6 IMMUNITY Exercise And Immunity Daily physical activity is linked with increased immune activity. Exercising for 30 to 60 minutes daily will improve immune response and overall conditioning over time. For instance, highly conditioned elderly women have superior natural killer and T-cell function when compared with their sedentary counterparts. Exercise should include both aerobic (such as walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling, basketball, dancing, tennis) and anaerobic (such as weight lifting, yoga, pilates) activities. Exercise should always be followed with gentle stretching to maintain flexibility and prevent injury. Smoking And Immunity Smokers have decreased immunity and are at a higher risk for developing infectious diseases and cancer. There is no safe level of smoking.Tobacco smoke and the many additives it contains are poisonous to immune cells. Smokers’ immune systems have sluggish natural killer cell activity, produce fewer defensive antibodies, and are not as able to recognize and destroy infectious organisms.The good news is that when smokers quit, their immune function improves dramatically and quickly.Within just one month of quitting, previous smokers demonstrate increased natural killer cell activity and elevations in antibody levels.These immune changes, over time, will bolster their defense against cancer and infectious diseases. Alcohol And Immunity Alcohol abusers have suppressed cellular immune function. In fact, one of the least appreciated medical complications of alcohol abuse is immune impairment. Alcoholics are more likely to develop bacterial pneumonia, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases. Liver disease is the most deadly consequence of alcoholism. Moderate drinkers do not seem to sustain direct harm to their immune function. Consuming fewer than two drinks daily for men and one drink daily for women appears to be compatible with healthy immune function. Physical activity should be enjoyable and not a chore. Exercising with friends, while listening to books on tape, going to a gym or to a beautiful park, or even dancing, are all ways to make exercise fun and therefore sustainable every day.