New research from Iowa State seems to indicate that exercise can relieve flu-like symptoms and may even keep the flu at bay. One more of the many benefits exercise bestows on the active.
I have often struggled with exercising if/when I feel flu-like symptoms on the horizon. I have frequently shared the "neck rule" with my clients:
Neck Rule: Below-the-neck symptoms (bad fatigue, bronchial infection, muscle aches) require time off, while it’s OK to exercise with above-the-neck symptoms (runny nose, stuffiness, sneezing)—some cardio may even slightly improve those symptoms.
And this study seems to verify at least the above the neck part, and call the below the neck concept's validity. I think one has to be smart about exercise and listen to the body, but I have found in my personal and professional experience that exercise is more likely to help than hurt, sort of the physical version of chicken soup.
And this makes so much sense. Prior to1900, work meant long, hard days of activity, foraging and as civilization rose, long days of organized labor. The move to a sedentary life style was far too fast, at least by biological/evolutionary terms. We need activity in our daily lives...and this is one more illustration of why this is true.
See the results of the research here.
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