We're seeing more people becoming sick and with colds/flu/viruses in the past few weeks. This includes many of our junior athletes. Just like little injuries you have to be smart with how you handle them. Trying to keep the same training schedule and push through the sickness isn't always the best option and can further exacerbate the issue.
To help you recover more quickly and still be able to exercise, follow these 4 simple tips:
1. Eating healthy foods
- When you start to feel sick you will feel lethargic and in a lot of cases lose your appetite. If you continue to eat good healthy foods (fruit, vegetables, meat and carbs) that contain plenty of vitamins, these will aid your body's ability to recover and fight the sickness.
2. Sleep
- Ensuring you are getting at least 8-10 hours of a sleep night and taking naps during the day can help your body produce human growth hormone and prolactin which are responsible for the healing of muscles and tissues and reducing inflammation.
3. Hydration
- Paired with eating good foods, keeping hydrated with water will ensure that the nutrients you are eating are able to reach the appropriate places in the body. It will also help you with relieving some symptoms of a sore throat.
4. Training
- You can still train when you have a cold! Just like when you are battling a little injury and feeling extra sore, the training session can be modified. Toning down the intensity and minimising the fatigue on the central nervous system is the best option for training around an illness Focus on moving with good form and engage with the muscles and get a little pump.
When you've recovered from the sickness and start returning to your normal training schedule, speak to your coach about slowly ramping up the intensity and volume as you get your lungs and energy back to normal.
Regular exercise and movement have been proven to promote your body's immunity as 30 minutes of exercise/movement a day can boost your body's T-cell product which is the first form of defence against infection. This regularity in exercise along with a healthy diet and good sleep/recovery strategies will help limit the frequency and severity of illnesses in the future.
For more information on how you can improve your sporting performance, contact us today.
Matt Hucul
Junior Strength Coach
Inner Athlete (AUS)
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