Fitness and Immunity: The benefits of working out to fight illness
With COVID-19 and the Delta variant still causing a lot of concern, it’s more important than ever to do everything in your power to keep your body healthy.
Immune health is the key to all health. Anything that boosts your immune system will help fight off not only coronavirus but also the flu, a cold, and almost any other sickness you can name.
Thus, one way to fight off illness is to work out. Whether that means yoga, biking, daily walks or jogs, gym membership, or some combination of these and other strategies, you can rejuvenate your immune system and enjoy such benefits as these:
1. Protection of Lung & Respiratory Health
Yoga and other exercise routines that engage the whole body can significantly boost lung and respiratory health.
Working out one or two hours a day can lower the risk of upper respiratory infection by a third. Some studies suggest vigorous physical activity can flush harmful bacteria out of your lungs and airways. Since so many pathogens are airborne or make their way into people’s lungs via the hand touching the lips and then breathing it in – boosting your lung immunity is a big part of the battle against COVID-19 and other health threats.
Plus, healthy lungs bring in high-oxygen air to feed body organs and keep everything at a high functional level. This impacts cardio health among other things.
2. Body Temperature Can Curb Bacteria Growth
Everyone knows that your body naturally raises its own temperature in the process of fighting a bacterial infection. But many also believe that the sudden, short-lived rise in body temperature during a strenuous workout can kill bacteria or at least inhibit their growth.
This goes to show why fitness and immunity go hand in hand. Making your body an unfit place for bacteria to thrive greatly lowers your risk of infection. Those who are physically fit tend to have far fewer health episodes per year.
3. Ridding Your Body of Harmful Toxins
Another benefit of working out that helps your immune health is getting rid of built-up body toxins. Exercise stimulates the lymphatic system, which then works on ousting unwelcome toxins from your system.
We have no idea how many or what kind of toxins may be inside of us. Many toxins stick with us for years, and we never even know they are there. Exercise can flush them out of our system so we feel healthier – because we are.
4. Reduction of Stress Hormone Release
Too much stress can overload our immune system, making us more susceptible to disease. Good, smart physical workouts on a regular basis – not overdoing it sporadically, help reduce the release of stress hormones.
The endocrine system will not so quickly go into “emergency mode,” and we will gradually build up stamina so we can endure more without stressing out. Aside from getting a good night’s sleep and other stress-relief methods, regular workout sessions will make a big difference and make us stronger to fight off disease.
5. Increased Circulation
Finally, healthy exercise increases blood flow, and better circulation means white blood cells and antibodies circulate faster and can potentially find and destroy pathogens quicker.
The bottom line is that fitness and immunity intersect, and working out works wonders when it comes to fighting illnesses of all kinds.
Looking for a top-tier gym to work out at, in the North Texas Panhandle? Try Amarillo Town Club for a friendly, fully equipped experience you will love! They offer professional service, socially distanced workouts, and regular sanitizing of all equipment. So not only can you get a great workout in, but do it safely also.
