Exercise - colds and flu
Illustrations
Alternative names
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Flu and exercise; Colds and exercise
Information
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Question:
Can exercise help you avoid colds and flus?
Answer:
Yes. At least one study suggests that regular exercise can cut in half the number of days a person suffers from colds and the flu. Exercise stimulates the disease-fighting white blood cells in the body to move from the organs into the bloodstream. Overall, you can improve your immune system by eating a proper diet, getting sufficient rest, reducing stress, and exercising regularly. This will decrease your chances of getting a cold or the flu.
Update Date: 5/17/2003
Updated by: Bridget Martell, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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