Kick the Cold when it's cold

Throughout the winter months some of us may find ourselves coming down with the good old common cold. Even though you're a finely tuned athlete and have a stronger than normal immune system, getting sick once in while is inevitable. For me, it generally hits soon after I've had a quick shock to the my system dealing with the cold. For instance, on Friday, I set out for a nice lunch ride in the brisk Utah air. I made sure to dress appropriately and had all the correct coverage for my body. I was quite comfortable, to tell you the truth, but because I was short on time I pushed in a few efforts that were probably not necessary. Because of the combination of the cold air and the stress I put on my body, I  think it put a bit more shock to my immune system then it could take. Thus, letting down its guard and rendering my weekend system with a stuffy nose and a few aches and pains.Feeling a bit down and out I decided to write a bit about what I've been doing to work or rest through this and share some advice that I've received over the years to help kick the cold.The best advice I can give is to keep things simple and stress free. Make sure you're able to get as much rest as possible. Just when you feel like you've been resting enough, rest more. Work on getting 8+ hours of sleep at night and take a few naps throughout the day. The more you can eliminate your daily activity, the faster you'll bounce back. If you get sick during the week, do yourself and your co-workers a favor, and take a day off. There's no sense in dragging things out even longer and possibly spreading germs to others by going to work because you've got an important deadline.The second best bit of advice I can give you is to HYDRATE. Particularly with lots and lots of H2O. If you find yourself with an upset stomach, vomiting or diarrhea, you'll need something a bit more to replenish the lost electrolytes. One friend of mine wrote about how he couldn't keep anything down so he resorted to Carborocket. He said that because it was easy on his stomach it was the only beverage he could keep down.You'll also need to be mindful of what type of foods you consume. Warm foods like soup and simple crackers work great because they warm up the body and don't sit too heavy. A nice fruit smoothy works well too. It's not as comforting because they're generally served cold, but keeping the vitamin intake through fruits and veggies is also very helpful.If you're like me, taking it easy when you're down and out can really make a person stir-crazy. All I've wanted to do this weekend is get out and enjoy the plentiful amounts of snow that has fallen, but to keep it on the safe side, I've decided to say in. Which brings me to the next bit of advice... Should I or can I exercise when I'm sick? A friend once told me "Rest a fever, ride a cold." Which, from what I've researched, seems to be the golden rule, with a few stipulations. It's never good to stress your body when it's already stressed and trying to fight off a bit of bad weather. But sometimes getting out for an easy walk or spin can help lift your spirits and "sweat out" some of that cold. One quick guideline seems to be universally agreed upon when it comes to athletes and sickness. If symptoms are above the shoulder only (a head cold and maybe a light sore throat) it is ok to do an easy workout if you’re feeling up to it. If you have achiness, fever or your lungs are affected, keep your hands off that bike for a few days. A good bit of advice is this: "When in doubt, leave it out." Most of the time rest for the body is the best training you can add to any program.