Have the seasonal flu? Cold? Sore throat? Are you struggling with whether or not to go to the gym? This is something many of us struggle with. It seems like many can do a light workout, get up a good sweat, sit in the sauna or steam room, “sweat it out” and after a good night’s sleep they’re fine. Well that works some times, but not always.

First, you might say, “What business does anyone have going to the gym anyway if they’re sick - I don’t wanna be infected!” Well that’s all well and good, but considering the average gestation period for these things is 7 days, and most people are infectious before they realize it, it’s fair to say that most of the nasty bugs left in the gym will always be there anyway. Here are some rules of thumb to follow.

• I know I’m a little sluggish, and my nose is a little stuffy and/or my throat a little irritated.  Go to the gym, and listen to your body. If lifting or cardio is making you feel more run down, finish your workout quickly and go home. Your body will tell you whether you’re doing any good.
• Is the illness above the neck or below it? Years of experience has shown that you can probably work through most annoying colds and flus, but if you feel mucous in your lungs you may be in trouble. Don’t aggravate it. You need rest and possibly some decongestants and/or expectorants. If the symptoms persist for more than 24 hrs. you should probably see your doctor so that a bronchitis doesn’t develop into a pneumonia. In this case, all your body energy needs to go into healing.
• Am I mildly fatigued with some mild throat or nose irritation, or do I feel lethargy and aching in my muscles? Much experience also dictates that if you’re feeling muscular aches and pains, or general fatigue in the muscles with your “cold” or “flu” symptoms, then it probably is more serious and you should use several days to recover. Again, your body will need the energy to heal.

As a general rule, it’s not a bad idea to stretch during an illness. This helps to move toxins and waste through your lymphatic system which, unlike your blood vessels, does not have its own pumping mechanism. The cardiovascular system is hooked up to millions of autonomic and controlled muscle cells, from the heart to other valves and muscles large and small. The lymph system relies on your muscles to contract and squeeze things along, so you’ll notice that as you start to feel better, a good stretch and some light pumping will actually help you to feel better as long as your body gets the rest it needs to repair itself. This also helps to circulate the white blood cells to fight disease.

In summary, is my sickness above the neck or below the neck, nose and throat or acheyness in the muscles? No lung problems, no muscle ache (beyond normal exercise soreness), then it’s probably OK to work out.