By Betty Dean
Build with Exercise. Exercise not only protects the immune system but also strengthens it. A regular exercise program of brisk walking can bolster many defenses of the immune system, including the antibody response and the natural killer (T cell) response.4 It lowers body-wide inflammation and improves metabolic health, a real “kick in the gut” to viral invaders. Daily exercise improves mood, lowers anxiety, and increases a sense of well-being.5 The mind and body work together. These positive mental states have the additional benefit of boosting immune health.
Balance with Stress Management. Chronic stress is a hit to immune health. It can cause depression, anxiety, forgetfulness, irritability, and even panic. Constant negativity and worry can cause a racing heart, fatigue, sweating, muscle aches and pains, headache, and sleep disorders. Our thoughts and words are the raw materials for action. Do you focus on problems or solutions? What are some healthy ways to handle stress? Try taking a walk, talking to a friend, talking to God in prayer, memorizing His promises, reaching out to someone in need. Identify what is in your control and trust the rest to God. Take time to identify, internalize, and act upon the most important priorities in your life. Is your work/family/social life in balance? These are just a few ways to tame stress and protect the immune system. The adage “pare down, or you’ll wear down” is worth taking seriously.
Believe and Trust. This world is a battleground, not a playground. We all have skirmishes to fight in the physical, mental, and spiritual realm. The principles outlined will help you reduce the risk of illness and fight smart when it does occur. But in this broken world full of heartache, injustice, and sin, there is no perfect guarantee of freedom from trials and sickness. He has given us principles to reduce risk, but will not abandon sufferers. “The LORD will strengthen him upon his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed” (Psalm 41:3). God promises to give you strength to face whatever lies ahead. “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength” (Isaiah 40:29). Moreover, God invites you to trust Him and the future in eternity without pain, tears, or sickness promised to all who give their lives to Him fully: “And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity” (Isaiah 33:24).
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Courtesy of LifeSpring – Resources for Hope and Healing, Stuart, VA.
