Bronchitis a week before the marathon?!.....really?

So maybe Benadryl, Dots candy, and a cheesy Jennifer Aniston movie wasn't the best homeopathic remedy last night for my recently acquired chest infection, but hey it worked to calmed the anxiety about having bronchitis right before a big race. I will hopefully be running the Eugene Marathon in 6 days. Preparation for the big day involved 4 months of intense winter training, numerous dates with the gym, strict dietary regiment, turning down plans with friends to get my run and recovery in, a couple pairs of $100 shoes, basing my weekend plans around my long runs, foam rolling, yoga, stretching, chiropractic adjustments, massage, and lots of sweat. And now I'm sitting here wondering if I will even be able to run on Sunday.
And yes, I am feeling a little sorry for myself.


Lower respiratory infections are not something new to me. When I was a young I was highly susceptible to contracting these nasty, unwelcome, draining, and inconvenient viruses. (Noting I'm still a little resentful my 4 year birthday party had to be cancelled due to one of these buggers.) In my adult years, and after dramatically changing my lifestyle, the viruses have been few and far between, but as like others I am not immune, just very familiar.  I have much experience with inhalers, antibiotics, probiotics to counter the effects of the antibiotics, cough drops, over the counter everything for colds and coughs, antihistimines, various chest rubs, NSAIDS, humidifiers, hot steamy bathrooms, vitamins, teas, (some not so tasty)......you get the point.


So what have I found to be the best "cure?"........


Rest, fluids, and sleep! It's that simple. The bodies recover when they are resting, which means NOT  running errands, working, exercising, doing laundry, walking the dog, making dinner, etc. but staying in full resting mode as much as possible. The more time I take to do nothing when I am sick, the faster I recover! And believe you me, that is hard for me to do. I am always on the go, sometimes to a fault. The parasympathetic nervous response in the body occurs when the body is resting and doesn't have to consciously "think" about anything. Think, "rest and digest." (Parasympathetic and Sympathetic nervous responses are part of the Autonomic Nervous System in the body. Basically  a central nervous system communication between the organs and your brain......But that is whole other lesson.) The parasympathetic nervous system increases: digestion, intestinal mobility, fuel storage, resistance to infection, rest and recuperation, endorphins, and decreases: heart rate, blood pressure and temperature. All the things that help us to feel better!!


Fluids help to flush out the body and keeps us hydrated! Dehydration is not a good combination with a virus, the body has to work too hard to maintain, and will take longer to recover. The more you drink, the faster your body is cleansing itself. But make sure the fluids are low in sugar, and have some sort of electrolyte replacement, as those are water soluble. Personally I like to make my own. (Recipe at the bottom.) Water gets boring after so long. Teas are wonderful, the heat mixed with the soothing herbal vapors really work wonders for the respiratory system.
Increased vitamin C and Zinc have been known to help boost immunity and recovery. These are easy to find. I have to take the Zinc with food or else it makes me nauseous.


Avoid medicines that have a cough suppressant if you are coughing up mucus, get that stuff OUT. (Cough, hack, spit, whatever it takes.) Luckily its just me at home because having bronchitis is definitely not sexy. Some medicines I find are very dehydrating, so drink more than you think you should be. Fevers help the body recover, so if you can tolerate it, avoid a fever reducer. (Unless its unusally high, then you may want to see a doctor). Keep the air humid, run a teapot on low boil, run a humidifier, sit in a steamy bath, all of these will help to break up some of the stubborn phlegm stuck in the lungs. Heat also has an overall soothing and healing effect, which in turn will increase relaxation.


I have no doubt in my mind that my intense training, and busy work weeks played a part in lowering my resistance and immunity to fighting infection. I push myself to the limit, and my body is now telling me its time to stop. My body doesn't know I have an important race on Sunday, but my mind does. A part of me wants to just ignore everything and push through it this weekend, but as a health care practitioner myself, I understand the utter stupidity behind that mentality. As my coach responded to me asking him if i should still complete my mileage this week, "don't be stupid." As an endurance athlete, all the training and everything that goes into that, as rewarding and enjoyable as that can be, really all accumulates to the final DAY! I don't want to miss that day!  A part of the training is the process, but a bigger part for me is the outcome. And what all this is teaching me, is being able to recognize my emotional attachment to the outcome! I am more bummed out about the possibility of not racing, or knowing I may not do as well as indented, than I am about being sick. So, what is the cure for that!?!
For me, its acknowledging and appreciating the amount of work I am capable of doing, and practicing gratitude for the fact that I am a healthy young adult who is capable of raising the bar, and surpassing my own goals. THERE WILL BE OTHER RACES! But I only have one body, and I need to take care of it, so I CAN do the things I set out to do. And also allowing myself to be bummed out, but not dwell on it. I sometimes have to ask myself, what do I love doing OTHER than running? Then focus on those things. OR take the time to check in on a loved one. Find out how they're doing! And keep the focus off of myself. Meditation also helps calm the body and mind.


Marathon or not, at least I have taken the time to take care of myself and hopefully inspired some of you to do the same!


Now its time for some tea and a nap.
Be well and healthy!!


Namaste-
Lisa








My favorite "sick" necessities:
*Riccola natural cough drops, original flavor. I find these to be most soothing. I will even run with these if my asthma is kicking up during the wet winter runs.
*Throat Coat Tea.  Made by Traditional Medicinals. The subtle liccorice flavor feels so good on my scratchy throat. And I am injesting more fluids.
*Nature Works Herbal Chest Rub. Not petrolum based like Vicks. Helps open up the air ways for easier breathing.
*Trader Joe's Chewable C tablets.
*Coldeeze-cough drops with Zinc added.
*Puffs with lotion- fork over the extra buck, its worth it.
*My favorite fleece blanked made by my dear friend Melissa.
*And Netflix. Cheesy Romantic Comedies are great to zone out to. Or Nat Geo documentaries, maybe not about killer sharks, but something you can fall asleep to.


Homemade fluid replacement Drink
1 cup strongly brewed peppermint tea
Juice of one lemon
Juice of one orange
1 tablespoon raw agave syrup
1/2 cup just cherry juice (no added sugar)
1 quart of water
1 teaspoon seasalt.






References:
www.webmd.com
www.wikipedia.org
www.homeremedyhaven.com