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With all the strange weather we’ve been experiencing, my friends are either full-on getting sick or have that dreaded tickle in their throats.

There’s no magic pill for the common cold (although zinc and Immune Shroom are pretty close!), so the best you can do during this time is support your body in its quest to heal!

The number one way to this, besides getting enough or even extra sleep, is to simply walk for 45 minutes each day. It doesn’t have to be vigorous, and can be broken up into chunks such as 20 mins of strolling on your lunch break and 25 mins after dinner. (The added bonus here is that your digestion will be supported and your blood sugar will stabilize more effectively).

No matter how you do it, getting that walk in is important.

According to David Nieman, Ph.D., “A daily walk helps shake up and spread out your Natural Killer cells – which are the Marine corps of your immune system – making them more vigilant.” He adds, “Don’t push yourself. Exhaustive exercise can actually impair the immune system, so pace yourself to where you can comfortably talk while you walk.”

Why does it work?

Because exercise significantly increases lymphatic return! Your lymphatic system is responsible for immunity and maintaining fluid balance in the body. It consists of lymphatic vessels & capillaries, and is similar to your circulatory system – except there is no pump to move your lymph fluid the way the heart pumps the blood. You must do it manually through muscular contraction.

Your lymph carries your body’s natural defenses (such as B cells, T cells, and Natural Killer cells) throughout your system so that they can get to work and clean house. Natural Killer (NK) cells attack and destroy bacteria, transplanted tissue, host cells infected with viruses and cancer cells. Prevention is key! A healthy lymphatic system cleans up cancer cells and is important for overall health whether you have a cold or not.

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