We’ve officially hit fall, and guess what that means? Cold and flu season – ugh!
Don’t forget about the many things you can do to protect yourself from the viruses that spread at this time of year, like:
- Drink plenty of fluids and take extra Vitamin C
- Get your flu shot for 2018-2019
- Practice frequent hand washing and limit exposure to those who are sick
And:
- Exercise
Did you know that just 20 minutes a day of moderate exercise can boost your immunity?
Recent research from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine showed that as little as 20 minutes of daily exercise can reduce inflammation in the body and have positive effects on the immune system.
They studied nearly 50 participants while briskly walking on treadmills at 20 -minute intervals, and here’s what they found:
- Sweating from the activity helped release and flush toxins from the body via the skin.
- More rapid blood flow caused white blood cells—our infection fighters–to circulate more rapidly throughout the body to detect and start attacking illnesses earlier than if not exercising at all.
- Exercise slowed the release of stress hormones in the body which contribute to inflammation and can bring on illness.
Moderate exercise (think walking, swimming, or yoga—not heavy weight-lifting) also helps if you are already starting to feel the first twinges of illness by keeping muscles and joints flexible and less prone to achiness.
If you have questions about starting any moderate exercise because of a chronic condition or a previous sports injury, please contact us at (512) 439-1000 for an appointment.
(Adapted from Readers Digest)
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