Seems everyone in my small town is getting sick. Stopping at KFC to grab a potpie for my feverish husband, the cashier mentioned she was out for 6 days trying to get through an illness that included vomiting and fevers. I hope my husband doesn’t have what she has. But these problems are not limited to a small town in South Carolina, my Michigan friend’s daughter just got over a virus as well.
As Jedi, it is important that we take care of our bodies. Not just because being sick sucks, but our health gives us the ability to take care of the people around us. The healthier everyone around us is, the less likely we are to pass along illness to others. The ultimate question is: How can we keep from catching what those around us have?
“Overall, the hormonal and immune responses to carbohydrate compared to placebo ingestion suggest that physiologic stress is diminished, although clinical significance awaits further research.” (Nieman, 1998).
Since Nieman’s study, a lot of research has supported the idea that exercise and carbohydrates contribute significantly to improving one’s immune system. I suppose my experience has confirmed this as well (although, the carbohydrates used in Neiman’s experiment was in the form of drinks enriched with carbs, whereas my personal experience is with food-based carbs). While I was in the Army, I refused to let illness get me down. Although I hated running, I found that whenever I was feverish running did wonders. My appetite would return and my fever would brake within an hour of my exercise. After a good run, I craved starchy foods (Potatoes, Bread, Noodles) and chicken. I always thought it was just because I was conditioned to want this stuff when I was a kid. But it turns out that the body needs all of this stuff to keep going and fighting against the threats.
Exercise helps bring your body temperature up and increases blood-flow. Carbs supply blood cells with the necessary glucose to function. The combination does wonders, which is why it is important you don’t do what I did and wait. You should keep up with your exercise routines and eat appropriately. If you’re nursing your loved ones back to health right now though, it’s not too late to start. At the very least you can help alleviate the impact if you’re starting to catch it now.
If you’re stuck inside due to the winter madness sweeping America this week, here are some ideas:
1) Take this opportunity to do a thorough cleaning of your house. A deep clean will help reduce irritants around the home and give you a sense of accomplishment!
2) Clear out a space on the floor somewhere and engage in some sit-ups and push-ups. Trust me, I know they suck- but they will be helpful.
3) Pull out some canned goods and use them as weights. Not even kidding, the repetition even with light-weight items can still be effective as a means of exercising your muscles.
4) If you cannot do exercises like these, it may benefit you to now look around the internet to see if there is any sort of exercise you can do given your medical situation. I could recommend sitting in a chair and simulating cycling, but I don’t know your specific conditions. If you need some help looking into a program that can be tailored just for you, contact me and we can start exploring some options. ;) You can find me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on our Facebook page.
5) Finally: Don’t forget the water and salt! Our body needs fluids and salt to keep running smoothly. As you increase your physical output, that means you are going to need more.
Citation
Nieman, D.C. (1998). Influence of carbohydrate on the immune response to intensive, prolonged exercise. Exercise Zmmumlogv Review. Vol. 4:64-76.0 1998 Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
Recommended Reading
http://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(15)37721-7/fulltext