Holy flu symptoms, Batman, give me an antibiotic...?

We've been seeing a lot of different illnesses these past few weeks, especially those of the runny nose, cough, sore throat, and achy variety. How do you know if you have a cold, the flu, or something else?
WebMD is a great source for lots of health questions (be sure to check out this slideshow on Cold vs Flu). Here's a table I copied from their website to help answer the question. You'll notice that antibiotics are NOT mentioned as a treatment.

Symptoms	Cold	Flu
Fever	Rare	Characteristic, high (100-102 degrees F); lasts three to four days
Headache	Rare	Prominent
General Aches, Pains	Slight	Usual; often severe
Fatigue, Weakness	Quite mild	Can last up to two to three weeks
Extreme Exhaustion	Never	Early and prominent
Stuffy Nose	Common	Sometimes
Sneezing	Usual	Sometimes
Sore Throat	Common	Sometimes
Chest Discomfort, Cough	Mild to moderate; hacking cough	Common; can become severe
Complications	Sinus congestion or earache	Bronchitis, pneumonia; can be life-threatening
Prevention	Good hygiene	Annual flu shot or FluMist
Treatment	Only temporary relief of symptoms	Antiviral drugs (Tamiflu or or Relenza) within 24-48 hours of onset

Fitness Roundup

I'm sure you've all made your New Year's Resolutions by now, and hopefully you've included some fitness expectations for yourself. I've pledged to throw in something new every so often; this winter; it will be Big Ball Fitness classes (stay tuned for information...) in addition to what I do already. Cross-training is where it's at: it keeps you interested, and you'll use different important muscles each time. I really like to mix up Zumba, yoga, belly-dancing, and weight training myself. Here are some local classes that offer lots of variety:

• Zumba by Rene: every Monday and Wednesday at 6:00 at Earth Dog Cafe in Berkeley Springs  (YES! Earth Dog. Then you can have refreshments after class, because you will deserve it!)

• Zumba by Nicole: at the Hancock American Legion, every Wednesday at 6:30 This is a NEW class for Hancock! You can get the first class free if you pre-register. Sign up with Nicole by going to her Zumba page for information.

• Bellysima Bellydance: Tuesday mornings at 10:30 and Wednesday afternoons at 5:30 at Rankins Fitness Center in Berkeley Springs. For more information, call Angela Petry at (304)995-5832

• Baraka Kempo starts on February 8 at Rankins Fitness Center. Classes are Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6:00 p.m.

• Ladies Bootcamp at Rankins starts on February 8, every Monday and Wednesday at 5:00 p.m.

• Silver Sneakers is every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:30 a.m.

• Gentle Yoga at Rankins starts January 7 and is held Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:00 am

• I believe the Big Ball class will begin soon at Rankins and will be on Tuesday nights. Check back here for more information, or watch our Facebook page for updates, or call Rankins at (304)258-5555.

If you know of any other classes in the area, please email me and I'll be happy to post it. Happy, Healthy New Years, everyone!