Rob from Canada has been having problems with catching colds and wants some advice. He rides on-road and off-road and takes his vitamins, so here is our opinion on a healthy life.
Question: Hi I’ve been receiving a lot of cycling tips from you guys, and it was a great help from all of you. I have been into cycling for more than ten years; I have a MTB and a road bike. My question is every time I ride hard I always get cold. I take up multi vitamins and 500mg of Vit C everyday. Do I need to double my dosage? Or is there some kind of diet specifically for cyclist.
Answer:
Hi Rob,
Glad you find our tips helpful, that’s why we are here!
You say you are taking 500mg of Vitamin C, so you can up it to the full 1gm if you like. Some say your body can’t store Vitamin C, so any excess will be lost in your urine, the only problem with this is that it’s a bit of a waste of money.
The best Vitamin C is calcium ascorbate which is highly absorbable and non-acid, so it is kinder to your stomach. There are many other herbal cold remedies and preventative “medicines” available, too many to list here!
The following are some of the most important cold preventions, but on the top, it must be common sense.
- Never sit around with sweaty clothes on. Your body will get cold. Always shower and change as soon as you finish your training.
- Never stand to talk with your training partners after a ride, go home and freshen up.
- Stay away from other people for as long as you can after a ride, up to around a half-hour. Your immune system is weakened and you are prone to catch any germs that are in the air.
- Always keep yourself clean, wash your hands regularly as this is one of the leading causes of spreading germs.
- Always clean cycling clothes.
- Protect your chest from any wind. If it’s hot on the way up a hill, it’s bound to be colder on the way down due to your speed and the wind chill factor.
If you eat well and rest well you should be fit and healthy. It’s always a good idea to have a blood check from time to time to see if you are low in any minerals and to make sure everything is as it should be.
Also, a visit to the dentist is advisable as a tooth problem can cause many other different problems. Not just in your mouth. Good luck, Rob, and I hope this all helps?
