Exercise can help you beat Covid
Less than five hours a week is enough to protect you.
![Exercise can help you beat Covid](https://media.citizen.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/excerise-to-beat-covid-19.jpg)
Being active, exercise, no matter how intense, keeps people healthy, boosts their immune systems and helps them beat off infection. Picture: iStock
No matter what we may think, exercise has become even more important in recent times. I’m referring to general exercise, not vigorous or intense exercise. In fact, a study conducted on 50 000 people from January to October last year showed that inactivity led to a higher risk for Covid.
Being physically active, no matter how intense, keeps people healthy, boosts their immune systems and helps them fight off infection. It’s not a solution to preventing you from contracting the coronavirus, but it certainly can put you in a better position to fight it should you become infected.
Many people are anxious about the virus and exercise can boost mental health, helping to keep their minds clear and focused. If you also happened to find yourself in a situation where you need to self-isolate due to potential infection but you have no symptoms, this is a great time to keep moving in order to keep your body and ease.
Although the coronavirus has lead to the deaths of many fit and healthy individuals, it has also affected many with pre-existing conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory dis-ease, hypertension and cancer.v Exercise helps to curb your body weight.
ALSO READ:
To simplify it for you, simply adding 30 minutes of exercise each day is more than adequate. We all have at least 30 minutes available on our busy days. That time will only account for just over two per cent of your day. So, keep moving because your heart, lungs, muscles, and even your family, will thank you for it and be grateful when you are able to beat or prevent coronavirus infection. mind healthy.
Keeping physically active doesn’t prevent you from contracting coronavirus, it simply puts your body in better shape to fight it. Regular exercise provides some protection against severe illness or even death. Of course, getting vaccinated provides much greater protection.
Other benefits of regular exercise:
- When you exercise, your body releases endorphins which trigger positive feelings and boost your mood. This is a great plus, especially when so many people around us are dying, which can lead to a general feeling of sadness. With a better mood, it’s easier to tackle the challenges we encountered each day.
- Exercise boosts energy levels. It can give you an extra bounce in your step, making it easier to perform daily tasks.v Exercise improves your cardiovascular fitness so if you are currently healthy with no heart-related illnesses, it would be in your best interest to exercise.
- Exercise helps reduce the risk of heart disease. Although the coronavirus has lead to the deaths of many fit and healthy individuals, it has also affected many with pre-existing conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, hypertension and cancer.
- Exercise helps to curb your body weight. The World Health Organisation recommends adults between the ages of 18 and 64 should is 2½ to five hours of moderate-intensity exercise or 1¼ to 2½ hours of vigorous-intensity exercise per week. You can decide how to break it down for yourself.
The recommendations are the same for adults 65 years and above but in addition they need to ensure they add balance and strength exercises to their training programmes. To simplify it for you, simply adding 30 minutes of exercise each day is more than adequate.
We all have at least 30 minutes available on our busy days. That time will only account for just over two per cent of your day. So, keep moving because your heart, lungs, muscles, and even your family, will thank you for it and be grateful when you are able to beat or prevent coronavirus infection.
For more news your way
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.