How To Blow Off Sick Season

It’s that time, but it doesn’t mean a cold has to take you down. Same for the flu. These new science-backed strategies will keep you strong and healthy.

- Mirel Ketchiff

It’s not surprising we’re all a little panicked given the brutality of last year’s flu virus, and studies predict this year’s vaccine will have 20 percent efficacy, research from Rice University found. (It’s still worth getting the shot, experts say.) Which is why you need a fortifying plan: These intriguing new findings will boost your immune system and help you stay well.

Choose cardio

Exercise is the number-one thing you can do to keep healthy. People who exercise five or more times a week are 43 percent less likely to get sick than those who exercise once a week, a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found. Cardio may be especially beneficial, the study authors say: “During aerobic exercise, your immune cells move around more throughout the body and bloodstream. As a result, they’re better able to detect and destroy invading pathogens,” says David Nieman, D.P.H., the lead researcher. Workouts like running, swimming, cycling, and rowing seem to be the most effective, he adds.

Get a little extra sleep