# Tips for not getting sick **URL:** \ **Category:** Training\ **Tags:** sickness\ **Created:** [November 9, 2018, 12:24pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473 "2018-11-09T12:24:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Unrelentinghate](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/unrelentinghate/32/12895_2.png) [@Unrelentinghate](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Unrelentinghate)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 12:24pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/1 "2018-11-09T12:24:29Z")
Definitely feel like I’m coming down with something, so it got me thinking about how to avoid getting properly sick. What are everyone’s tips to fight back against colds and viruses, both preventative and when you’re (like me) on the cusp? 🤧 ---
**Author:** ![Zmontalto](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/zmontalto/32/1008_2.png) [@Zmontalto](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Zmontalto)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 12:44pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/2 "2018-11-09T12:44:09Z")
Zicam…works wonders ---
**Author:** ![Rachaeldavies1984](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/rachaeldavies1984/32/4351_2.png) [@Rachaeldavies1984](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Rachaeldavies1984)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 12:48pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/3 "2018-11-09T12:48:28Z")
I find the best thing for trying to prevent illness is lots of good quality food and a decent diet. I also take a good multivitamin supplement every day. Unfortunately, I don’t think illness is preventable. I’ve learnt from my mistakes, and I now stop training when ill, and recover much quicker. Echinaforce is my go to if I feel a cold coming on, it’s a miracle in a bottle for me! ---
**Author:** ![PusherMan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/pusherman/32/4266_2.png) [@PusherMan](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/PusherMan)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 12:50pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/4 "2018-11-09T12:50:52Z")
I don’t focus on my weight. I eat well and I eat slightly more than I might during the race season. I’d rather have a kg or two to shift in early March than two or three weeks off the bike. Only supplement I take is vitamin C and I think there’s a whole load of studies kicking around that would tell me that I’m wasting my time and money even doing this. ---
**Author:** ![ltchippy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/ltchippy/32/1707_2.png) [@ltchippy](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/ltchippy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 12:51pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/5 "2018-11-09T12:51:46Z")
Maximising sleep and reducing stress too… I’ve found that when all my recovery is on point i rarely get sick. But when i’m really pushing the training but missing out on sleep and not eating well i get rundown and pick something up pretty easily. ---
**Author:** ![Pbase](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/pbase/32/969_2.png) [@Pbase](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Pbase)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 12:55pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/6 "2018-11-09T12:55:20Z")
I’ve learned to pay attention to my body and see it coming most of the time. If I’m run down, not sleeping well, resting hr rising, having a hard time getting motivated, etc., I know it’s time to take a break before things go downhill. ---
**Author:** ![Jbeecheyuk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jbeecheyuk/32/3713_2.png) [@Jbeecheyuk](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Jbeecheyuk)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 1:04pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/8 "2018-11-09T13:04:18Z")
Avoid kids, planes and people. ---
**Author:** ![willball12](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/willball12/32/3138_2.png) [@willball12](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/willball12)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 1:05pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/9 "2018-11-09T13:05:24Z")
**Preventing illness:** hand hygiene, avoiding overloading on stress **Helping when sick:** paracetamol, caffeine, rest, realising it is inevitable and not beating yourself up when it happens. ---
**Author:** ![BennyC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/bennyc/32/7746_2.png) [@BennyC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/BennyC)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 2:04pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/10 "2018-11-09T14:04:19Z")
Diet. 2-4 portions of fruit a day. 2.5-3kg of Salad a week. 4-500g of vegetables an evening. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Doughnutman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/captain_doughnutman/32/7694_2.png) [@Captain\_Doughnutman](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Captain_Doughnutman)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 2:19pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/11 "2018-11-09T14:19:53Z")
Wash your hands. Avoid consuming refined sugar. ---
**Author:** ![acavell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/acavell/32/148_2.png) [@acavell](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/acavell)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/12 "2018-11-09T14:33:03Z")
Pretty much echoing everyone else here, but getting extra and higher-quality sleep can turn things around really quick in my experience. Also eating real food and avoiding sugar seems to help me out with recovery as well. ---
