When you got a cold...

[MenteReligieuse]

I'm asking this to Doc..cuz he is a doctor and all, but if anyone else knows, feel free to add in.

Heard that when some ppl get a cold or have some fever, they like to workout and "sweat it off" to help them recover. I always thought it was better to rest and keep your energy to help your body fight off the virus.

Any idea how sweating off an illness works?

[Steve]

Some people believe that sweating it off removes the toxins from the body. A bottle of Nyquil, Cranberry Juice, Vegetable Soup, Tea with honey and lemon and staying in bed works for me.

[xing_jian108]

Sweating it off always gives me a terrible headache. I can't do it. I can't sweat enough to get everything out anyway. It's useless. You may feel better for a little while when training. But after training it starts again. Best to just lay down and wait it out. It's usually gone over night. Unless it's something really bad.

Let Doc reply to this one anyway. They don't call him "Doc" for nothing.

A mi tuo Fo
-Xing Jian

[doc]

The "sweating it off" trick, sometimes works, if you do it early on in the illness. The key to treating a cold is early treatment. If you've had it for a few days, nothing but time will work. Why the exercise helps, and I've personally found this to be occasionally effective, is unknown to me. It might have something to do with the activity and increase in body temperature. (When ill, the body responds with an increase in temperature, ie, the fever). Some think that this increase in temperature can inhibit viral replication.

A better therapy, is the ingestion of zinc sulfate, 200 mg a day, and Vitamin C, 1000 mg a day. Plus a good night's sleep. Nyquil used to be my favorite until I discovered I was allergic to the red dye in it. The zinc interferes with viral replication; if you take it early enough, it will help enable your body to fight the infection. If you've got the sniffles and sneezes already, it won't get rid of the cold, but it may diminish the duration of the cold. Generally, taking this as soon as you think you're coming down with a URI (cold), will be most helpful.

[daodejing]

The sweating it off thing is called "releasing the exterior" in chinese medicine. We do it all the time (usually with herbs which promote sweating, like ephedra) to patients who've recently contracted an acute uri.

HOWEVER, working out to generate that sweat doesnt work very well. It often drives the pathogen in deeper.
If you want to sweat off a cold, the best way to do it is take an almost unbearably hot shower/bath and then go straight to bed with a cup of ginger tea. Wrap yourself in blankets and go to sleep. You'll sweat in bed and wake up feeling better.

[zachsan]

i find a cold beer or two helps. at the very least, it can put you in a good mood despite the cold.

[Steve]

I like that...

I'll add beer to my list next time.