Allergies and working out...

[Lee Anne]

For the last few weeks, I have had terrible allergies. My nose is constantly running and stopped up and I have a very congested cough. I thought it was a cold at first, but one day it will all clear up, and I will think it's finally over and by night, it's started all over again. I haven't been working out through all of this, because I don't want to get sicker and take longer to recover. It's so frustrating to just have gotten back into it and just seeing results to now have to stop. My question is this. Do you think I should work out during this or wait for it to go away?

Thanks,

Lee Anne

 

[Bobbi]

Have your tried an OTC medication to treat symptoms? I get seasonal allergies and use Claritan for itchy eyes and runny noses and my doc prescribed a steroidal nasal spray for pressure when antihistimines don't cut it. If it's not a cold, it's more of an annoyance and won't do any harm. For colds the rule is, if it's above the neck workout, below wait until it clears up. If you can figure out what triggers it, you can take steps to avoid exposure. For instance, working out later in the day since allergens tend to be highest in the AM.
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"

Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

- Mary Oliver

 

[Mckmain]

I've had alleries for years. For me doing cardio always helped clear up the runny nose! I did start taking a presription finally as they just got to severe to deal with. My advice would be to see a Doctor so you know it is alleries before doing alot of working out. As working out with a cold can extend the duration of the cold. Just my 2 cents......Carole

 

[Author]

Hi!

Thought I'd throw in my own opoinion, since you asked. I don't believe in drugs, as they are symptom suppressors -- pain and allergies are a communication from the body -- and to suppress the symptom is to do so at some risk, in my humble opinion.

Sometimes drugs are necessary, but they are essentially poisons, are not a natural way to heal the body (they do not heal -- they suppress) and most, if not all, have side effects.

If I might suggest a few things, it would be to educate yourself on allergies -- the book, YOUR BODY'S MANY CRIES FOR WATER would be a good starting place. There are also herbs and remedies that you can use to help with allergies -- one I know of it Cat's Claw, another is a whole foods product from Standard Process Brand nutrients, called Antronex -- you can only get these at a Chiropractor's or a Naturalist MD's office. If it were me, I would try to handle these things naturally, so as to let the body recover and to heal itself naturally.

I know this didn't really answer your question, but I hope it might help you a little.

 

[Bobbi]

Hi, Karen, I agree with much that you say, but I would like to point out that "herbs and remedies" are drugs, nutraceuticals being the popular term for them. While they can be safe and effective that's not a given and pharmeceuticals have a place. I have used stinging nettle and another natural therapy I can't name off the top of my head and they were not nearly as effective as Loratadine (Claritan) which has remarkably few side affects. I have embraced Alternative Therapies wholeheartedly but I believe they belong alongside conventional medicne and that's worked quite beautifully for me!
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"

Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

- Mary Oliver

 

[Lee Anne]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I couldn't stand it any longer and did Step Blast today with no problem. OK, it killed me, but no more than it has before. I can't remember who said to work out later, but that seemed to work today. By mid morning, I was mostly clear and did it then. Now that I'm back with Cathe, I can't stay away too long.

Lee Anne

 

[Bobbi]

I used to get a runny nose when I ran and when I was so badly injured I couldn't, I used to joke the only thing that COULD run was my nose! Sadly, there are no endorphins from even te runniest of noses!
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"

Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

- Mary Oliver

 

[CathydsRNA]

I agree with Bobbi. Herbs and nutraceuticals ARE drugs. Just because they are found in nature doesn't mean they are safe..there are many posions in nature and some herbs are in fact also allergens to many. In fact, the problem with these products is that there are no specs to control or identify undesired contaminants that are associated with the herb or extract. There is no way to know if these contaminants remain constant from one prep to another. In fact, the tryptophan recall from health food shelves in the recent past was due to just this...a contaminant in the tryptophan was causing a lethal blood disorder in many people taking the supplement. Since the supplement manufacturers were are not required to spec the ingeredients they didn't know what the problem was. Remember, that nutraceuticals are processed and as a result some other materials normally found in the natural product are copurified through the process of maunufacturing and are now present at much higher levels than found naturally in that product and can now have the potential to exert toxic effects. I am not a proponent of over mediacating but I am a proponent of medicating when necessary and severe allergies may require medication.