**Author:** ![tigloo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/tigloo/32/7746_2.png) [@tigloo](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/tigloo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/13 "2018-11-09T14:33:59Z")
Adding to sleep, hand hygiene and stopping to train / avoiding stress: Drink lots of water. It helps to flush out your body. ---
**Author:** ![teamkennyg](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/teamkennyg/32/1707_2.png) [@teamkennyg](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/teamkennyg)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:00pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/14 "2018-11-09T15:00:01Z")
Eat well especially after workouts , get straight out of wet clothes and always wash hands regularly. When I started cycling, in the space of my 2nd year I got a viral infection in my chest twice which kept me out for 3 weeks at a time but since I haven’t had any problems. ---
**Author:** ![berto2cj](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/berto2cj/32/4413_2.png) [@berto2cj](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/berto2cj)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/15 "2018-11-09T15:18:46Z")
dont have children ---
**Author:** ![STP](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/stp/32/15688_2.png) [@STP](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/STP)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:20pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/16 "2018-11-09T15:20:05Z")
Before you start feeling sick: Get a flu shot wash your hands keep a bottle of hand sanitize on your desk Try to avoid touching things other people touch when you can (e.g. - do you really need to grab that stair rail?) Keep your immune system “topped off.” i.e. get more sleep, eat well, etc Once you start feeling “something coming on”, double down on helping your immune system with rest and diet. ---
**Author:** ![Unrelentinghate](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/unrelentinghate/32/12895_2.png) [@Unrelentinghate](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Unrelentinghate)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:27pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/17 "2018-11-09T15:27:23Z")
Thanks for the tips so far. FWIW I’ve left work half way through the day and took the train home (commuted in so left the bike at work). Now in bed with ginger lemon tea! ---
**Author:** ![Wahoowheezewizzard](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/wahoowheezewizzard/32/18795_2.png) [@Wahoowheezewizzard](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Wahoowheezewizzard)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:29pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/18 "2018-11-09T15:29:51Z")
Completely agree with @STP ---
**Author:** ![occasionalathlete](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/occasionalathlete/32/1278_2.png) [@occasionalathlete](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/occasionalathlete)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/19 "2018-11-09T15:35:39Z")
Zicam is homeopathic so is just an [expensive placebo](https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/fun-with-homeopaths-and-meta-analyses-of-homeopathy-trials/) - I assume it’s [this](https://www.zicam.com/) stuff. I’ve not seen this in the UK. Multi-vitamins just give you really expensive wee ([for example](https://www.nhs.uk/news/medical-practice/most-multivitamins-and-supplements-are-waste-money/)) unless you have a specific deficiency diagnosed by an _actual_ doctor. Unfortunately there isn’t a magic pill, all the boring advice already mentioned is Sleep as much as possible - don’t set an alarm so your body can sleep as much as it needs to. Eat lots of fruit and veg. There’s probably not much advatage in avoiding people at this point as it sounds like you’ve already caught whatever it is, but avoiding people is probably more restful! ---
**Author:** ![GilbertsGrapes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GilbertsGrapes](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/GilbertsGrapes)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/20 "2018-11-09T15:42:42Z")
#1. Wash your hands, every time. With soap and warm water. Scrub. #2. Wash your hands after public transportation, being around children, sick people, etc. #3. Wash your hands before eating. #4. Eat more vegetables and fruits. #5. Get more sleep. #6. Get a flu shot. #7. Wash your sheets, duvet covers, and pillow cases once a week. #8. Change out your towels every 3 days if possible, otherwise wash them once a week. #9. Vitamin C supplement (studies are conflicted on this one, I consume a lot of Vitamin C/citrus fruits anyway because the flavanoids help with nosebleeds in the winter) You will get sick, once you are sick: #1. Stop high intensity training as soon as you feel the sickness coming on #2. Get extra rest and fluids #3. Default to rest over coming back to training too soon. You are better off cutting training off sooner and having 4 days off the bike rather than trying to train into the first part of sickness and then compromising your training for a week or more. Got the flu and didn’t listen to my body and it took me out of commission for two weeks last year which was a huge setback. ---
**Author:** ![tigloo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/tigloo/32/7746_2.png) [@tigloo](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/tigloo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2018, 3:44pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473/21 "2018-11-09T15:44:25Z")
> [@occasionalathlete](#): > > Multi-vitamins just give you really expensive wee But I feel so powerful when I take them! Everyone is entitled to their placebo. 😁 [Next page](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/tips-for-not-getting-sick/5473.md?page=2)