Body Talk
Mel Watson
What can we do to keep fit and healthy in these times of isolation? The main buzzword seems to be exercise and there are many webinars and meetings with excellent tea hers available on line to keep you in tip top condition rather than becoming a couch potato.
Healthy muscles will contribute to a healthy immune system, allowing easier blood flow around your body and so helping to either repel or clear out harmful bacteria.Exercise can reduce the effects of ageing on the immune system, a study of older people who exercised found that their immune systems were functioning at the level of people decades younger!
Another study of the over 60’s found those who regularly walked at least 10.000 steps a day had immune systems equivalent to people in their 20’s!
Any exercise is better than none, even walking up and down the stairs a few times a day.
A diet high in salt would seem to indicate the immune system becomes worse at fighting off bacteria, and could contribute to inflammation.
We should all be careful not to eat too much as obesity can also contribute to inflammation and can also compromise the immune system. Fat cells produce toxic chemicals that can affect the immune response.Older people however could need the extra calories. Also it’s not good to drink too much as this could also suppress the immune system and also disrupts sleep which is vital for maintaining our health.
Do your best to stay healthy and safe in these challenging times.
