Exercise Does a Body Good!

Keeping physically fit helps reduce the likelihood of falling sick with a cold this season with its immune-boosting effects!

The U.S. study, published in Tuesday’s issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine, was based on 1,002 adults up to age 85 on how often they got aerobic exercise equivalent to a brisk walk.
People who got aerobic exercise five days a week or more for at least 20 minutes had more than a 40 per cent reduction in illness days compared with those who averaged one day of exercise per week or less, said study author David Nieman, director of the university’s human performance laboratory.
The severity of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) like colds was also reduced 32 per cent between the least fit and most fit groups, the researchers found.
In the study, participants were asked about their lifestyle, diet and recent stressful events, which can affect how well the immune system works.
But exercise not only reduces stress and helps people sleep better, the researchers said. Physical activity also causes more immune cells to circulate through the body, where they are available to kill any viruses. “You just have a better capability to detect pathogens and kill them, and then that adds up over time to reducing illness rates,” Nieman said.
The immune-boosting effect of exercise was in addition to its known benefits in fighting heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Therefore, our conclusion for today is : Exercising on a regular basis does many wonders besides looking great externally.