When I think of the start of a new year I think of New Year’s resolutions to set, new adventures to take and new habits to form. I’m sure you can easily add to this list with new ideas you have for 2021. All of these ‘new’ plans always lead me back to my health.
How can my new year’s resolution and new habits strengthen my health? Make me physically, emotionally and mentally stronger. And if I strengthen my health, will I be capable to set out on new adventures? So much to think about and wouldn’t it be great if it was simple too. Wow good luck with that right? Well not so fast. Studies show that simple changes lead to bigger results. That works for me and can work for you too.
With COVID still being very prevalent in our lives, I continue to brainstorm how to strengthen my immune system and my families too. Heading into the coldest part of the winter makes me focus on simple ways to keep our immune system up and running so we are ready to put it to work if and when we need it.
Being in the health and wellness industry for over 25 years now, I’m very familiar with the fact that exercise benefits your immune system. So let’s talk about it and keep it simple.
Question 1: How does exercise strengthen the immune system?
Answer 1: Exercise gets the blood pumping, also known as circulation. Improving your circulation goes hand in hand with improving your cardiovascular health and lowering your blood pressure. When exercise contributes to improved circulation, it also improves the movement of the cells and substances of the immune system, allowing them to move more freely through the body. Which in turn allows these cells to do their job efficiently. Exercise also increases your body temperature, acting similarly to how a fever helps fight infection and prevents bacteria from growing.
Question 2: What types of exercise do I need to do?
Answer 2: Simple exercise routines. Daily walks or hikes, strength training, HIIT workouts and my favorite, Pilates.
Yes, Pilates has the potential for stress reduction which promotes long term heart health. It also has many other health benefits such as improved balance, coordination, posture, core strength, circulation (remember how important circulation is for your immune system?), and performance in sports. Pilates also lengthens the body, balances strength and flexibility, heightens body awareness, is easy on the joints, and is customizable for all (rehab patients to elite athletes). In my training as a Certified Classical Pilates Instructor, I’ve not only observed but personally trained young athletes, breast cancer survivors, asthma sufferers, children and adults with scoliosis, and clients with various degrees of multiple sclerosis. Pilates truly benefits everyone.
Daily walks or hikes are not only good for your body but also your mind. A good outdoor walk can improve ones mood, self-esteem, sleep quality, and reduce stress, anxiety and fatigue. Studies show that people who are physically active reduce their risk of depression by 30%. Today we need this reduction more than ever. Exercise also reduces stress hormones and stimulates the release of endorphins, which help you feel great. January 1st I started a challenge with about 100 other racers to Race Across America 2021. We will log 3527 miles over the course of the year. Most of us are working together in teams to make it manageable, supportive and successful. There is still time to join by copying and pasting this link for details. https://mailchi.mp/29fffb7c9cf2/race-across-america
Strength Training – increases muscle mass and decreases fat mass. It can also lead to improved coordination, better cognitive function, higher bone density, increased metabolism and reduced back pain.
HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is interval training that alternates short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods. This is usually done until you are too exhausted to continue. Although HIIT training can help strengthen your immune system, studies show that doing excessive high-intensity exercise more than 3-4 times per week can actually make your immune system weak. So more is not actually better here. Pushing too hard could put you at risk of infection.
Question 3: How much exercise do I have to do a week?
Answer 3: The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends adults getting a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week. This can be broken into five 30-minute workouts a week. If you think about taking 30 minute out of your day five times a week it seems manageable. Mix up your workouts to make it fun.
Question 4: Is there any other simple tips to strengthen my immune system?
Answer 4: Definitely. Choose a healthy lifestyle, maintain a healthy weight, don’t smoke, get adequate sleep, minimize stress, drink alcohol in moderation and choose a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, proteins and healthy fats. That doesn’t mean you have to give up everything that you love. You just have to make healthy choices most of the time. And my last tip, which shouldn’t be a surprise, is to take basic steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently.
We can all benefit from a healthier immune system, and keeping it simple is a win win. Just take it one step at a time.
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2021!
Darcy
Sources
Medline Plus. Exercise and Immunity. 2017
American College of Sports Medicine: "Exercise and the Common Cold." 2017
Harvard Health Publishing. Exercising to Relax. February 2011
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-system
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17369-pilates--heart-health
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