5 Exercising That May Help You Achieve Optimal Digestive Health

02/27/2024

Our digestive system plays the following integral role: breaking down food, removing toxins, absorbing nutrients, and many more. Including some general exercise in your daily routine can help you get there. The following exercises will help you attain optimal digestive health, making you healthier. 

1. Yoga

Undoubtedly, yoga is an amazing practice that delivers exceptional results for both the body and mind. It works to improve flexibility, strength, and balance while reducing stress and promoting relaxation. 

A study conducted in 2016 on people with inactive or mild Crohn's disease concluded that moderate-intensity exercise with yoga is efficacious in improving overall well-being while promoting stability to mental health. 

There are a multitude of yoga poses that you can incorporate into your daily life. However, if you are not well-versed in doing these poses correctly, you should focus on learning first. If you start doing yoga poses with the wrong posture, you might end up hurting yourself. You can take the help of a professional or learn online. These days, there are multiple apps and online channels available to help you learn yoga. 

If you like socializing, you can also sign up for a class. Signing up for a class will provide you with the following benefits: an experienced professional, thorough guidance, and personalized support. You can choose your slot according to your schedule. 

2. Tai chi

Tai chi is one of the ancient practices of China, which includes strings of focused deep breathing and slow-motion movements. 

A few studies confirmed that tai chi can effectively improve overall life quality in people with healthy lifestyles and chronic diseases. However, more research is needed to know the precise effects of it.  

To attain the maximum benefit, you have to do it correctly. If you don’t know how to do it, you can learn it online through videos on YouTube. On the other hand, it will be more fun if you join a class run by a professional. This will help you to get out of your home and learn the techniques and poses correctly while meeting new people.  

• To find a tai chi teacher, you can find it through the IDEA Health and Fitness Association. 

• Learning basics will help you a lot. To learn the basic movement of tai chi that you can do in no time, check out this YouTube video. 

• You will hardly take fifteen minutes to watch this video from the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health. Within 15 minutes, it will take you from introduction to cool down. 

3. Deep Breathing 

Deep breathing is a vital part of tai chi and yoga. However, deep breathing alone can also be included in your daily routine to attain its maximum benefits. You must be aware of the fact that stress affects your digestive health significantly, making you prone to several health problems. Deep breathing increases the supply of oxygen to the lungs and helps you tackle stress.  

To begin deep breathing, pay attention to the following details: 

• First, you need to find a noise-free and cozy space to sit down. 

• After sitting down, slowly take a long, deep breath through your nose. 

• While taking your breath in, as your lungs fill with air, try to focus on the feeling of your chest and abdomen growing. 

• Now, breathe out very gradually, either through your nose or mouth. 

• Try to practice this for at least 10 to 15 minutes every day. 

Once you get accustomed to this routine, try to do some other breathing exercises, too. For instance, in this video from Mount Sinai Health System, you just need to close your eyes and follow the steps along till the end.  

4. Walking:  

If you are going through inflammatory bowel disease, moderate exercise like walking can be a game changer. It is believed that moderate exercise can be effective in easing the symptoms of IBD. Moderate exercise reduces the risk of several health complications while enhancing the overall quality of life. Vigorous physical activity can worsen the symptoms of inflammation. Therefore, walking seems to be a good and safe choice. 

If you haven’t exercised in a while, you can begin with a short and quick walk around your house once a day because something is better than nothing. As soon as you get familiar with your routine, you can gradually stretch your speed and time over time. There are certain things that you need to keep in mind while walking:  

• Keep your back straight, not stiff, 

• Step gradually from heel to toe. 

• Let your arms move freely. 

• Wear comfortable shoes with flexible soles. 

• Plan your daily routine.  

• If you feel alone while walking, either take someone with you or listen to music. 

• If you are not allowed to walk outside, you can use the treadmill at the gym or home. 

• If you are ill or have got something important to attend, take time and start again the next day. 

To track your performance and success, you can choose any application from the Play Store or Apple Store that helps you count your steps and distance only when you have your phone along. 

5. Core Exercise: 

Once you get used to the above-listed exercises, you can start with the core exercises like sit-ups, planks, and crunches. However, if you need to learn about these core exercises, please get help from a professional. Having strong abdominal and back muscles will result in ultimate benefits. To ease your journey, you can opt for a personal trainer or learn from online videos. Good physical, mental, and sexual well-being are some benefits of exercise.

The bottom line: 

Having optimal digestive health plays an integral role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If you constantly face digestive problems, incorporating the above-listed exercise can help you out. You will start seeing potential results within a few weeks. However, you will have to follow the regimen strictly without any alterations. If you face any trouble while performing any exercise listed above, please get in touch with a professional.

FAQs: 

1. What are the benefits of exercising for digestive health? 

Regular exercise is the key to a healthy and active lifestyle. However, the following are the benefits of exercise for digestive health: 

• Increased metabolism 

• Improved bowel movements

• Fasters digestion 

• Prevents colon cancer 

• Relieves constipation 

• Strengthen muscles 

• Minimizes stress 

2. Can exercise help with specific digestive issues like bloating or gas? 

In order to prevent bloating and gas, you should eat a diet rich in fiber, drink an adequate amount of water, and exercise regularly with a focus on strength. In addition to this, exercise also assists in retaining water, which functions to keep your bowel moving and prevent gas from building up in the large intestine. 

3. Can yoga help with digestive health?

Yes, yoga helps in addressing several digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome and indigestion. Other than this, the daily practice of yoga can also address digestive problems: gas, bloating, constipation, and discomfort.

Before you start doing any yoga poses, you should learn how to do it correctly to get the maximum results. Following an incorrect posture can also lead to injury. 

4. How do you optimize your digestive health? 

An optimal digestive system helps you live a longer and healthier life. In order to achieve an optimal digestive system, kindly incorporate the following tips: 

• Avoid the intake of food items rich in fat 

• Drink an adequate amount of water daily 

• Take a diet rich in fiber 

• Omit the stress of eating and caffeine 

• Start getting moving 

• Include probiotics in your diet 

• Cut off bad habits such as smoking