*burp

If being sick is a carbolic activity, then getting a stomach bug is a real workout. All the jumping, sprinting, and corework definitely wears you down!

Maybe that’s why so many fighters seem to get sick before their fights?  Vomiting is one of the most effective ways to cut weight.  Just ask a model.

It’s a stupid thing to brag about, but I haven’t thrown up in about 18 years.  That I even got through college without barfing should also tell you a little about my social habits.  Even more disappointing are my eating habits.  I am often complemented for my iron stomach (mostly from myself), and I am known to eat stuff from questionable sources and with dubiously printed expiration dates.  Week old dorm-room pizza?  No problem.  Souring milk in my coffee?  No big deal.  The squishy greens at the bottom of the plastic salad container?  Routine.

So waking up yesterday morning was quite the revelation to me.  I’ll spare you the details, but it wasn’t pretty.  I spent the day on the couch recovering, my hyperactive mind racing around as usual–albeit at a slower pace.  Here’s what I got to thinking.

I know I keep regurgitating the topic of nutrition, but hear me out.  Getting sick and the subsequent recovery period is a great time for an eating reset.  Indulge in the daily diet cheats that present themselves at your office?  Fill up on chips at the gas station?  Drink a little too much caffeine?  Post-puking is a great time to reevaluate your habits.  With little to no appetite, it’s easy to objectively assess the stubborn weak spots that ingrain themselves in your daily intake.

What about the getting sick part?  I’ll close with a few practical tips.  When you spend the day bowing down before the porcelain goddess, there are a few things to keep in mind:

1.  Ask why you’re sick. Have you been around people with the flu or was it something you ate?   If the former, toss your toothbrushes so as not to reinfect yourself and scrub affected areas down to help limit your family’s exposure to your germs.  If it was something you ate, common sense dictates you throw away the leftovers!

2.  Rehydrate ASAP.  This can be tough to do, but it’s essential.  Sip water at first but then work in something with electrolytes like Gatorade or Pedialyte.  Ginger ale is the old-fashioned standby.  It may help to settle your stomach, but it doesn’t rehydrate nearly as well.

3. Monitor your fever.  Most of the time you will have a harsh fever to make your sick time even more fun.  If it gets too high, you could be in for a hospital visit, so be careful.  Pills will be hard to swallow, so consider liquid fever reducers like Children’s Motrin.  You’ll have to up the dosage, given its weaker strength, but it will still help lessen your chills and aches.

Well, I’m off to eat a few more crackers.  Stay healthy, and share your tips here!