Cough Be Gone

Well ladies…it got me. After three and a half years of sniffle free autumns and winters, I can finally say I have fallen victim to that good ole rhinovirus known as “the cold” (dun dun daaa) Yes, yes, I know you feel my pain. I’m pretty sure many of you with powerhouse immune systems can’t imagine the devastating effects of something as ridiculous as a cold. I can see if it were the seasonal flu, maybe, or even the more infamous H1N1 flu, but c’mon the cold? I mean really? Well, after boasting a relatively clean bill of health, I was just confident I wouldn’t be the next casualty, at least not for another 3.5 years. You couldn’t tell me that I, Acasia L. Barrett, would be popping cough drops in my mouth like popcorn. But alas, here I am, writing about the very thing we all eventually must go through.

Nevertheless, my goal, in writing this, is not to bore you with a silly, melodramatic tale of seasonal sickness but to feed you healthy food for thought. For while the cold stole my voice, it didn’t steal my thoughts and ability to communicate.

So let me proceed by asking you a question: What do exercise and the cold have in common? Nothing as far as I know, unless you consider the sweats that come from intense running and the sweats that develop from a fever. However, one of these items can help fight off the other. Exercise is a wonderful way to prevent and protect against the onset and symptoms of a cold. Studies have shown that exercises such as jogging, brisk walking, and cycling can help prevent colds. This is because physical activities, such as exercise, boost our immune system, or sick fighters. At the same time, it is important to stay balanced in your approach. Don’t overdo it with the exercise routine, and don’t try to get your fitness on when you’re running a fever or have body aches. Just stick to what experts call the “neck up” rule, which means that you can continue to exercise if you only have a runny nose, sneezing, or coughing.

In fact, if you’ve been hit with a storm of coughs, then go jogging, or better yet dance around the house. This will help to increase blood flow and should speed up your recovery. So the next time you feel a little under the weather, turn on some music, put on your dancing shoes, and work it out mamas.

**A note of caution: be careful if you have asthma that is caused by exercise. It is important that you listen to your doctor’s advice first and foremost.

--Acasia Barrett
Guest Blogger

Acasia Barrett is a graduate student at George Washington University where she is working towards her Master's in Public Health, Health Promotion and HIV/AIDS studies. When she is not in class, she immerses herself in her duties as both a research assistant at the D.C. Department of Health HIV/AIDS Administration and an intern at Community Education Group, a Community Based Organization in DC. In her spare time, Acasia enjoys reading, community service, and working on writing her books.

(Photo courtesy of image.com)