60 Minutes a day!

Returning to exercise after flu or illness

If you are coming down with an illness, it is best not to strenuously exercise. Your body needs to use it’s energy to overcome the illness.  Exercising strenuously is like burning the candle at both ends.  The body doesn't have the energy to fight illness, so the illness takes longer to overcome.

 Never exercise if feverish.  A fever indicates your body is fighting an infection.  Exercise can cause your body temperature to rise dangerously high and lead to  heatstroke. This can also  lead to dangerous dehydration and even heart failure. Good advice is when returning to exercise, work out one day at a low intensity for every two days you were ill. I tell patients to cut their intensity to 50% of what they normally do, and start back with a short duration say 20 minutes or so.  Use the two hour rule. You should feel fully recovered two hours after exercise. If you are exhausted for the remainder of the day it is too much on your body. It should take at least two full weeks to build build back up following a nasty cold or flu bug.  Drink plenty of water during this time to help thin any mucus secretions from the lungs, this helps your body to expel these. Be aware that some antibiotics   –  Cipro and Levaquin –  are known to increase the likelihood of muscle rupture, therefore go slow and stretch. 

There is no such thing as “sweating out” toxins, germs or viruses. so put all your energy towards resting and getting well.

Nausea Vomiting / Diarrhea  These can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Wait to exercise until the symptoms have stopped completely and you are re hydrated. One way to know if properly re hydrated is looking at the color of your urine. If the urine is bright yellow you are not hydrated. The color should be a very pale yellow. Also look at the skin on the back of your hand and give it a pinch. Does the skin stay up for several seconds, or does it quickly go back down. It should quickly go back down.  Electrolyte depletion can be very serious in heart patients, especially those on diuretics.  If in doubt or concerned ask your physician to draw electrolytes.  A weak 50%water to 50% electrolyte drink such as Power aid, or Gator Aid might be advisable.  Of course eating a banana which is easier on the belly than something like orange juice, also helps.  

Most importantly listen to your body, go slow, give yourself the time to heal. Stop exercise if you notice your heart racing, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, weakness.

Can we be children again?

When can we be children again and giggle and laugh at silly things?

When can we be children again and play hide and seek in the dark?

When can we be children again and play on the slide and the tire swings?

When can we be children again and skip a huge rope in the park?

When can we be children again and hop in and out of a puddle?

When can we be children again to run and laugh when we play?

When can we be children again and just want a friend to cuddle?

When can we be children again and race all our friends in a relay?

So when can we do these things without being stared at or pointed to?

Whenever we want is my answer, there’s no need to analyse or think it through

To bring out that fun and enthusiasm like a child that is hidden in our heart

We can be the child if we choose once again and that’s the amazing part

If you hear good music that fills you with joy then do a little dance – doesn’t matter where you are.

Laugh out loud if you want to. Swing and slide down that slide without a care. Skip rope and jump in puddles. Giggle and play hide and seek. Do what brings you joy and not what you think you have to do, for there’s no fun in that.

And if people stare and point and think you’re a little crazy, well maybe it’s just because the child that is hidden in them can’t return

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Reposted from November 7, 2012 by ramblingsfromamum