We usually remember to take care of the immune when we catch a cold. But then we forget about it after we get well. However, as the global pandemic highlighted, taking care of your immune system is a permanent obligation that you owe to yourself.
Given the nature of unknown viruses, it’s not worth taking the risk of waiting to get infected before you look to strengthen your immunity. As Covid showed, if your immune system is not in good working order before you catch a virus, it’s already too late.
It’s, therefore, important to do everything in your power to protect yourself from possible infection or recover more easily in case of infection.
Regular physical activity is necessary for the healthy functioning of the body. People who do not exercise at all have a higher risk of contracting various diseases and are susceptible to bacterial and viral infections. Conversely, if you exercise too much, you can also damage your immunity. A walk can be the perfect compromise.
The Importance Of Movement
Movement is an activity that in modern times we have replaced by sitting or driving in a car and it is almost unimaginable for us to walk somewhere if we don’t have a good reason. But there is no preservation of immunity and good health without exercise and lots of movement.
A body that is used to exercise and move functions faster and more efficiently. Good circulation allows your cells and immune proteins to move more efficiently and freely, making them do their jobs better. Exercise can also slow the decline of immunity in old age because movement prolongs life, reduces depression and anxiety, and is beneficial for the circulatory system and brain.
Forest Walks
Few can resist the beauty of nature, and when we are aware that being in the forest can be beneficial for our health, we have even more reasons to hike there. Just half an hour spent in the forest is enough to help us and strengthen our immunity because we bathe in its natural immunity and are immersed in the phytochemical immune system of the forest.
A tradition known in ancient Japan as “shinrin-yoku,” or “bathing in the forest air,” is a natural method for boosting immunity and reducing stress. “Shinrin” means “forest” in Japanese, and “yoku” means “bath”. Literally translated, shinrin-yoku means bathing in the forest atmosphere or consuming the forest through our senses.
Forest therapy, i.e. walking in the forest and “bathing” in the forest air, in addition to strengthening immunity, according to experts, affects the prevention of cancer, viral and bacterial infections, autoimmune and other chronic diseases.
People tested before and after a two-hour walk in the woods had up to 50% more T-cells, lower blood pressure, and felt calm and clear-headed. The forest has a good effect on hormones in the body and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, etc.
Staying in the forest, our breath combines with phytoncides, and these compounds are so strong that they stay in the body for up to two months, keeping our immune system strong
Stress Elimination
A less stressful life has tangible benefits for our health in a variety of ways, one of which is the immune system. If we separate ourselves from stressful factors and replace screens with nature and clean air, we will feel and think better.
Walking benefits thinking performances since oxygen exchange is stimulated in the cells themselves, supplying the brain in a more significant way. At the same time, this activity stimulates the creation of endorphins, responsible for good mood and fighting stress.
More White Blood Cells
White blood cells fight infections and other diseases as part of the body’s immune system. A 2005 study confirmed a significant increase in these cells after a 30-minute walk. As well, a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that respondents who walked at a moderate pace for 30 to 45 minutes a day had 43% fewer sick days and fewer upper respiratory tract infections.
