MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Exercise

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Exercise - colds and flu

Contents of this page:
Illustrations Alternative Names	Information

Illustrations

Exercise - a powerful tool

Preventative medicine

Alternative Names Return to top

Flu and exercise; Colds and exercise

Information Return to top

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 helps 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: 1/18/2007

Updated by: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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