I was listening to the radio this morning and a person called in to give advice on fighting off a cold or flu, some things that make people more susceptible, etc. This person gave generally good information, but one of the things she said was pretty off base.

One of the people on the radio show asked about exercising when you are sick. The caller said that you should absolutely not exercise while sick as it will take away resources that the body needs to heal. While I can see her point - it’s wrong.

You really should exercise at a moderate level when you sick, even if it’s just walking around the block or spending about 30 minutes at a casual pace on the treadmill. The reason is that part of the immune system is actually mechanical, believe it or not. By moving around, you help something called the lymph system move the waste products out of the body. You need to do this while drinking plenty of fluids or a good quality sports drink to stay hydrated and to allow the lymph system to work at top performance.

Another good way to take in fluids is through chicken soup. Some might think that’s just an old wive’s tale, but the science behind it is that the electrolytes in the broth of the soup help you stay hydrated and the protein from the chicken helps the body to work properly.