BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION FOR OLDER ADULTS’ IMMUNITY
A young person can fight off diseases relatively easy. With age, the immune system becomes less agile and not quite as ruthless. The number of T cells drop. The B cells also start to wind down, making fewer antibodies that respond to outside intruders and more errant ones that turn on the body itself, resulting in you becoming more vulnerable as you age.
Evidence from UCLA researchers show that exercise seems to re-energize the immune system. The study involved 112 healthy people whose average age was about 70. Half of the volunteers were assigned to attend three, 40-minute Tai Chi sessions a week. They were taught a Western variation of the martial art. The control group attended health education classes that included group discussions.
The results were reported in the April 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The T cell activity levels of the Tai Chi group had risen 38% by the end of the study, compared with a 28% increase for people in the control group. These white blood cells are instrumental in fighting against cold and flu infections and help the body combat chronic diseases like diabetes.
Tai Chi might have a strong effect on the immune system because it manages to bring exercise, relaxation and meditation together in “one behavioral intervention,” the researchers said. They theorized that Tai Chi enhances T cell activity by quieting the nervous system’s “fight of flight” response, which can, in certain circumstances, interfere with the immune system.
During a Tai Chi workout, there is a flow of steady, meditative movement and breath that focuses the mind and conditions the body. Experts hypothesize that these slow, gliding movements and controlled breathing combine in a powerful force against toxins and diseases. By bolstering the lymphatic system, the body’s natural defense system, Tai Chi protects against colds, flus and autoimmune diseases.
Tai Chi also seems to have an additive effect on the efficacy of vaccines. In one study, two groups of individuals (control and Tai Chi group) were compared to determine if the influenza vaccine increased immunity antibodies created by the vaccine. The group practicing Tai Chi was found to have significantly more antibodies fighting against the flu.
