In the last post I talked about how playing Bridge can help keep your brain active and improve your social life. But did you know that playing bridge is a great immune system booster? It seems the mental concentration needed to play bridge has a positive effect in boosting the levels of key immune system blood cells.
In 2000, Professor Marian Diamond, of Berkeley University in the US, did a study to try and determine if it is possible to improve your immune system by using the dorsolateral cortex - a part of the brain which can be controlled voluntarily. In other words, can you "think about improving your immune system"?
Playing bridge stimulates the dorsolateral cortex. For the study, 12 women in their 70s and 80s were asked to play bridge for 90 minutes. Then their blood was tested. Two thirds of the women had significantly increased levels of T cells in their body. It is the T cells that attack foreign cells in the body.
Playing bridge stimulates the dorsolateral cortex. For the study, 12 women in their 70s and 80s were asked to play bridge for 90 minutes. Then their blood was tested. Two thirds of the women had significantly increased levels of T cells in their body. It is the T cells that attack foreign cells in the body.
It seems that playing bridge acts as an immune system booster, raising the levels of T cells in your body and helping you fight infection. (It's fun too!)
What are you waiting for!! Practice your bridge playing now.
Read the original story on the BBC website.
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