Let’s all take a deep belly breath.
During these unprecedented times, we are sure to feel like things are quite out of our control. Now is the time to face the challenges ahead with a plan in order to stay healthy, both mentally and physically.
Movement is exceptionally good for overall health, and it is as important now as ever. The doors to the gym are closed, and it’s not an option to run, walk the dogs, cycle or swim (unless you have a pool at home). Formal ‘exercise’ – going to gym, canoeing, running and the like – is good, but science is telling us that regular movement, throughout the day, is, if anything, better. Our bodies evolved to move all the time, not just in short bursts of strenuous activity. Our ancestors used different muscle groups in constant activity, whether milking cows or ploughing fields or scrubbing clothes on a washboard. The wonders of modern technology enable us to spend much of our days sitting in front of screens or operating vast machinery at the touch of a joystick or keyboard.
Being stuck at home provides you with a great opportunity to learn how to boost and harness the power of your NEAT, or Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis – energy expenditure that’s associated with spontaneous movement, not planned physical exercise. Children are brilliant at it, fidgeting and wriggling and bouncing; we can all learn a lesson or two from watching them.
It’s also a chance to learn how to do a bit of useful exercise when gyms and running clubs aren’t available.
FIGHTING COVID-19 WITH EXERCISE
By now we all should be aware the pandemic that is COVID-19. One of our best defences against pandemics like COVID-19 is to keep our bodies as healthy as possible.
A body which has regular exercise moving the lymph through the lymphatic system is better equipped to deal with onslaughts by pathogens. We need regular movement to keep our lymphatic system working. A bit like our blood circulation system, the lymphatic system is a network that moves a clear fluid called lymph around our bodies, which is very important to our immune system. But unlike our veins and arteries, the lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump – it’s dependent on us moving to keep the lymph going. Our muscles are the pump for this crucial defence against infection!
In addition, remember that many diseases, including COVID-19, attack the lungs – and people who move a lot every day, who use their muscles, have better lung function. Exercise is vital for lungs that work well and have good capacity.
“Habitual exercise improves immune regulation,” scientists wrote in a review of evidence published in May last year. Those who exercise, who move more, have a reduced risk of illness. Critical to a good immune system that can fight off disease is exercise – not just gym or soccer or running, but regular movement, throughout the day.
So, any way of boosting your level of movement is helpful and improves your resilience. Those who exercise, who move more, have a reduced risk of illness.
How do we keep ourselves active? Because exercise is not just essential for toned bodies and strong muscles; it’s the foundation of health, and at this time, that means resilience, a body that is able to take on pathogens and win. Home is a great place to do this.
Because I would really love to spread this knowledge, I have put together 17 ideas on how to maintain some kind of physical activity at home. And of course, I had to include some guidelines on how to incorporate my favourite – resistance and functional training.
To grab a copy of this free guide please click down below. I would love to hear how your activity is going!
Grab a FREE copy of my guide to being active at home
HOW TO EFFECTIVELY REMAIN PHYSICALLY ACTIVE AND MAINTAIN OVERALL HEALTH WHILE BEING CONFINED TO YOUR HOME DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
DOWNLOAD The Active at Home Guide