Regular physical activity is one of the most reliable ways to help you to stay well, but is there a best exercise for immune system strength and wellness? Is there one type of workout you should make sure you’re always doing, above all else? This is a reasonable question. After all, you’ve likely heard all sorts of odd advice for immunity boosting over the last while, with only a fraction of it being true.
Is There One Best Exercise for Immune System Health?
When it all comes down to it, it’s not possible to say that there is a single best exercise for immune system strength for all people. The human body and our lifestyles simply aren’t cookie-cutter enough to make a blanket statement like that. Just as there isn’t one diet that is perfect for all people, there isn’t one workout move, either.
Still, just because there isn’t one single best workout to strengthen immunity, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t certain moves that are typically more helpful than others. In fact, research suggests that it’s likely better for overall health to do a variety of different types of workouts instead of just a single type. This is more helpful to both our physical and our mental wellbeing.
What Types of Workouts Should You Do to Support Immunity?
No exercises will stop you from catching an illness if you are exposed to it and it enters your system. Unless you already have antibodies for a given infection, if you’re going to catch something, the strength of your immune system won’t determine whether or not it gets caught. Instead, it can sometimes play a role in the duration and severity of what you do catch.
According to a Journal of Sport and Health Science review from 2019, regular moderate exercise can substantially assist your metabolic health and the defense activity of your immune system. This was further supported by a study published in the Exercise Immunology Review, covered by Science Daily in March 2020, which showed that your body is better at battling viruses and other infections when you take steps to boost your immune system health, such as exercising.
The specifics as to what you put into your workouts are up to you. There is, after all, no single best exercise for immune system health. However, the Department of Health and Human Services, the American Heart Association and other reputable medical organizations recommend the following weekly minimum:
- 150 minutes moderate exercise OR
- 75 minutes vigorous exercise
Meeting the minimums is typically considered to be enough to reach your health goals. As long as you get that much, you will be doing your body a lot of good. When it comes to exercise for immune system strength, more isn’t necessarily better. Keeping active overall, avoiding long sedentary periods throughout the day, and meeting those minimums will ensure you’re on the right track.
More Than Just the Best Exercise for Immune System Strength
Don’t forget that finding the best exercise for immune system health for you isn’t your only way to help your body fight disease. Diet, stress control, support immune system supplements, and sleep also play a meaningful role. If you’re not sure what changes you can make on behalf of your healthy body, be sure to speak with your doctor.