The big news in health of the last month or more has been the H1N1 "swine" influenza and so many people are panicking and running for the vaccine I believe, prematurely.
The H1N1 flu strain is a rare and dangerous strain but there has not been adequate testing done to prove the effectiveness or the safety of the vaccine.
H1N1 swine flu can lead to viral pneumonia only 3-5 days into the illness and progressing to life-threatening within 24 hours. H1N1 attacks the lower lungs as well as the upper respiratory system unlike the regular seasonal flu which stays primarily in the upper lungs. This virus is different in that it can cause clotting in the lungs, so that standard ventilator care for pneumonia may not work.
That being said, we need to talk about over training in this flu season.
Exercise is very important for the human body to stay healthy and to fight off bacteria, virus and fungi but there is a limit. Healthy muscle cells are like a bank account of protein to feed your immune cells when you are sick. When we are in good shape we have better circulation and the muscles themselves have tiny filaments that massage the lymph system to help flush the detritus from the system which doesn't have its own pump to keep things moving. Simply being outside breathing fresh air and building up your vitamin D reserves are tremendously important. These are just two of the myriad of reasons to keep oneself in shape.
The problem occurs when inflammatory signals like Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha or T.N.F.a, a common result of excessive cardiovascular activity robs the energy and resources from the immune system. Supplementing with co-enzyme Q10 and vitamin D and A will support your immune function. Studies now show that bovine colostrum can pretty much eliminate the adverse effects of over training.
The other issue in over training is the lack of protein reserves in the muscles due to excessive calorie burning, protein being the most important calorie used by muscle cells. This will leave the immune system competing with the muscles for these resources, thus the achy muscle feeling when you are sick. By the way, the amino acid Glutamine is the most important to produce immune cells quickly.
To sum it up:
Easy on the over training but don't be a couch potato!
P.S. Always wear your warm hoody or a hat and sweater when you leave the gym all sweaty this winter.
