Hello dear readers,
Talk about how the best laid plans are doomed to fail! Even with all the echinacea, B vitamins, multi-vitamins, Greens +, calcium, oregano oil, etc…I’m sick. Again! This is driving me crazy. It’s the same stupid cold I had in the Catskills, and this must be the fourth time I’ve got it this year. Grr….
It’s infuriating. I exercise, I’ve been getting more sleep, I eat well. Why do I keep getting sick? Talk about bad timing–I have just under five weeks to go before the red prajioud test, so I can’t afford to miss out on a lot of training. Not to mention that Lost needs to be in the mail at the end of this month. Argh! I guess things could be worse…I could be sick the week of the test, or the week before, but I am still not impressed.
I used to be able to work from home, but that’s not accepted anymore, so I dragged myself in, coughing and hacking. I hope I don’t get anyone else sick…I have no idea who I got this from. But I don’t know what to do about kickboxing…I’m supposed to have a double class today. If I don’t go today, I have to do double classes on Wednesday and Thursday, plus a one-on-one training session followed by a class on Friday. Leaving it until Wednesday would mean tackling a Level 2 class for the first time in years after taking a Level 1 class…presumably in a weakened state. I’m not sure what is worse. I could assume that I’ll feel a lot better tomorrow, but who knows?
What would you do, dear readers? I could use some advice!
you need a baby bulb syringe ( get at any drug store) , sea salt or any rock salt, mix salt with warm water at squeeze into your nostril, yes this is gross but it disinfects your complete nasal track and throat at the same time. Trust me it’s gross but it totally works
Hmm…interesting. Is it the same with gargling with salt water? I tried that when my throat first started to hurt.
You have a lot on your plate right now Holli, with Lost due out shortly and your red prajioud test coming up, and that can equal stress. I read on a website: “Recent research conducted by Dr. Sheldon Cohen, a psychologist at Carnegie Mellon University, has concluded that stress really does lower your resistance to colds. Cohen and his associates found that the higher a person’s stress score, the more likely he was to come down with a cold when exposed to a cold virus. Chronic stress, lasting a month or more, was the most likely to result in catching a cold. Experiencing severe stress for more than a month but less than six months doubled a person’s risk of coming down with a cold, compared with those who were experiencing only shorter-term stress.”
I’d say that eliminating these stressors from your life isn’t an option right now (because they aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ stressors but stressors nonetheless), so maybe try to soften them a little. How often do you take time for yourself? I mean really take time – like a quiet walk outdoors, or an hour to get lost in a trashy novel, or anything that relaxes you? I know when I make time for myself I feel rejuvenated and ready to tackle things again. (and to be honest, there have been occasions when I’ve actually stressed about trying to make time…but I can say that once I have kicked back for a bit and let things settle I have never regretted it.)
Your body is telling you it needs a rest, so listen. Take a sick day, double dose on Neo Citron and sleep all day. Better yet, take a Friday and sleep all weekend. When you’re at work Cold FX. Works every time! I don’t have the option of any time off, or even a full night’s sleep, so I take cold FX and it helps me be symptom free enough to function. I’m just getting over the flu and now have a cold coming on and fighting it every step of the way! Good luck to you!
I agree with Lisa and Angela. When I read that you were going for your test, finishing your book and taking on half-a-dozen freelance assignments in addition to your full-time work, well… something’s gotta give. Your body is telling you something: rest. Employers provide sick days for a reason. I know I’m troubled (somewhat selfishly) when my co-workers come to the office when they’re not feeling well. I think if I attended your gym, I’d feel the same way if you arrived there coughing and hacking. As for Trin’s advice, it sounds like the principle behind a netti pot. They gross me out, but several of my very healthy friends swear by them 🙂
-Claudine
Well — as a nurse, I can tell you with a lot of assurance that it is likely not the SAME cold…. but it could be a bacterial sinus infection that requires antibiotics. Blowing a lot of green coloured crud and have some pretty serious face pain like you’ve never felt before? Find a walk in clinic if that is the case. A good doctor will give you a good assessment prior to sending you out the door with a piece of paper but it does sound like it could be a chronic thing.
As an athlete I can tell you if you feel pretty lousy, going to kick boxing will have NO benefit and could actually make you worse and make your recovery longer. You’ll have no training benefit from going. You might actually make more gains sitting on your couch.
I’ve had little time to read blogs today, believe it or not… but here I am 😉
No advice, Holli,
just feel better soon! I too, have been getting the same cold over and over….
Sherry
You’re trying to do too much all at once, my friend. And you are much too hard on yourself. As a friend said to me recently we are “human beings”….not “human doings”…..try to relax at least a little every day. And try the netti pot…they are supposed to be great! Get better soon 🙂
Also… you’re a high energy person like my hubby and you guys always need to be reminded that you don’t have achieve everything all at once. Take care…you have a lot going for you 🙂
Push thru it Holli, I find if you push your body harder it will respond accordingly. Keep going to the gym, dig deep and hard and find the energy you need. You’ll make it thru it.
Don’t fear the level 2 class, hope to see you in it soon!
That being said though, make sure you get your rest, and proper nutrition.
Hope you get better soon!
Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate your advice. I’m feeling a little better today, but exhausted. I wish I could spend the day in bed.
@ Lisa – I really appreciate the info, because it gives a reason for why I keep getting these colds. Thanks for understanding that I can’t just eliminate stress in my life right now. 🙂 I do actually always take time to relax in the evenings after kickboxing, and on the weekends.
@ Angela – thanks, will do.
@ Claudine – I feel the same way about sick coworkers, but unfortunately, I’ve been sick quite a bit and there comes a point where you have to “suck it up” and come in. I keep a low profile and use hand sanitizer to keep from passing it on.
@ Kim – no green crud or facial pain, thank god! That sounds revolting. Thanks for the advice. I was hoping to hear from fellow athletes…and thanks for taking the time for this blog!
@ Andrea – I get that, but I really have no choice right now. I didn’t set the contest deadline, I didn’t set the date for my red armband test, I didn’t decide to give myself a crazy assignment at work, and as for the freelancing…I need the money. Debt is more stressful than extra work, I find. All I can do is my best. I’ll be able to rest after my test.
@ Wayne – I was hoping you or Kelly would weigh in. As it turns out, I think taking yesterday off was the right decision. Have you worked out when you were really sick? If so, didn’t it make you feel worse the following day? I’m curious to know. Still learning!
Last winter, I had a bad cold. I stayed home from work one day during the week, felt a little bit better on Friday. I felt much better on Saturday and went out and ran about 8.5 miles in the freezing cold. I did not feel good running and was very slow, I felt better after I got home though and was fine enough to go out for the evening as I was having a special dinner made for me and I didn’t want to miss out. I woke up in the middle of the night with my nose draining and didn’t sleep well. I tried to go to my bike workout which was supposed to be a 3 hour indoor workout and basically lasted through the warm up when I decided it was time to pack it in and go back to bed. I was out for the next 2 days. I had been on the mend and wrecked it by going for that run and set myself back. Sometimes even feeling better is an illusion. Drugging yourself (which I am all for, btw) also can mask how sick you really are. It is a pain in the ass to be sick but sometimes you have to give in. You’ll be far more efficient when well.
I do understand you have a lot going on…just hope you feel better and get through your stressful time.
@ Sherry – thanks, and sorry to hear you’ve been sick too! Sorry I missed you in the original round of replies.
@ Kim – I hope this round of crazy workouts doesn’t make me sicker. At least I’ll be indoors.
@ Andrea – thanks! It’s amazing what one can accomplish when she has no choice. 🙂