Move Your Way to a Better Immune System

Did you know that exercise can improve your immune system? Whether you are walking, running, lifting weights etc. any amount of movement can boost your immune system to keep you well and healthy. When you exercise you tend to breath a bit harder which can flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. This then has the potential to reduce your change of getting a cold, flu, or other illness. How cool is that?

When we exercise we are also changing the amount of antibodies and white blood cells in the body. White blood cells are the cells that fight disease. When exercising we circulate these cells more rapidly and they  potentially are able to detect illness earlier than they would have before.

We all know fevers are our body’s way of cooking out bacteria and stopping them from multiplying and growing. Exercising will increase your body temperature during and after which may prevent bacteria from growing and prevent infection.

We all have noticed that once we get stressed out(think Christmas time) you tend to get sick around then. Stress lowers our immune system’s ability to adapt and that can increase the chance of us becoming ill. Exercise slows down the release of stress hormones and that can then lower the amount of stress hormones in the body which could then protect you against illness.

So now is the perfect time to get back to your routine of working out; whether for you that is going to the gym or doing something at home. Get your blood pumping and your temperature up to boost that immune system!