EXERCISE AFFECTS
THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
ONE-TIME EXERCISES
BRIEF VIGOROUS
doesn’t Cause immune:
suppressing effect
CHRONIC
RESISTANCE
TRAINING
stimulates
INNATE
IMMUNITY
MODERATE INTENSITY
EXERCISE SESSION
PROLONGED VIGOROUS
EXERCISE SESSION
depresses the adaptive
immune system
CHRONIC
MODERATE
EXERCISE
Stre
ADAPTIVE
IMMUNITY
J-SHAPE CURVE THEORY
on
INFECTION
PCT ELEN
Means that being
sedentary or exercising
too much can lower
immunity, while
something in the middle
can improve immunity.
ILA Mh
STRESS
t's 2 big factor that atéec
ogens generally en
suppress it. An
slonged sieep depr
ercising in a hot
MOOD
immune alterations afec
mmune system. if you're sick
down a3 we ge:
wtritious diet ¢.
CLIMATE
+ cold environment doe
controlled environment
t mood and inflammatios
TRAINING AGE
A higher level of fitness is protective as it may limit the stress
response to exercise.
TEXT BOOK GUIDELINES FOR
EXERCISING WHILE SICK
DAY 1 OF ILLNESS:
Only low
intensity
«Runny nose
+ Congested nose
£9)
QE
+ Musclejoint pain
+ Headache
Fever
+ Malaise
«Diarrhea
«Vomiting
[STL Td
Noexercse gm
DAY 2 OF ILLNESS:
‘Nofever Light exercise, _ )
+Nomalasie and by yourself,
+ No worsening of 5
above the neck”
30-45 puuse
symptoms,
yes minutes
Po =
CRLLELE EXERCISE (®)
+ Body temp >37.5-38C
«Increased cough
Noe e
DAY 3 OF ILLNESS:
Moderate exercise Og
by yourself,
indoors,
45-60
SEE: FEE oO
Consult doctor 5
LY
PULSE
150 som
of initial symptoms
+ Fever and
symptoms
stil present
DAY 4 OF ILLNESS:
«Fever and
other symptoms.
improved
EXERCISE
Wait 24 hours, %
x
then retum
10 exercise
[) sympTOMS
«No symptom relief
EXERCISE
Consult doctor 05
Some ilinesses can indicate serious infections. So if you aren't feeling better
and recovering, see your doctor. Ease back into exercise in proportion to the
length of your sickness. If you were sick for 3 days, take 3 days to ease back in.
TO EXERCISE OR NOT?
WHAT THE PROS RECOMMEND:
feeling better dunng th
youll likely late your immune 5
up your recovery too. But even if
your recovery. you'll feel better for having moved
DR. JOHN BERARDI
Vt speed up
oms be your guide. If
walk o some light
If you want to do
wenght, higher rep stuff
probably okay, 100
sit around watc
ried With Childe
DR. BRYAN WALSH
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
IF YOU FEEL HEALTHY
AND SIMPLY WANT TO
PREVENT GETTING SICK:
Stay moderately active
most days of the week
If you participate in high-
intensity workouts, make
_
sure you're getting enough
rest and recovery time.
Manage extreme variations in
stress levels, get plenty of sleep,
and wash your hands
For the full article explaining this infographi
IF YOU ARE ALREADY
FEELING SICK, LET
SYMPTOMS BE YOUR GUIDE.
Consider all the stress you're
managing in your life
(eg. psychological,
environmental, and so forth)
With a cold/sore throat (no
fever or body aches/pains),
easy exercise is likely fine as
tolerated. You probably don't
want to do anything
Vigorous, no matter how
long in duration
If you have a systemic illness
with fever, elevated heart rate.
fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea,
muscle and joint pain/
weakness, and enlarged lymph
nodes, get some rest! if you
have a serious virus and you
exercise, it can cause problems.
http ilwww precisionnutrition.com/working-out-when-sick](https://contents.bebee.com/users/id/10359789/article/i-m-sick-should-i-exercise/_75f97d2c-950.webp)
Donald Grandy
Precision Nutrition Certification - Pn1
Sport and Exercise Coach
dongrandy@gmail.com
*This content is strictly for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician. All viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any lifestyle program.
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