Strengthen Your Immune System With Exercise
Exercise Boost the Body’s Defensive System to Support a Healthy Body
Exercise contributes many positive effects to the human body: muscle strength, improved cardiovascular ability, a sense of tranquility, reduced risk for certain diseases, and many more benefits. One of these other benefits is the strengthening of the immune system.
The immune system is the body’s defender against foreign invaders such as viruses, bacteria, harmful chemicals; it’s also on the lookout for carcinogens. The immune system is efficient at providing protection; the skin, inflammatory responses caused by changes in blood flow to injured areas, the body’s learned recognition of specific invaders and the destruction of them after subsequent exposures, are examples of the immune system's multiple defenses.
To ensure providing the immune system with everything necessary to protect the body, one must look at three crucial areas: nutrition, exercise and stress reduction. The essential elements for survival of the human body are food, water, and rest. If one can address these areas sufficiently, living a health life is achievable.
Nutrition
The human body requires nutrients in specific amounts to sustain life. The macronutrients protein, carbohydrates, fat, and the micronutrients vitamins and minerals should be obtained from a variety of foods. Anti-oxidants are important nutrients that remove harmful oxidants from the blood. Oxidants are the toxic by-products made by the body when it turns food into energy. Also known as free radicals these toxins can damage DNA and suppress the immune system.
Exercise
Research suggests, even more so than diet, exercise has the ability to protect and enhance immune system response. The level of exercise necessary to provide immune system augmentation is not vigorous but light to mild. Important aspects of strengthening the immune system with exercise are breathing, movement, and posture. Unlike vigorous exercise that requires energy, disciplines such as yoga, qi gong, and tai chi actually generate energy.
The lymph system is a crucial part of the immune system. Deepening the breath is the signal that stimulates the lymph system. The second factor that stimulates lymph circulation is movement -- the act of contracting and releasing your muscles -- but the movement does not need to be vigorous to have a beneficial effect on the system.
One of the reasons gentle exercise is so effective is that it efficiently activates the lymph system, delivering immune cells to their sites of activity. The lymph is an important vehicle for the transport of both immune forces and artillery: T cells and certain antibodies.
Studies that evaluated lung volume and oxygen capacity noted a parallel between reduced oxygen and disease. Oxygen plays a major role in the body’s ability to protect the body.
Stress Reduction
Depression, anxiety, panic, fatigue, frustration, irritability, anger, injuries, all forms of stress, contribute to suppressing immune function to varying degrees. It is safe to say people all feel stress at some point in life. Reducing stress strengthens the immune system and enhances functionability. Exercise improves mood by producing positive biochemical changes in the body and brain.
One's choice of exercise for stress reduction should be something enjoyable. Consult with a physician before beginning an exercise regime. If one exercises when in great stress when the heart rate is already elevated, it is possible to have a heart attack or stroke.
Once clearance is received from the physician and a mode of exercise is selected, one can begin immune building activity. Combining proper nutrition, gentle movements and stress reduction contribute to overall health.
"Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are." -Chinese Proverb
Exercise protects DNA
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