180/120 blood pressure

It’s that time of year when it feels like everybody you know has a cold or the flu or some combination thereof. And as your own mild sniffle morphs into a full-blown head cold, the question of whether to hit the gym or lose your gains is probably starting to gnaw at you.

If you’re wondering whether you should “sweat it out” with a heart-pumping run or hot yoga class—don’t.

When people say you should

“You're just going to make the symptoms worse and they're going to stick around longer—it's not a smart thing,” says Dr. David Nieman, professor of health and exercise science at Appalachian State University and director of the Human Performance Lab at North Carolina Research Campus.

“The immune system has a huge job to do every day.”

But that doesn’t mean you need to sink into the couch every time you have a mild cough. Here’s what you need to know about staying active before, during, and after a common illness.

It’s Possible to Prevent Sickness With Exercise

Of course, it’s better to avoid getting sick in the first place.

Light to moderate activity can actually bolster your immune defenses.

when you should take magnesium

when you should take vitamin d