Day Fourty-Six: Illness And Injury

Illness & injury happen. We will eat well & workout all of the time, but at one point or another, the bug is going to bite. How do we handle it when that occurs so that we can rest, repair, and not burn out?

When we get ill, it's almost as if our body is purposefully trying to stop us in our tracks. It seems that the fever, achiness, chills, or vomiting are meant to make us stay stationary and horizontal, without worry about the rest of our schedule. Everything kinda comes to a hault. It's important that we listen to our body and give it the rest, fluids, and time for recovery that it needs.

Injury is another story. Sometimes, we've got a debilitating injury that puts us out of commission for awhile. However, often we can change our exercises and still elevate our heart rate by just doing something different.

For example, if one's gotten a running injury like shin splints, swimming or yoga can be done for recovery.  Both will get the heart rate up, improve flexibility, and increase circulation. This can actually speed up the time it takes for recovery because more blood is being pumped to through the body when the heart rate is elevated. Massage can also help with injury repair as it helps improve circulation and remove waste and toxins while giving us a feeling of zen.

I challenge you to rest when you're feeling ill, and work around injuries you may receive. Just about everyone on an exercise regimen experiences both at some point.