Fitness group claims to boost your immunity

DEER PARK, TX Before many of us are even awake, some women are suited up and sweating it out in Deer Park.

It's all part of the latest workout craze: boot camp.

"It's a four week class; we meet Mondays through Fridays and the camper can come three, four, or five days a week," said Sarah Oliver, a certified trainer.

Oliver isn't just looking to whip these women into shape; she's helping to keep them healthy by boosting their immunity.

"What happens is your body will actually start increasing micro fascias, which is white blood cell that will ingest bacteria in your body," Oliver said.

The trick is to increase your heart rate past its normal zone.

"We like to do a lot in boot camp what we call 'tabatas,' where we go all out for 20 seconds, take a 10-second break and go all out for 20 seconds," Oliver said, "and what happens there is we are spiking your heart rate above its heart rate zone."

Oliver suggests combining these three things: running, lifting and stretching. It'll keep your heart rate up in return boosting your immunity.

"I don't get sick -- ever -- and it's just that I'm in just much better shape," boot camper Roxie Lyons said.

Dr. Jeff Kalian specializes in cold and flu. He agrees that regular exercise can prevent you from getting sick and even shorten the duration of your illness.

"Exercise can boost your immunity, and there are several vitamins that can help boost your immunity," Dr. Kalian said.

But if you are just starting out you got to respect your body, doctors say there is such thing as over training.

If you do start to feel a bug coming on, don't try and sweat it out; it won't work.

"Too much exertion when you are coming down with something is only going to make you worse," Dr. Kalian said.

For these ladies, immunity boot camp has kept them out of the doctor's office and in much better shape.

"I definitely feel great, energized," boot camper Autumn Maddox said. "It gets me going every morning."

"I have just really noticed a tremendous increase in the amount of energy, and I just feel good all the rest of the day and it just seems like I have a lot more stamina than I did," boot camper Cindy Richards added.

Click here to find out more about the Houston-area boot camps available.