Resources and support for keeping your immune system strong during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Physical activity is a crucial component in both mental health as well as immune function, yet while keeping COVID at bay we are all being way too sedentary, myself included. In our own programs, we have continued to hold Tai chi classes outside, masked and socially distant yet there is still a tendency to be more sedentary than usual. It is noticeable how much more active we are when we are free to pursue our normal social activities. Being isolated at home and even working from home we are way less active and that has consequences on our immune function.
In the winter term, we will be offering many opportunities to encourage folks to be more active, including Zoom Tai chi classes at The University of Denver’s OLLI program. (see https://portfolio.du.edu/olli/page/108056)
Research and Resources for staying Active in this Holliday Season
Over the years we have partnered with the American College of Sports Medicine’s, Exercise is Medicine Program on many programs including featuring the Tai Chi Project at ACSM’s 2nd World Congress on Exercise is Medicine®. One of their latest projects is to provide resources to help you to keep your immune systems in shape.
Exercise is Medicine® has assembled a variety of scientific articles and resources related to the effects of exercise (acute and chronic) on the body’s immune response. Although specific data related to COVID-19 and exercise has not yet been obtained, research examining the body’s response to exercise reveals a cascade of cellular mechanisms that help protect the body from viral illnesses. In addition, there is clear evidence that exercise reduces depressive symptoms in everyone, including number and severity, as well as the acute and chronic symptoms of anxiety. This could be a very important benefit of maintaining an active routine during this period of isolation and stress.
Blogs
- Staying Active During COVID-19 by Liz Joy, M.D., M.P.H., FACSM, FAMSSM
- Physical Activity, COVID-19 and Older Adults by the EIM Older Adults Committee; Kate Edwards, Ph.D.; Garrett Kellar, Ed.D.; David Marquez, Ph.D.; Jeff Schlicht, Ph.D.
- COVID-19, Exercise, Children and their Developing Immune System by Shlomit Radom-Aizik, Ph.D.
- A Call to Action: Physical Activity and COVID-19 by Jim Sallis, Ph.D., FACSM and Mike Pratt, M.D. M.P.H., FACSM
- A Clinician’s Thoughts about Self Care and Physical Activity during COVID by Keri Denay, M.D., FACSM
- Exercise, Immunity and the COVID-19 Pandemic by Richard J. Simpson, Ph.D., FACSM
- Life in the Post-COVID Era: One Physician’s Perspective on How to Think Forward by Robert Zarr, M.D., M.P.H., Founder of Park Rx America
- Being Active Now – A Different Spin by Robyn Stuhr, M.A., ACSM-CEP, RCEP
- Why Keep this COVID-19 Remedy a Secret? by James F. Sallis, Ph.D., FACSM and Michael Pratt, M.D. M.P.H. FACSM
Podcasts
- Exercise Increases Immune Function – How We Know by David Nieman, Dr.P.H., FACSM
Web Resources
- Rx for Health Series: practical tips on staying active for adults and children during this pandemic. COVID-19 handout has been translated into several languages, and a handout for keeping children active has also been created.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: Staying Active While Social Distancing Questions and Answers
- ACSM COVID-19 Resources for Staying At Home
- ACSM COVID-19 Resources for the Exercise Professional
- ACSM COVID-19 Reopening and Return to Play Resources
- ACSM COVID-19 Faculty Resources for Virtual Teaching
Articles
- David Nieman, Dr.P.H. and Laurel Wentz, Ph.D..: The compelling link between physical activity and the body’s defense system
- Stephen A. Martin, Brandt D. Pence, and Jeffrey A. Woods: Exercise and Respiratory Tract Viral Infections
- Richard Simpson, Ph.D., et al.: Can exercise affect immune function to increase susceptibility to infection?
- Weimo Zhu: Should, and how can, exercise be done during a coronavirus outbreak? An interview with Dr. Jeffrey A. Woods
- Stéphane Bermon, M.D., Ph.D., et al.: Consensus Statement Immunotrition and Exercise (from “a panel of knowledgeable contributors from across the globe”)