Sickness is not something pleasant - and it strikes fear and concern in the hearts of many when a public health emergency is declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and as Governments around the world take steps to curb the spread of a new strain of flu that has killed up to 149 people in Mexico in a couple of weeks and spread to Europe and possibly Asia - as of today, no cases have been reported in Malaysia.
Mexico City shut restaurants, bars, cinemas, stadiums, gyms and some government offices to stop the infection from spreading. And if you’re wondering… No, it is not possible to get infected with swine flu from eating pork as the transmission of the virus is currently airborne.
No one is naturally immune and the WHO has lifted its pandemic alert to phase 4, indicating the risk of a deadly global outbreak. For now, we Malaysians should not panic over the outbreak as the Health Ministry has in place protocols to prevent the disease from spreading to the country. To know more about the Swine Flu, read the Malaysian’s FAQ & Guide to Swine Flu HERE.
Now Swine Flu aside, although I am not a medical professional - it is common sense to everyone that a healthy immune system can help ward off, reduce the severity, and speed recovery from disease.
I’ve lost count of the number of friends and the family members of my clients that have been struck by some form of illness just over the last couple of weeks - mostly viral fevers, colds - me included! (I was admitted to the hospital last week for a high fever, but discharged the next day once it was under control).
So, what can you do to help in preventing/preventing the spread of illnesses?
I’m glad you asked. :)
The last thing we all want is having people avoiding other people for the fear of catching their illness. So first of all, if you’re really having a bad cold - you should avoid exercising, all the more if you workout at a public health club/gym. See my post ‘Is it OK to exercise when you’re having a cold?‘ which I wrote way back in 2006. Don’t make me spray you with disinfectant if I catch you at the gym.
Then, for the rest of us healthy individuals - practice caution and good hygiene yourself. The last place we want to catch or SPREAD any sort of infection is at the gym. Think about it… all that sweat… all those unwiped equipment… the damp locker room floors… insufficient sandals when you walk around barefoot in the locker rooms - all those germs! You will come to realise that working out at crowded gym/health club puts you at a ‘higher risk’ in terms of getting an illness if you are not careful. The steam room in most health clubs are a fertile breeding ground for bacteria. I once saw a gentleman wipe off the water that accumulates at the ceiling of the Steam Room and wipe his face with it.. I was speechless.
I’ve also seen too many guys who don’t even wash their hands after using the restroom at the gym - it is disgusting personal hygiene, and irresponsible of you. Washing your hands with soap and water is the bare minimum you should be doing. Even if you didn’t use the restroom, you should still be washing your hands after your workout.
If you’re not a gym-goer or someone living an active lifestyle and you’re thinking that this post doesn’t apply to you - well, let me tell you that just being overweight, or being sedentary alone can compromise your immune system. The good news? Simple exercise habits, such as a walk-a-day can prevent illness and prolong your life.
Stay tuned for my post tomorrow, Easy Tips for Avoiding Germs at the Gym!
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Your friend and coach,
DM
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