Your immune system is like a superhighway — a network of channels and nodes that delivers immune cells and removes pathogens via a clear liquid known as lymphatic fluid. The key to keeping it free of blockages? You need to move, says Katy Bowman, a biomechanical scientist and the director of the Restorative Exercise Institute in Ventura, California. “If your muscles are tight or you’re mostly sedentary, the lymph nodes accumulate waste and decrease your ability to fight illness,” she says.
Stretching and walking stimulate the flow of lymph and thus your immune system, Bowman says. Think of it as traffic management — clearing any bottlenecks so your body can flush out invaders and help you stay sniffle-free this winter. Bowman recommends doing this routine before and/or after a 45-minute walk most days of the week. If it’s too chilly outside for a walk — or if you feel a cold or sore throat coming on — the stretches alone will stimulate your defenses. They target the areas with the highest concentrations of lymph nodes, as well as the intercostal muscles (between the ribs) to help you breathe better.
