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Exercise Regularly to Avoid Getting Sick!
Fitness | December 26, 2015
Everyone gets sick sometimes. But it’s always been my experience that the more in shape I get, the less often I get sick. And it’s fairly common knowledge that exercising regularly boosts your immune system. But what does that mean exactly?
I recently read a fascinating article in the New York Times all about a mice study that’s helping scientists understand how regular exercise can actually keep us from getting sick.
The study, which was published in the Scientific Reports journal in November of this year, examines how obesity, exercise, and inflammation affect how mice get sick and how they recover. The scientists believe that the results from the mice study will translate directly to how humans get sick and recover, as well. Dr. Yoonkyung Park, a professor of biomedical science who oversaw the mice study told the Times, “We strongly believe that long-term, regular exercise can considerably improve the immune defense mechanism against viral infections such as colds and the flu.”
So, how does it all work? In simplest terms, whenever our bodies are confronted with an injury or infection, they respond with inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s way of combatting the germs or injury. Inflammation can help our bodies to heal, but it can also hurt.
Interestingly, people who are obese and carry a lot of fat cells often have low levels of chronic inflammation. Fat cells produce a substance that actually causes inflammation. And too much inflammation that lingers for too long can cause tissue damage and long-term health problems. Additionally, when a body is busy dealing with chronic inflammation, it doesn’t have as many resources to fight off other invading germs or bacteria, making it more prone to sickness and infections. Therefore, obese people tend to get sicker and sick more often than those who aren’t. And obesity and inflammation and the body’s response to it was what interested the scientists in the study.
In the study, researchers separated mice into two groups. One group was sedentary, the “no-exercise” group. The second group of mice were put on a 5-day-a-week swimming regimen for three weeks and labeled the “exercise” group.
Then inflammation levels were studied in both sets of mice during that three week period. As expected, the no-exerecise mice had more fat cells and chronic low levels of inflammation. The exercising mice had spikes in inflammation after exercise, during the healing time when tissues damaged by exercise were being repaired. In the meantime, the number of fat cells in the exercising mice were dropping.
After three weeks both set of mice were injected with a staph infection, a notoriously drug-resistant infection that causes inflammation and infection of bodily tissues. In humans, staph infections can cause sores and lung problems.
Both sets of mice got sick. But the no-exercise mice got way, way sicker and had a hard time recovering. The exercising mice got sick and then recovered.
It turns out that the sedentary mice who had chronic levels of inflammation were unable to recover from the extra inflammation that the staph infection introduced. Their systems were too overwhelmed and weakened. But the exercising mice, who’s bodies were used to fighting inflammation and recovering did just that. After three weeks of exercise they also had fewer fat cells and much lower levels of chronic inflammation. Additionally, according to the Times, the exercising mice made more of a “potent type of antimicrobial immune cell”, which acts like “internal Purell” and “directly kills germs, especially in their lungs”.
Wow! Here is the proof that exercising regularly can keep our bodies healthy. Exercise teaches our bodies how to deal with inflammation. Exercise lowers our fat cell count, which also reduces levels of inflammation. And finally, exercising bodies produce antimicrobial immune cells. When we become stronger, we are actually protecting our bodies from the inside out.
Isn’t the human body amazing? Do you find that you’re healthier when you find the time to exercise regularly? Do you workout with me on a daily basis? If so, have you found that you get sick less often than before you worked out with me?
Private Member |
This is 100% true as far as I am concerned! I used to get sick cold/flu at least twice per year usually when going into fall-winter and then again when it would get warmer in spring. Sometimes even during summer and I remember about two years ago I struggled with a flu on and off all winter and way into spring. BUT about two and a half years ago I got serious with my training and really started pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. As months went by I got stronger and built muscle.
Its been more than a year now I didn’t get not even the slight cold although I have family/people around who are often sick. Even last year I think I could have avoided the november flu if my immune system wasn’t weak from a surgery.
Anyway I for sure noticed past year as my body fat is decreasing and more muscle is built that my health is so much better as well! And big thank you for all your workouts its what I follow consistently and really made a difference in my life!
Happy Holidays! <3
Private Member |
I totaly agree 🙂 In the past i got cold, and then bacterial throat infections few times a year. And I always had to go to the doctor and take antibiotics. I exercise with you for 2 years, but regullarly since spring, an since then I got cold 2 times, and I recovered in few days whitout perscripted drugs, it’s definitely amazing how our body can recover itself when we give it exercise and healthy food!
Private Member |
i think it’s a combination of a few things. in my case it’s working out, getting a lot of fresh air (I have dogs and horses) and a clean vegan diet with intermittend fasting. I only get sick maybe once a year (a cold or a light flu) and I recover very fast.
