When the nano-gremlins strike it is acknowledged that a bit of exercise does you good. It shakes them off your muscles and gives you free movement, you just have to get beyond that first instant of ouch. The horrible morning after soreness that you get from the lactic acid munching nano-gremlins is alleviated by mobilising and there are few people who will argue against the "recovery run" (so long as it's just gremlins and not a visit from the injury fairies, those beasts need to be starved of the exercise that attracted them to get them out ).
But what do you do when you're ill?
I agree there are plenty of masochists out there who will cheerfully exercise until they vomit (and sadistic instructors who encourage it). From my experience they are most often found in the military - PTI (Physical Training Instructor) Sergeants are a good example - and in martial arts circles they are prevalent (if you're willing to voluntarily inflict damage on yourself to hit and kick harder it's not a big leap to take those extremes to treat your fitness the same way).
I also agree that I can count myself in that number - you will never improve if you don't push to the limit and inevitably that leads you to push beyond the limit (call it an occupational hazard).
I ask the question because today I find myself in a quandry.
I have a mild case of Nano-Gremlin infection from a two day adherence to a new exercise DVD (Jillian Michaels 30 day shred - so far I'm liking it but I'll be able to give a more balance review after the 30 days are up) and I am keen to keep going to free up my body and continue with my fitness aspirations.
Unfortunately I also have had a bug visit. I am ill. Not man-flu dying ill (as a woman I am lucky to be immune to that dreadful malady), but not quite right.
For today I am struck down my that creeping, invasive and malicious feeling that is nausea.
As a symptom it is incredibly unhelpful, nausea could be so many things.
Google it, the first list that comes up comprises:
- Motion Sickness
- Food Poisoning
- Pregnancy
- Morning Sickness
- Cancer Chemotherapy
The Great God Google might as well tell me it could be a miniature giant space hamster infestation - Go for the eyes Boo! (Baldur's Gate reference - classic nerdy PC game I've wasted whole days playing).
So much for internet diagnosis, if it keeps up I might actually have to see a real Doctor.
Anyway, ignoring the implications of internet induced hypochondria, the original question is should I exercise?
Intense exercise (the DVD is deliberately high intensity) has a high probability of inducing the dreaded up-chuck, but mild exercise hardly seems worth it - see above reference to masochists.
If I start but have to abort part way through it will feel like failure, but if I don't try at all that's automatic failure - does non-specific nausea constitute an exemption? I guess it's hard to say without knowing what's causing it.
The only answer is to attempt food and then attempt exercise - couch potato is not a food group.
If science and religion between them have all the answers then why is the Pope not an Astrophysicist?
While us mere mortals battle zombie infestations and alien invasions the special people can get on with research and theology.
I'm just going to practice my Vulcan greeting now, you never know when it may come in handy. After all, the movie might be wrong, we may be met by aliens who would rather trade than invade.
FraidyKat Runs - for Centauri Ducats
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