Everyone gets sick. Usually, it’s nothing serious: my favourite quote from a physician is “Most maladies will clear up on their own by morning.” Your body knows how to heal itself–it just needs time.
But here’s how to speed it up.
- Stop doing the thing that made you sick.
This is more of a long-term solution, but if you have COPD or Type II diabetes, you need to lose weight.
Drugs won’t save you (even Ozempic). They’ll just ease your slide into the grave.
Stop smoking.
If your ‘sickness’ is musculoskeletal (you have an injury) stop doing the thing that injured you, fix the problem, and then come back when you’re ready. - Stop eating sugar.
Sugar can temporarily suppress the effectiveness of your immune system. Consuming high amounts of sugar can impair the ability of white blood cells to kill germs by up to 50% for a few hours after ingestion. Given that your immune system is crucial in fighting off infections like the cold and flu, limiting sugar intake can help maintain optimal immune function during illness.
Sugar can increase inflammation in your body. You know how it feels like your nose is always full, or your throat is full of mucus? Most of that is inflammation, not boogers. Inflammation is a natural part of the immune response, but excessive inflammation can lead to symptoms like sore throats, congestion, and body aches becoming more severe. By reducing sugar intake, you can potentially decrease unnecessary inflammation, which might help alleviate some discomfort and promote faster recovery.
Consuming high amounts of sugar can cause rapid spikes and subsequent drops in blood glucose levels, which can lead to fluctuations in energy levels. When you’re sick, it’s important to keep your energy levels as stable as possible to help your body fight the infection and to feel better. Avoiding sugar can help stabilize your blood sugar, potentially reducing fatigue and weakness that often accompany illness, and supporting overall recovery. - Drink twice the amount of water you normally drink.
When you’re sick, staying hydrated is crucial because your body needs more fluids to help fight the infection and to make up for losses from fever or increased metabolic rate. Consuming less sugar can help you stay more effectively hydrated, aiding in overall recovery and relief from cold or flu symptoms. - Eat more salt than usual (unless your illness is high blood pressure.)
If you have sweating, vomiting or diarrhea, you need to replace electrolytes just as you would during a long workout.
If you have a high-stress job, eating a bit more salt can also help with adrenal fatigue.
That “chicken soup” advice from mom is true! - Eat more protein than usual.
Protein doesn’t just build and maintain your muscle (which you can burn through quickly while you’re sick.) Proteins are also critical to make antibodies and immune system cells. You might not feel like eating much, but those proteins have to come from somewhere; if they’re not coming from your diet, your body will break down muscle tissue to get them. - Go outside.
Spread your germs around – but not to other people. But also, sunlight will help boost your Vitamin D levels (which you need to fight off symptoms), boost your mood (also important for fighting through a cold or flu) and get you some fresh air that’s not full of other people’s germs. - Do some Zone 2 exercise – but not HIIT.
Some exercise will promote circulation, reduce inflammation and speed healing. But if you go too hard, your body will have to fight to recover from your workout AND your disease. Stimulate, don’t annihilate. Give your body a little catalyst to speed recovery–don’t bury yourself deeper.
I know your parents told you to apply mustard poultices, dry your hair before going outside, and drink chicken soup (and some of that is even true). But the actual science of speeding recovery during illness is simple, too.
Reading the list above, you can speed up recovery by:
1 – stop doing the stuff that’s making you sick
2 – switching to a more ketogenic diet while sick (less sugar, more protein at minimum)
3 – take your germs outside for a walk, and skip the hard HIIT at the gym.