14. Walking can boost your immune system’s ability to fight off infection
A person who makes a habit of walking is less likely to catch a cold than someone who doesn’t. The physical activity may flush bacteria out of the airways before they can take hold. Exercise can cause differences in antibodies and white blood cells. When antibodies and white blood cells detect a threat, they take action to fight it off. During a walk, the blood flow becomes more rapid. The antibodies and white blood cells are traveling around the body more quickly.
This increases their chances of detecting a threat earlier on. Early intervention by the immune system prevents infection from taking hold. The elevated body temperature a walk causes may also prevent the growth and spreading of bacteria which only thrive at a certain temperature. Walking also reduces the release of stress hormones which may make the body susceptible to illness.