Spring is all about new beginnings. The past year has been nothing short of frustrating when it comes to your desire to go out and do… well… almost anything. This spring has the promise of truly being a new beginning as conditions improve and restrictions potentially loosen. The link between our health, and actively doing versus not doing, is undeniable. The importance of disease prevention through doing physical activity, needs to be highlighted. It is time to spring into action and promote exercise science.

The terminology used to describe the science of physical activity needs to be promoted. In the past year, most of the science discussed and reported is about how to prevent disease, including:

• Social distancing
• Wearing face coverings
• Habitual hand washing

These are all good practices. In addition to these measures, we can also incorporate the science of exercise to improve our bodies’ immune systems and fend off communicable disease. Regular physical activity has the ability to improve and maintain strong immune function.

Traditionally, the science of exercise and health focuses on non-communicable health issues such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes - and for good reason, as these continue to increase and take many lives every year. Promotion of physical activity, and its prevention of communicable disease, is ripe for effectiveness as the world is now paying attention. The United States Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health published a 14-page literature review, Physical exercise as a tool to help the immune system against COVID-19: an integrative review of the current literature. The review references 80 studies in compiling the information. Feel free to search for the paper, read through all of the information, and come to your own conclusion. In the interest of saving you some time, however, here is a brief summary: regular exercise will improve immune function.

Using science as a compass to guide your health-related behaviors is a great practice.  In doing so, there should be no reason not to include regular exercise in your life. The instant-information society in which we currently live bombards our smart phones with article after article about current events. Exercise is scientifically proven to benefit our health in so many ways. After reading an article or watching a news conference, spring into action. Workout at The Pointe, go for a walk, dust off the bike, and get some fresh air.