{"id":33271,"date":"2025-11-07T21:27:55","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T21:27:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/do-you-have-an-autoimmune-disease-here-are-3-reasons-to-keep-moving\/"},"modified":"2025-11-07T21:27:55","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T21:27:55","slug":"do-you-have-an-autoimmune-disease-here-are-3-reasons-to-keep-moving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/do-you-have-an-autoimmune-disease-here-are-3-reasons-to-keep-moving\/","title":{"rendered":"Do You Have an Autoimmune Disease? Here Are 3 Reasons to Keep Moving"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid\">\n<div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<p><span class=\"wpex-text-sm\">( 1 )<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vcex-spacing wpex-w-100 wpex-clear\"><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"wpex-text-lg\">Exercise acts on a cellular level.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe <a href=\"https:\/\/experiencelife.lifetime.life\/article\/7-ways-to-protect-your-mitochondria\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">health of your mitochondria<\/a> is a big driver in the severity of autoimmune symptoms including fatigue, <a href=\"https:\/\/experiencelife.lifetime.life\/article\/which-supplements-and-herbs-can-help-me-combat-brain-fog\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">brain fog<\/a>, and disability,\u201d says Terry Wahls, MD, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City, Iowa. (Mitochondria are known as the powerhouses of the cell, producing energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. Learn more at \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/experiencelife.lifetime.life\/article\/the-care-and-feeding-of-your-mitochondria\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Care and Feeding of Your Mitochondria<\/a>.\u201d)<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne of the most effective ways to improve the health of your mitochondria is through exercise,\u201d adds Wahls, <a href=\"https:\/\/experiencelife.lifetime.life\/article\/how-terry-wahls-md-beat-multiple-sclerosis-ms\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">who reversed the course of her own MS<\/a> with lifestyle and dietary interventions.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vcex-spacing wpex-w-100 wpex-clear\"><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"wpex-text-sm\">( 2 )<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vcex-spacing wpex-w-100 wpex-clear\"><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"wpex-text-lg\">Exercise reduces inflammation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>A 2024 review in the <em>Journal of Sport and Health Science<\/em>, analyzing 87 studies across 25 countries, found that inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor \u03b1 were all reduced when people with autoimmune conditions followed a moderate exercise routine.<\/p>\n<p>That said, researchers point out that<a href=\"https:\/\/experiencelife.lifetime.life\/article\/the-stages-of-change\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> training needs to be part of your lifestyle<\/a>, because isolated exercise sessions can be (temporarily) proinflammatory. <a href=\"https:\/\/experiencelife.lifetime.life\/article\/the-3-cs-of-lifelong-fitness\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">It\u2019s <em>consistency<\/em> <\/a>that leads to lower levels of inflammation that benefit your body.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnce you get into a regular routine that\u2019s at <a href=\"https:\/\/experiencelife.lifetime.life\/article\/what-is-the-difference-between-low-impact-and-low-intensity-workouts\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the appropriate intensity level<\/a> for you and are able to sustain a regular activity pattern, you\u2019ll benefit in terms of better mobility and reduced inflammation and pain long-term,\u201d says Boyd.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vcex-spacing wpex-w-100 wpex-clear\"><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"wpex-text-sm\">( 3 )<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vcex-spacing wpex-w-100 wpex-clear\"><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"wpex-text-lg\"> Exercise supports mental health and energy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Mood problems are common among those with autoimmunity. More than half of people with autoimmune rheumatic conditions (such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus) report suffering from depression or anxiety or both, according to a study published in 2023 in the journal <em>Rheumatology<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/experiencelife.lifetime.life\/article\/move-to-lift-your-mood\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Physical activity is known for being a bona fide mood booster<\/a>. \u201cBeing physically active releases dopamine and serotonin, so exercise can be very rewarding,\u201d explains Wahls.<\/p>\n<p>Fatigue, often debilitating in nature, is a hallmark symptom of autoimmunity, and it can further contribute to a low mood, especially if it limits your ability to do the things you enjoy. In 2023, researchers found that a well-rounded routine with multiple modes of exercise (such as aerobic, strength, and balance activities) significantly reduced fatigue among people with chronic conditions. \u201cMovement reduces fatigue over time <a href=\"https:\/\/experiencelife.lifetime.life\/article\/walking-for-better-sleep\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">and can improve sleep patterns<\/a>,\u201d Boyd says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid\">\n<div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"vcex-callout vcex-module wpex-boxed\">\n<div class=\"vcex-callout-caption wpex-text-md wpex-last-mb-0 wpex-clr\">\n<h3>Staying Active With Autoimmunity\n<div class=\"vcex-spacing wpex-w-100 wpex-clear\"><\/div>\n<\/h3>\n<p>Chronic disease can make it difficult to exercise, yet intentional movement can help you feel better, physically and mentally. Learn more at \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/experiencelife.lifetime.life\/article\/how-to-stay-active-when-living-with-an-autoimmune-disease\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">How to Stay Active When Living With an Autoimmune Disease<\/a>,\u201d from which this article was excerpted.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/experiencelife.lifetime.life\/article\/do-you-have-an-autoimmune-disease-here-are-3-reasons-to-keep-moving\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Do You Have an Autoimmune Disease? Here Are 3 Reasons to Keep Moving<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/experiencelife.lifetime.life\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Experience Life<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>( 1 ) Exercise acts on a cellular level. \u201cThe health of your mitochondria is a big driver in the severity of autoimmune symptoms including fatigue, brain fog, and disability,\u201d says Terry Wahls, MD, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City, Iowa. (Mitochondria are known [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33272,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-life"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-10-25 19:14:43","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33271\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}