Blooming Cold/Flu

I ave just piked up a cold that came on yesterday, i am drinking plenty of fluids, vit c etc.<br />Any other tips to get rid of the comman cold?<br />What do i do for training after..if i have to take a week off how much will it set me bck?<br />thanx<br />steve

 

Hi there !<br /><br />Well, colds are rather common in cyclists exposed to various weather conditions. Here is what we in germany advise our riders : If you have temperature, swollen glands or signs of bacterial infection such as pus on your tonsils, no training allowed. If you have &quot;just&quot; a running nose or some cough, you can do some easy training. However, any training you do during a cold will not improve your shape !! Be aware of that and let your body recover ! A week without training is not setting you back that much. If you are used to train a lot, a week rest is sometimes not bad ;-)<br />Medicine: The most important action is to drink a lot and keep quiet. Relax + rest, give your body the opportunity to overcome the viruses (most common colds are caused by viruses). If you have joint pain or a headache, you can take some paracetamol. Try to eat a lot of fruit, there are many fluids and vitamins in those products. Mega.doses of Vitamin C have no proven effect on the incidence or the course of common colds. Echinacea or other immune system boosters might help, but here again, no studies have proved it.<br />Be carefull with some anti-cold products as they might contain ephedrine which is on the doping list.<br /><br />Cheers and have a good recovery !

 

Trackers post is spot on.<br />Knowing and monitoring you RHR (resting heart rate) is also important. If your RHR suddenly increases for no reason, then there's something wrong. Rest until your RHR returns to normal.<br />Another rule-of-thumb is the &quot;Neck Test&quot;. If the symptoms are above your neck, like headache or a bit of a sore throat, you can train easy (emphasis on easy). If the symptoms are below your neck, like coughing, weazing, shortness of breath, aching muscles etc. - DON'T TRAIN!