You're On A Diet and You Caught A Cold

You probably know it's coming before you want to admit it. You've been feeling run-down, you blame it on the diet. Then the next day you feel really run-down and just "off". By the third or fourth day, you have a running nose and then it hits you. You wake up with a rotten cold.

We're coming into cold and flu season and, if you're human, chances are you're going to catch a cold or two - maybe even three or more - this winter. Now the question becomes do you keep on your diet while you have a cold? Unfortunately, there is no real rule for this one. I've asked dietitians, doctors, and, anyone else would answer my question and I always get different answers. So, the best advice is to ask your own doctor what is right for your personal circumstances.

However, a few things are always common in the answers I receive from health professionals:

1. In-take lots of fluids. This includes soups (many of which are low calorie) and while juices are heavy in calories, they will help your body of ridding the bug, so, it's better to in take a few extra calories in juices then to be sick longer than necessary.
2. If at all possible try to stay home from work or school to rest. Even if your job isn't physically demanding, resting and sleeping will help get you better faster. You should absolutely stay home if you are running a fever over 99.9
3. When dieting and you catch cold take a simple one-a-day multivitamin everyday. This will help ensure you are getting all of the vitamins your body needs to function properly.

Other than that all you can do is sniffle, sneezing and cough your way through the illness. And, if you fall off the dieting wagon while you're sick don't punish yourself. Allow that you are human and needed food to help your body recover. All you did was push back your goal weight by a week or two. So don't beat yourself up over it!