Part II – Avoiding the Congress Crud
The Congress, we look forward to it for every year, often for years before we finally get there. Excited, we arrive full of anticipation, energy and hope for hearing our names called out for something other than a parking violation. After spending two weeks in closed up barns, air damp with ammonia, moisture dripping from every surface surrounded by 650,000 of our closest sneezing, coughing runny nosed friends, we get the one thing nobody wants, the Congress Crud.
WebMD would have a hay day! Everything doctors recommend you do to avoid catching a cold is alive and accounted for at the Congress. It is the perfect combination of ingredients all coming together to create a setting ripe for every germ to thrive and spread. This year do your best to keep the bugs at bay by following some simple strategies. Keep in mind, I am NOT a doctor, but I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express…
1. Get enough sleep
Sleep is the number one recommended natural defense against any cold or virus. Studies continually confirm that lack of sleep is detrimental not only to your immune system, but to your overall health. Research shows that our bodies need seven to nine hours of sleep in order to stimulate our natural killer cells (NKC), those cells responsible for fighting off germs, bacteria and virus. Getting eight hours of sleep every night may be your best defense for keeping the Congress Crud at bay. Once in Ohio, the nature of the event makes it difficult to always maintain normal sleep patterns so try to arrive fully rested.
Consider decisions regarding sleep vs watching or going to dinner carefully. Especially for children, who often require 10 or 11 hours of sleep per night, sleep is often more important than riding in the show pen. A well trained horse will perform in any arena. A strung out exhausted exhibitor is likely to let nerves get the best of them and regardless of how well prepared the horse is, make mistakes. Experts say power naps can help make up for lack of sleep. Pack your reclining chair and snooze away any down time.
2. Skip the carbs and eat protein
Research has proven that people with diets rich in protein have stronger immune systems. By definition the immune system is a set of interconnected pieces that work harmoniously together to fight germs. To function well, all of the pieces have to be in precise balance. Ensuring your system is properly fueled plays a key role in your system’s overall ability to perform at the peak levels needed at the Congress.
Replacing a sweet roll with fruit and a breakfast sandwich is a good way to enjoy junk food alley and keep your system balanced. If finding protein is difficult for you, as more and more people are vegetarians, make your first stop the grocery store. Columbus has a variety of natural health food stores. Stock up early – you won’t want to take the time once you get settled in. Save the sweet roll for dessert after your ride when your body needs the carbs to refuel.
3. Take your vitamins
While science may not yet be able to prove a link between vitamins and better health, experts cannot deny that a properly balanced system is better able to fend off the common cold. It is common knowledge that you cannot always guarantee the quality of the food you eat, regardless of where you purchase it. Supplementing your diet with herbal remedies can give your system the boost it needs and there are hundreds of products available on today’s market.
Finding supplements made from whole foods is best as your body is better able to absorb nutrients from whole foods. Check out your local health food store or the health food department at your local grocers before leaving home. Get started on the road to better health now, before you leave.
4. Stay hydrated
Drinking lots of water is another way to keep your system operating efficiently. Not only do you need water to flush toxins, but to work effectively, your organs need hydration. Skip the soda and artificially sweetened juice. Stick to water and natural drinks such as juice made from real vegetables and fruit or green tea, another known immune booster. Add some honey – it is naturally antibacterial.
Coming from a Diet Coke addict these are a bold statements and I must confess every few days I fall off the wagon, borrow a golf cart and go to the McDonalds. It is the closest place to get a fountain Diet Coke. But water remains the best way to stay hydrated. Even though it is cold outside and you may not crave it, force yourself to drink water. Finding a powdered vitamin to spike your water not only adds a little zip to the flavor but is a good way to kill two birds with one stone. You will stay hydrated and take in essential vitamins.
5. Use a nasal spray
Ever heard of a netty pot? It is a little teapot like devise used to flush your nasal passages. There are lots of recipes on the Internet, but basically you make a salt water flush combining non-iodine salt and warm water to rinse your nasal cavities. You can also find many daily nasal rinses at drug stores. The purpose is to flush out bacteria and clear secretions. My favorite is called Xlear and is available at health food stores. It has natural ingredients and is suitable for daily use. When I use it regularly with flying, it helps to fend off colds. I will leave it to you to brave the Netty pot or go the nasal spray route – both accomplish the same goal.
6. Avoid contact with germ coated surfaces
Yeah right! Like that is even remotely possible at the Congress. It may not be possible, but do wash your hands often and do avoid touching your nose and mouth with your hands. And don’t think your in the clear because you are wearing gloves. Gloves, often mistaken for a Kleenex, are a bacteria magnet. Bring a couple of cheep pairs of gloves that can be washed. Alternate the gloves you wear and wash them every few days.
Also, when you hear someone sneeze or cough, exhale until you are 6 to 10 feet away from them to avoid breathing in the impurities they expelled. The common cold, a.k.a. The Congress Crud, is absorbed through your nose and mouth. Protect the air you breath and your hands as we often unintentionally wipe our face with our hands.
7. Arm yourself
If all of this fails and your system becomes compromised, make sure that you have the cold remedies on hand that you know your body responds well to. Each of us reacts differently to medicines and even over the counter cold medicines can have an adverse affect on you. Buying your favorite cold medicine at home may help relieve early symptoms and get you over the hump.
Many people believe that taking a Cold-Ease or similar product with Zinc in it helps reduce the duration and symptoms of the common cold. Keep in mind that taking antibiotics is not recommended for colds. Don’t self-medicate with prescription products. Seek professional care if necessary and remember, lack of sleep will make any cold worse. It is important to pay attention to what your body is telling you. It is part of your natural defense. When you are tired, your body is telling you to go to sleep!
There is simply no way to avoid all of the possible contaminants at the Congress. But hopefully this will serve as a reminder that we can help ourselves by paying attention to how we arm our immune system. Building a strong defense to germs should be part of your pre-Congress preparations. Good rest, just like good practice, shows up in the pen.
Or you can do as I have recently done and not refill your vitamin chest, forget your Xlear, work a long weekend, get up at 3 a.m. to catch a flight home, stand in the security line directly in front of a sick and sneezing individual and pick up a bug before you go. My immune system should be armed and my defenses primed for Columbus, Ohio. Good luck and good health!
About Stephanie Lynn: Professional Horseman Stephanie Lynn coached her first AQHA World Champion in 1988. She has since coached, trained and shown World, Congress and Honor Roll horses across disciplines. She is a judge for AQHA, NSBA and APHA and has judged World Championship shows for each association. Most recently, Stephanie is the author of The Good Rider Series and A Lifetime Affair: Lessons Learned Living My Passion. The Good Rider Series is a library of resource material that is both practical and applicable in the barn and show ring for riders. Stephanie can always be reached through her website: http://www.stephanielynn.net to answer your questions, schedule a clinic or lesson.
