Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label exercising with flu

Cold and Flu: Stay in Bed or Exercise?

Stuffy noses, hacking coughs and aches all over -- cold and flu season has arrived. Though your body may be aching and your nose running like a faucet, it can be difficult to decide if you should continue your exercise routine or take a temporary break. "We all know that exercise is key to good health, but there are times that your body may need a break," said Keith Veselik, MD, director of primary care at Loyola University Health System. "Having to slow down when you're sick is Mother Nature's way of saying don't push it and it's reasonable to pay attention to that." According to Veselik whether a person should exercise or not can be disease specific. When sick our bodies already are battling against an illness and that takes energy. For instance, adding the extra stress of exercising while sick can be dangerous for a person with a heart condition. A person with diabetes may need to monitor blood glucose levels more often, especially if one is not