First, I want to start with why “moderate exercise” inspired this podcast about exercise, stress & immunity. You’ve been told “everything in moderation” for a very long time. It may not be the ideal solution to our immune or to our hormone balancing goals.
Let me give you a description of zone training. [I describe this further in the video I’m inserting here].
Zone Training
1 2 3 4 5
Low – Moderate – High
“Moderate” = 3 = No Benefits Zone
Don’t confuse “moderate regular exercise” with what you want to do. Zone 3 is not a good place to be. You truly want lighter short workouts, harder short workouts, or longer light movement.
Don’t confuse your “sweet spot” with moderate exercise.
It’s better intended as consistent exercise consisting of:
Short duration high and low intervals (not to exceed 45 minutes a week total interval time) 1 – 2 – 3 sessions of 15 – 20 minutes at a time starting with 10 minutes and building over weeks 2x a week strength training sessions in which you achieve temporary muscular fatigue Plus: Movement: longer lower intensity activity like golfing, gardening, and walking, hiking, easy biking (not for the purpose of burning calories)
Stress and immune system
Overtraining – situations when your body is on overload
Extreme cold plus regular exercise = overload
Extremely dry air and altitude = overload
Competitive stress and regular (or less) exercise = overload
Stressful times – overload
Stress and endocrine system
Negative effects of cortisol amplified
Negative effects of stress on blood sugar
Storage of fat and weight loss resistance more likely
Fat-stored toxins depress the immune system
Stress and exercise
Inactive adults have a depressed immune system
With more activity (circulation of immune properties enhanced) increased immune system
With too much more activity – too much stress in an uncontrolled way
During times of stress – doing less than you’re used for exercise enthusiasts and more than you were for sedentary is key
Your autonomic nervous system:
Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
Sympathetic = fight or flight
Parasympathetic = feed or breed and rest & digest
Stress stimulates the Sympathetic nervous system= fight or flight (automatically)
You need to stimulate the Parasympathetic system= feed or breed, rest & digest, consciously
Parasympathetic system stimulation – deep breathing, the mental diversion from intellectual stressors, the controlled appropriate application of stress-relief-stress-relief
Your vagus nerve stimulation:
Deep rhythmic breathing Humming Speaking and Singing Washing your face with cold water Meditation Balancing your gut microbiome (prebiotics, probiotics, elimination of foods that disrupt) Leave your questions and comments below the show notes at https://www.flippingfifty.com/exercisestress
