Q: I often will catch a cold or fever after vigorous physical activity.I usually play doubles badminton. I started feeling sick after playing singles which is much harder than doubles.what can I do to prevent this?

A: Heavy physical activity of any kind can take a toll on your body. It's not unusual to be more susceptible to falling sick at times like that. There is no perfect solution, but you should do your best to give your body all the resources it needs to recover from heavy physical activity. That means getting plenty of rest and sleep (most people can benefit from 8 hours/day) and eating healthy. Eat a nutritious diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Of course you should also observe basic rules of hygiene and make sure to wash your hands often. If you already do all of those things and still find yourself falling sick more and more often, it may be a sign that your body simply cannot keep up this level of intensity and it may be a good idea to scale down your badminton or other physical activity, if any.