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Q&A - Supplements, Sweating
and Avoiding Colds
by Chris King

Q) Do you recommend any supplements (vitamins or minerals) with your workouts?

A) If you've read my column for a time, you probably can guess my answer is "No." I do know fitness instructors who seem to be healthy and have a high energy level and swear by taking many supplements.

I have about the highest energy level of anyone I know (four times a week, I teach three high intensity fitness classes in a row) and the only supplements I take are a one-a-day multi-vitamin, a 400 IU capsule of vitamin E, and 1200 mg of calcium.

I am not even sure I need these, but figure that they won't do any harm. I don't have any faith in the claims made by sellers of workout supplements, and I do fear that there are supplements on the market that can do harm.

You realize, I hope, that this is my opinion. If you feel you need extra vitamins and/or minerals, my advice is to check with your physician first before taking anything - and especially if you are on any kind of medication.

Q)I don't sweat much. Even when I think I am working really hard, and I'm "feeling the burn", I just don't sweat much. Is sweating a necessary part of a workout?

What an interesting question. When you say "much" I am sure that you do sweat, but not as profusely as some around us who are absolutely dripping when they exercise.

I tend to be more like you are, not sweating much, but the interesting fact is that over the years I have started to sweat more - but still seldom drip.

When I looked up "perspiration" on the Internet I found 194,000 references with at least 193,000 about overcoming the embarrassment of heavy, heavy perspiration.

As you probably know already, our body sweats to cool down the temperature of our skin through evaporation. We can become acclimated to heat and some achieve this more easily than others.

Some people, like my father, just perspire all of the time, even when not expending extra energy.

I feel that as long as you are working hard and feel that you are, you shouldn't worry about the amount of sweating. If you are overheating, however, with no sweating, that can be dangerous.

Make sure that you drink lots of liquids and challenge yourself, and you should be getting a good and healthy workout.

Q) How can I avoid the hassle of getting colds? I know they are common, but I hate them

In a recent study of 547 healthy adults over the course of a year, it was discovered that the people who reported being the most active had 25% fewer colds over the year, relative to those who were the least active.

In an interview with Reuters Health, Dr. Charles E. Matthews of the University of South Carolina in Columbia stated, "Moderate levels of activity have been hypothesized to be associated with enhanced immune function, and out data - indicating a reduced risk for infection - are consistent with this hypothesis."

I know that this is true, because I can't even remember the last time I had a cold. So you want to avoid getting colds.

Just do what I have been recommending all along - exercise!


As always, check with your own healthcare professional before undertaking any diet or exercise program.



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Chris King


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