With all the attention and concern over the current flu situation, I had an interesting conversation this morning with a client about prepardness for a race that immediately tied into something I've noticed with the big picture.
Training for the Haney to Harrison relay that myself and seven teammates are competing in this weekend, I ran 10km at 7:00am. Or at least, I tried. About six minutes into my run, I started wheezing from the cold air invading my lungs. Though the rest of my body felt fine, my lungs simply could not supply the oxygen to keep my pace on track. I dropped to a pace where I could funcion in better synch and ended up completing my run in 55mins as opposed to the 45min target. My legs... not very tired, but my lungs took almost ten minutes to completely recover. After consulting with an experienced runner and former hockey player about cold weather conditions, he gave me several ideas, from wearing a handkerchief over my face to keep a pocket of warm air, breathing through my nose, and even spending ten to fifteen minutes doing slow deep breathing exercises outside to acclimatize my lungs prior to activity. I've tried the deep breathing, and felt my lungs relax before I started moving. The handkerchief became annoying after the first five minutes, but it helped me get a good start. So far, not bad.
As we've all heard, supplies of the vaccine are in short order. Though some people are simply against the vaccine regardless of its availability, others fret they wont get a shot in time to duck the swine flu, while the media is caught in between the two prevailing opinions, and encourages us to wash our hands, avoid handshakes, and pickup general hygiene. Availability of the vaccine is far beyond the control of the general population, as is knowing when/if/how/where they may/may not contract it. So many variables, so much stress.
So what is missing? Where is the link?
What blows me away is that the topic of conversation hinders on the success or failure to deliver the vaccine as the only solution. I'm not here to question the effectiveness of the vaccine or people's decisions to get it/not get it, but rather the fact that there is little or no conversation about natural immune boosting that is otherwise commonly encouraged at this time of year. Basic vitamin supplements, increased consumption of fruit and vegetables, proper rest and fluid intake are all proven immune boosters. Are they the golden answer to the swine epidemic? Well no, but they are part of the answer as basic prepardness. And it's not just the swine flu that effects us, the common cold and sinus infections enjoy an increase in activity during the winter months as well, ailments that swine flu shots won't protect you against, not to mention other more common strains of the flu.
Think about it. You're more likely to contract an illness like the flu when already fighting a chest cold since your immune system has been compromised already. A healthy immune system increases resistance to foreign germs/bugs, strenghthens your physical coping ability (think joint/muscle aches, headaches, etc) and speeds up your recovery. Its the base layer of the pyramid that is a healthy body. It's your first line of defense. Its the inside-out aspect to the outside-in angle of the shot. The difference between missing five or six days as opposed to nine or ten. While chewable Freddy Flinstones and a basket of brightly coloured vegetables won't stop the swine flu in its tracks, they will help you prepare your body in either case, and remind us that preparation and good habits take regular practice over time. Cures and shots are important, but prevention should never be underestimated. Do what you can, control the variables you are able to control, and breathe a little easier knowing you are best prepared for whatever follows.
-Luke
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