Exercise works for immune strength, but don’t overdo it!

By now, we all know that exercise is recommended for health and well-being.

We also know that our body’s decline with aging is actually inflammaging - the gradual increase in low level inflammation throughout the body.

So how does exercise help reduce the inflammation that is responsible for immune system decline and diseases of aging - arthritis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer?

Scientists haven’t nailed the exact reason physical activity enhances the infection-fighting part of immune function, but here are some recent theories:

• Physical activity improves circulation, so may help flush bacteria and viruses out of the lungs and airways.

• Exercise stimulates positive changes in antibodies and white blood cells (WBC). WBCs are the body's immune system cells that fight disease.

• The brief rise in body temperature during and right after exercise may prevent bacteria from growing. This how having a fever actually helps us fight a bacterial illness.

• Exercise slows down the release of stress hormones. Chronic stress has long been linked to immune suppression and illness.

Interestingly...

• A recent study showed that 20 minutes of moderate exercise had an anti-inflammatory effect at the cellular level. That means immune cells were calmed, less stimulated.

It appears that the right amount of exercise strengthens our ability to fight infections while reducing the harmful effects of chronic, low-level inflammation.

Here are some of the general benefits of exercise:

• Reduces risk of chronic disease

• Improves sleep and sex life

• Improves energy

• Increases strength and flexibility

• Improves memory

• Boosts immunity

• Improves mood and happiness

• And...increases lifespan by up to 3.4 years

And there are aesthetic advantages!

• You get an instant glow

• It helps reduce wrinkles due to increased collagen production

• Hair can be healthier, due to reduction in stress hormones

• Better posture and muscle definition mean a younger looking body

How much is too much?

Well, the relationship between exercise and inflammation is a tricky one. It is both a cause and a reducer of inflammation.

And, according to world class athlete and founder of the Primal Health movement, Mark Sisson, depending on the context, inflammation produced by exercise can be a good or a bad thing. Jeez!

The bottom line from the research on exercise and inflammation, however,  is that regular, moderate exercise lowers markers of inflammation in the bloodstream, while acute, strenuous bouts of exercise increase these same markers.

Here are some important concepts from Sisson’s many years of … as he says…”personal and painful experience:”

• Some degree of inflammation is necessary

• The body gets stronger by using the inflammatory response to break down then build tissue back up to an even better state

• An effective training routine is built around acute stressors followed by plenty recovery time

• Lots of regular slow movement and good nutrition is key to supporting the body’s healing between acute, strenuous workouts

So, the trick to this tricky situation is planning workouts that include full, healthy recovery time between all-out workouts and inflammation spikes. A-ha!

Let’s not forget that moderate exercise, especially in a fasted state, trains the body to burn fat instead of glucose, which is favoured during intense workouts.

Fat cells are little factories of inflammation. So - less fat, less inflammation. Less inflammation = longer, healthier life!

A recent study of life-long cycling enthusiasts aged 55 to 79 found that their bones and muscles had not aged, and their immune systems were robust and healthy.

Normally, the thymus gland begins to shrink in our 20s, but these folks had still-functioning thymus glands, producing lots of protective immune cells, comparable to the younger group.

All of this makes sense, intuitively. As a fitness buff, I can attest to the desire to fuel my body with clean, healthy food and drink lots of water to stay well hydrated.

During exercise, our heart rate increases and heightens circulation to the body’s detoxing organs - the kidneys, liver and bowels. For optimal functioning during exercise, we need extra water and nutrients on board.

When we move vigorously, we sweat, and pass urine and stool more frequently, flushing toxins out of the body quickly and efficiently. This ultimately takes a load off the immune system.

Immunologist Dr Jenna Macchiochi reminds us that moving our bodies also moves our lymph, which travels in tandem with the circulatory system, carrying disease-fighting immune cells and removing debris and toxins.

All of these concepts are borne out in the research on centenarians living in the Blue Zones, the five areas on the Planet where a high proportion of people live into their 100's.

It tells us that long-lived folks are physically active throughout their lives, even into old age when they continue to walk long distances, lift, carry, climb, throw, build, cook, clean and dance right to the not-so-bitter end.

(They also generally eat a clean diet, have strong family and social connections, and are guided by strong faith in a higher power - but those are subjects for another post or two!)

These folks live long, happy and active lives, with low rates of obesity and chronic disease.

So what’s the secret to finding an easy, enjoyable, and effective exercise program that will keep your inflammation levels low?

Exercise smart and do what you love.

Look at your current fitness plan. What parts are working for you?

I’ve seen a number of female patients who complain that they’re going to the gym 5 days a week, working hard with a trainer, and aren’t seeing results. They describe frustration, fatigue and a flabby body!

Are you happy with your routine? Do you have a sense that you’re getting stronger, more toned, and feel more energetic?

If not, pull out the parts that you really enjoy and ditch the routines you have to drag yourself out to do.

In my own experience, running has always been a stress-reliever as well as an exercise outlet for fitness and weight control. And I do love it.

But, running on it’s own is not an exercise for longevity and immune health.

Pounding the pavement, using the same muscles day in and day out, only results in joint damage and fatigue.

And, to be honest, it wasn’t burning fat. My runs were getting harder and harder, and I was getting wider and wider!

So I changed things up.  

Following Sisson’s Primal Blueprint fitness recommendations, I stopped chronically running and started walking every day first thing in the morning.

This fasted brisk walk (I do 12 to 16 hours intermittent fasting every day) at daylight is now something I look forward to, not only as a fat-burning workout, but an awesome way to start my day.

I still do at least one run per week - a short sprinting workout of 20 to 30 minutes,  and I’ve added a 30 minute strength training workout twice a week.

Easy, fun, and effective. Bye, bye meno-pot, hello toned body!

After 10 years of carrying extra weight around my middle, I’m seeing it fall off with my new routine. At 63, I have no arthritis symptoms and my blood markers for inflammation are normal.

Sisson also recommends, and I agree, that most of your exercise be done outdoors, getting sunlight and fresh air for total wellness.

And the best thing is...you don’t need a gym membership! This entire program can be done in and around your home, or at a nearby park or beach, with a yoga mat as your only piece of equipment.

So again, I emphasize: Exercise intuitively. Listen to your body and do what you feel like doing on any given day, following the guidelines below.

Above all else, do what you love to do.

But wait, are you an exercise hater?

Personal trainer Holly Goodwin recommends thinking of exercise simply as a commitment to movement. Think of moving your body as a form of self-love, and move with joy!

Here are the basics

• Do what you love. Outdoors in daylight.

• Move a LOT every day at a nice slow, regular pace.

• Schedule once or twice weekly bouts of strength work to include pulling, pushing, squatting and planks.

• Enjoy occasional bursts of speed once a week, like sprints while running, cycling or swimming, with full recovery time in between.

• For balance, flexibility and posture, incorporate a twice weekly mobility routine, such as yoga or Pilates.

• If you’re just starting out, consider working with a personal trainer to help create your personalized program.

That’s it.

Varied, regular, enjoyable, convenient, cheap. And guaranteed to keep your immune system happy well into the future.

Every step you take toward immune health is a step toward healthy longevity. Pun intended!

Resources for more information on fitness and longevity:

The Primal Blueprint  by Mark Sisson

Ben Greenfield’s Longevity Blueprint Quest - a fantastic 6 week introduction to body hacks for wellness, beauty, and longevity

Body by Science  by Doug McGuff MD

IMPORTANT REMINDER: If you’re over 50 and have not been exercising regularly, or are under medical treatment, please see your physician for the “all clear” to start this, or any, exercise program.

Photo by: AmandaThuellPhotography Bermuda