Blooming Cold/Flu

Steve Junior

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

tracker

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 &amp;quot;just&amp;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 !