Private Member |
oh, I forgot to mention the mind! it’s not only our bodies… – if I have busy times or dealing with problems or getting too little sleep other stressful things my immune system gets very weak although all other things (as already said: working out, fresh air and clean diet) stay consistent.
Private Member |
ca, usa
Definitely true for me. I rarely get sick and exercise daily. I have 4 boys and the 2 that exercise and play competitive basketball rarely get sick while my other 2 that don’t get as much exercise catch what ever is going around at school. Healthy diet is key too.
Private Member |
québec, canada
Not only exercise (in my case) contributes to good health and less colds but also decreasing the amount of carbs I eat!
Since I’ve switched my breakfast cereals & toasts for scrambled eggs, I almost never get cold and other related sicknesses anymore. I know it sounds weird but eating carbs for breakfast always had impact on my energy (got hypoglycemia and felt bad every morning) and it certainly didn’t help for my global health. Small steps helped a lot here.
Private Member |
curitiba, parana, brazil
Hi Zu…yes, you are right! I realized before I started working out daily with you I used to get cold many times…I life in a cold place where weather changes a lot from hot, humid to dry and cold so I used to feel it and used to fall sick many times. After I became lean and fit, I do not get sick anymore. I am feeling pretty good, healthy and strong. Thanks for everything. See you, take care.
Private Member |
Funny you should post this. Came down with a little cold on Christmas Day. 🙂 Felt it coming on while cooking. I completely agree with your statement though. I exercise almost daily and this is the first time I have been sick in at least 1 1/2 yrs. and I have a walking cootie. a.k.a… a kid. That’s amazing to me! Haha
Private Member |
I’ve worked out regularly 5-6 times a week (HIIT, running, pole dancing, acrobatic arts) for the last decade and I still get sick ALL TIME TIME! I work out regularly, eat right, take vitamins and probiotics and yet I catch a cold or flu every month. Usually my colds always turn into pneumonia so I get pneumonia at least once or twice a year and that results to a hospitalization. What am I doing wrong????????????????????
Private Member |
ca, usa
Hi Sheena, over exercising has the opposite effect on your health. When I starting working out LESS I got fitter and way less colds/flu, etc… something to try.:)
Private Member |
You have an excellent point. Perhaps I am over exercising? I only workout for 30 minutes to an hour 5-6 times a week. I didn’t think that was too much. But maybe it’s too much for me? Maybe I’ll make this my new years resolution.. to workout less. :p Thanks Cari.
Private Member |
québec, canada
Also, do you get enough sleep? It may help.
Private Member |
Yes I get lots of sleep. More sleep than most. Im up for work every day at 6am and I go to bed at 9pm, sometimes earlier because I’m usually so exhausted.
Private Member |
Also stress can get you sick as well. Many factors play into our well being.
Private Member |
perth, western australia, australia
I think i’m about the same as you. I’ve been experiencing slight cold many time during winter and had real bad hay fever the last 3 winters, ended up with bad miserable sinusitis. Not sure it was much to do with exercising, i’ve been working out everyday ever since 2000. But my opinion is it might had got worse if i hadn’t exercise then, our body, age, weather, environment, stress are adding up to whatever our body has to cope with. Just like you i take vitamin supplement too. Well, i still believe in exercising helps with physical and psychological and etc, so i will not give up working out because i like doing it and is part of my lifestyle now. No matter what i’ll keep exercising.
Private Member |
does anyone else ever feel bad for the poor lab animals that have to go through the discomfort or pain in the name of science? I always feel guilty :/ . interesting study though. Since i exercise regularly i’ve noticed a severe decrease in my severe migraine condition and i also notice my digestion has dramatically improved. interestingly enough i’m not lactose intolerant anymore. i can drink milk without terrible discomfort or nausea.
Private Member |
ca, usa
If there was any advice I could give to all you warriors out there under 45 it would be to slow down. I wish I had been given that advice in my 20s and 30s. Not sure I would have listened though. Slowing down I mean, don’t workout so much that it depletes you and you get sick and don’t feel rejuvenated. Zuzka’s schedule is perfect for a healthy and fit body. I read so many comments that people are doing multiple workouts. In my opinion, it defeats the whole purpose of working out. You should feel energized by a workout not exhausted. Your body, hopefully, has to last a long time and over doing it year after year is not going to get you there. Just my personal experience.
Private Member |
I totally agree with you! I just follow Zuzka’s daily workout,I’m 48 & feel great after the workout but I see lots of zwarriors doing another 2 or 3 workouts a day,too much in my opinion,I don’t want to be exhausted.I’m prove,! that one of Zuzka’s workouts a day are more than enough for anyone to be in great shape