Boosting Immunity through Exercise (at home!)

  1. Home /
  2. Building Community/
  3. Boosting Immunity through Exercise (at home!)

Boosting Immunity through Exercise (at home!)

by /Building Community

Did you know physical fitness is an immunity booster?

Regular physical activity is a great way to strengthen your immune system and help manage stress. Research shows that “fit individuals” — defined as those who partake in regular physical activity — have a lower incidence of infection compared to inactive and sedentary individuals. What’s more, being physically active may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases that could further weaken your immune system, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.

So how does exercise help? First, physical activity helps flush bacteria out of the lungs, decreasing your chances of getting a cold, flu or other illness. Exercise also reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. Prolonged or chronic stress can negatively impact the immune system by reducing the body’s ability to defend against viruses and bacteria. Lower levels of stress hormones may protect against illness. Exercise also stimulates the production of endorphins — chemicals in the brain that are the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators.

For at-home fitness essentials, San Jose Mercury News getting a set of yellow, green and red resistance bands (the colors correspond with varying levels of resistance). These can be used for back, bicep, triceps, shoulders and leg work. Looped bands to go around the calves or thighs, which strengthen the glutes and can help prevent knee and back injuries.

And don’t forget the streaming services, online resources and fitness apps! HuffPost editors have narrowed down their favorite stay-at-home services, many of which offer free trials. Many of the fitness apps are now offering even more lenient and affordable subscriptions to encourage people to stay active during these uncertain times.

So get your bands, download your favorite app or streaming service, and get moving! Ask a friend to join you and have a virtual work-out session together. Having a workout partner also help with accountability!