When you exercise regularly, you are not only helping yourself stay in good shape, but you are helping yourself stay healthy, literally. For countless years, exercise has been linked to preventing illnesses amongst people. Following a proper exercise routine could help you fight off the flu, common colds, and other types of infections.

 

Increased Heart Rates

Exercising is known for increasing your heart rate, which is good for the immune system. As your heart rate increases, the white blood cells and other components of your immune system will begin to circulate through your body at a faster rate. This helps decrease the amount of time that it normally takes for your immune system to fight off a potential infection.

When you exercise, you also eliminate the amount of stress that you are under. Stress has the potential to prevent your immune system from working well; therefore, eliminating stress is a benefit to your immune system.

 

Raises Body Temperature

When you exercise, your body temperature will rise. This is necessary to help fight off or prevent sickness. Most of the infectious agents that travel through your body cannot survive when your body temperature rises; even if the temperature shifts a few degrees. When your body temperature rises, your body is generating a fever, which will be used to fight infections. The higher body temperature will accelerate the internal working of your body’s cells. This means that the disease-fighting cells will respond faster, and your immune responses also increase.

 

Removes of Waste

Exercise helps to remove the waste products from your body, which helps to decrease your risk of infection. When you exercise, the speed at which your body removes wastes will increase. When your breathing rate increases, the more foreign particles and bacteria your body flushes from your lungs. Increasing the amount of sweat you produce can also remove waste products. When you remove this waste, fewer infectious agents will be present in your body.

 

Boosts the Body’s Defenses

It is true that exercise can help boost the body’s defenses against various types of bacteria, as well as different types of viruses. This is done with aerobic exercises, such as walking, cycling, brisk jogging, and more. For the most positive effects – pertaining to aerobic exercises – it is best to narrow it down to 30 minute exercise sessions, between three and four times per week. If you prefer to stick to jogging only, you can jog for approximately 10 miles per week to help build your body’s defenses. Excessive exercise (20 miles or more of jogging per week) has the ability to make your body vulnerable to infection, which is why you should never over-extend yourself when exercising.

 

Supplements Matter

Vitamins and supplements are known to keep the body healthy and strong. The most common types of vitamins that you can take to prevent sickness, or to treat a common cold or flu, are Vitamin C and D. Vitamin C is a natural supplement (antioxidant) that people take on a daily basis in order to prevent themselves from catching a cold or other virus. Do not take higher than the recommended amount of Vitamin C; doing so could cause diarrhea, nausea, or kidney stones.

Vitamin D supplements are known for many benefits, and combating colds and flu is one of those benefits. Some cases have shown that Vitamin D also helps to dramatically reduce the number of respiratory infections. During the winter months, the sunrays are generally too weak, which cause a drastic reduction in the body’s level of Vitamin D. You need the sunlight and your Vitamin D levels to be strong in order for your body (immune system and hormones) to function properly.

We also recommend using protein supplements to help you gain more muscle. Protein helps you recover from your workouts as well as improve your strength. I personally use Progenex supplements for my Crossfit workouts but most Amazon supplements are less expensive and just as good.

When you exercise, your body will thank you. You not only remain in good shape, but exercise also helps prevent some illnesses from occurring. If you are ill, it is true that exercise could help you recover at a faster rate. To live a healthy lifestyle, you should create an exercise routine, and stick with it.

 

About the Author

Ryan Blair is a freelance writer who has spent 12 years in the fitness industry doing just about everything including personal training for 6 years. He now spends his time combining his love of writing with his experience in fitness. If you want to contact him you can do so at:

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/ryan-blair/a5/230/674