ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Amid cold and flu season and concerns over coronavirus, it's important to take measures to keep you from getting sick.
University of South Florida Dr. Crystal Jacovino said there are five keys to boosting your immunity through physical activity.
"We know that 30 minutes of activity a day can help boost your immune system, but could also help prevent chronic diseases that put you at risk for these infections," Jacovino told 10News anchor Caitlin Lockerbie.
To maximize your efforts, here are five things health experts say to keep in mind if you're not already exercising.
Talk to your doctor about your goals to make sure you're physically up to it -- and to help set up your workout plan.
Aim for daily physical activity. In general, doctors say around 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily will help boost your immune system.
"That could be anything from walking to jogging to doing a class to even just sitting and dancing on your couch if you need to. Just something that gets your heart up and going," said Jacovino.
Break up exercise into manageable time chunks. So, try three, 10-minute block of activity until you can do one consistent 30-minute session.
With three in mind, unless you are already performing long exercise sessions, keep your activity to a moderate level and shorter times. Overdoing it with intense cardio or strength training can actually cause harm if you don't work up to it.
Pay attention to your body and take breaks as needed.
Doctors say if you're already feeling sick, light exercise is recommended only if symptoms are "above the neck" like a runny nose or nasal congestion.
You want to avoid it, if you have a fever and symptoms are "below the neck" like upset stomach, and chest congestion.
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