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Can you really sweat out your cold? Well, the answer is yes, however, it’s really not a good idea to do any weight lifting or heavy exercise when you are not feeling well. Sometimes, it feels really good to just get moving when we aren’t feeling well. However, let’s dispel some myths.

Many years ago, we used to think that lactic acid was the cause of pain in the muscles after exercise. Actually, this is not true. The lactic acid is present in the muscles to help heal them. What actually causes the pain is called micro trauma, or micro tears. This isn’t a bad thing. It’s a good thing, it is how we build muscle.

Have you ever had a manicure and had the edge of your finger get a tiny little cut in it? So, what happens? It swells up, and it is really painful. Well, that is exactly what happens to our muscles. They are tiny, itty bitty little tears in the muscle, and our immune system does a fabulous job by rushing in and repairing it. Our immune system works the best when we are sleeping.

So, it’s sort of a myth that you can get rid of a cold by sweating it out with exercise. You are actually tearing your muscles. So, then, your immune system goes to repair the muscles, instead of the cold. Your immune system is then over taxed, trying to repair the cold, and the torn muscles.

If you are wanting to get moving, that is a good thing. Take a walk, get moving, but, it is not advised to go and lift heavy weights, or do a highly strenuous workout when we aren’t feeling well.

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