Should we exercise when we are sick?

When it comes to the final quarter of the year，the cold season is coming.Though it is proved that it is the virus not the chilly weather that gives people cold,an undeniable fact is that there are more people having a cold in winter than other seasons.

There is no need for me to emphasize the importance and benefits of exercise.And doctors at the American Heart Association suggest getting at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity every week.

So when cold or sickness meets exercise,what should we do?Will physical activity make us feel better more quickly or will it delay the healing process?

Edward R.Laskowski,a doctor from Mayo Clinic advises that"mild to moderate physical activity is usually OK if you have a common cold."

Dr.Laskowski and other experts have a general rule of thumb about exercising when you are sick.

It is usually fine to exercise,he explains,if your symptoms are all"above the neck."

These signs may include a runny nose,nasal congestion,sneezing or a minor sore throat.

Laskowski adds that exercise may make you feel better by"opening your nasal passages."

This may temporarily reduce congestion and help you to breathe more easily.

However,he suggests taking a break from exercising if signs of your illness appear"below the neck."

Be on guard for symptoms such as chest congestion,extreme cough or pain in the stomach.

But there are other symptoms that can tell you to avoid exercise.They include:a higher than normal body temperature,a sense of feeling extremely tired,also known as fatigue,and widespread muscle pain.

每到年末，感冒季节也随之而来。尽管已经证实是病毒而非寒冷天气让人感冒，但是一个无法反驳的现实是相较于其他季节，冬天患感冒的人数明显增多。

锻炼的重要性和益处不言而喻。美国心脏协会的医生建议每周坚持不少于150分钟的适度锻炼。

那么，如果我们感冒或者患病，又想锻炼怎么办？体育锻炼会让我们好得更快还是会延误恢复？

美国梅奥诊所的医生爱德华·R·拉斯科夫斯基建议，“如果只是普通感冒，轻度或中度的运动是可以的”。

拉斯科夫斯基博士及其他专家有一个不成文的“病时锻炼”原则。他解释说，如果症状在脖子以上，锻炼通常没有问题。

这些症状包括流鼻涕、鼻塞、打喷嚏及轻度嗓子疼。拉斯科夫斯基补充说，运动可以打开你的鼻子通道，让你感觉更舒服。这样做可以短暂减轻鼻塞，帮助你呼吸畅通。

他还建议，如果症状在脖子以下，你最好休息一段时间，比如胸闷、咳嗽得厉害或者胃痛，就要小心了。还有其他的一些症状，我们也要停止锻炼，它们包括：发烧、极度疲劳以及大面积肌肉疼痛。

Notes：

undeniable 无法拒绝的；不可反驳的

moderate 适当的；适中的

nasal congestion 鼻塞

fatigue 极度疲劳。