New research argues that all exercise can boost your immune system. In particular while you are exercising and for several hours after, immune cells increase dramatically throughout the blood stream. Having more immune cells roaming through your body allows you to fight infections and diseases quickly and more effectively.
An important thing to note is that when the immune cells are decreasing in the blood stream they are actually heading into organs (lungs, liver etc.) to hunt for infections. This could be a nice precaution to consider during the coronavirus times, to help protect yourself from this infectious virus. This is just another reason, to keep up your exercise even if you are in quarantine, apart from keeping you healthy and sane.
You can easily incorporate exercise throughout the day to potentially boost your immune system. Exercising before a meal can improve your insulin response among many other benefits. Taking the stairs is another easy way to get in a little bit more exercise, try sprinting up them for even more of a boost!
Apart from potentially boosting your immune response, exercise provides a myriad of other fantastic benefits to keep you healthy. Sometimes it is difficult to exercise, that is why it is important to find a form of exercise that you enjoy and are more likely to keep up. Here are some recommendations to try:
- Running
- Cycling
- Gym – resistance workouts
- Ball sports
- Water sports
- Hiking/rucking
Try a few out and see if any stick. The most important thing is to find something you enjoy doing and are going to stick with long term. Consistent, long-term exercise is where the biggest benefits lie.
This quick tip was found thanks to Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s tweet here, highlighting the new research paper discussing this topic. Dr. Patrick shares great information on her Twitter, often sharing the newest research in relation to health and longevity.