It’s that time of year again everyone!  Where the e-mails start rolling in with…..”I felt better, went to do my workout, but my fever is back” or “I feel kind of crappy, but can I go run?”

Here is what everyone should have in their medicine cabinet during the fall/winter/spring season:

1.        Thermometer.  Use it people.  You don’t have to shove one of these things in for long periods of time while trying to breath while your nose is stuffed up.  They make them so that they take your temperature pretty quickly and very accurately.  I do suggest though that you DON’T go thinking that your average temp is 98.6.  Try and take your temperature a few times during the days that you aren’t sick to get a baseline of what your body temp’s run on average.  For me it’s 96.5….quite a few ticks down from the advertised 98.6.  When I start to go above 97 degrees I know that the “Rock is Cooking” and it’s time to nip that virus in the bud.

2.       Vitamin D3 – Tis the season to start taking your Vitamin D people.  You were able to head outside all summer, soaking in the rays (unless you’re like Ms. Shellac – aka Molly – who routinely wears spf 90) as you pedaled/ran/swam your way through the workouts.  Your skin was absorbing and storing this essential vitamin, and the news?  V-D protects you from lots of nasty things.  Go online and do the research if you don’t believe me.  Bottom line?  I plan on starting my 2000-3000 iu’s daily this week.  And the added benefit?  Helps me to absorb calcium as well, and in turn protects me against osteoporosis.

3.       Zinc – I personally like Cold-Eze tablets as they are quick, and they work without any added ingredients that some of the other cold remedies provide.  Zicam is a great one, but you have to be very careful as to which Zicam you buy.  Just go for the lozenges (chewable or wafer is the best bet – but they make your tongue taste nasty).  If you even THINK you are getting a cold…..pop one of these puppies.  They may not cure your cold, but they will reduce the severity of the cold.  YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT RIGHT WHEN YOU THINK YOU’RE GETTING A COLD.  That’s the when it works the best.

4.       Vitamin C – use it.  And not just in juice formulas (they have a ton of sugars), but in tablet form.  Rule of thumb is 2 grams-4 grams is o.k.  Anything more might give you diahrea.

5.       Wash your hands if you’ve been in public places or been around people who are sick.

6.       If you are sick…..AND YOU GO TO WORK….LET PEOPLE KNOW AND STAY AWAY FROM THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.  People love it when you share, but not when it’s your cold or flu.

Now to the old workout rules and being sick.

1.        Go to bed.

2.       Sleep.

3.       Drink plenty of fluids, and eat healthy

4.       Do not workout until you feel that the illness is totally gone and you’re feeling like you WANT to go run/bike/swim.  That is the key word –WANT – not ‘HAVE TO’.

5.       And notify your coach if you are feeling sick.  They will make sure that you don’t feel like you’re missing something because they will take it out of your schedule J  I’d rather you sat on the couch with your box of tissues for 2-3 days versus 3 weeks and a bout of pneumonia later.