While most people’s motivation to work out comes from losing fat, gaining muscle or reducing stress, there’s a whole host of additional benefits that often go unnoticed. One of the many positives of regular exercise that many people don’t realise is the impact it can have on our gut health. If you’re trying to enhance your gut health, it’s definitely worth considering how exercise can be useful for your gut.
How Are Exercise and The Gut Linked?
Weight Management
Research has found that individuals who are obese have a less diverse gut microbiome, which is key to the overall healthy functioning of our mind and body. Exercise can also help to positively alter our gut microbes to increase the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which then help with our metabolism, immunity and mood. So, by losing weight through exercise for the gut, as well as exercising itself, it can help to support a diverse gut microbiome, through increased SCFA’s and improved metabolism.
Weight and gut health are closely linked in general, as improving your gut microbiome can help to reduce cravings, increase your energy and generally assist with the healthy absorption and digestion of the foods that we eat, which in turn helps to improve our metabolism and help us to maintain a healthy weight. Losing weight can reduce the amount of stress that is being put on the digestive organs.
While it must be combined with a gut-healthy, balanced diet for the best effect, regular exercise for the gut microbiome, as well as the whole host of other benefits, is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy weight.
Part of your balanced diet focused on the gut should include foods with probiotics, like Biotiful Kefir drinks and yogurts. Kefir fuels the healthy bacteria in our gut to support overall gut health, and all the benefits that come with it. It’s so easy to fit into your routine and can make a real difference to how you feel, so find out where you can buy Biotiful Kefir.
Stress
If you’re one of the many people putting more effort into their gut health, and for good reason, don’t discount the importance of managing stress levels. Stress can slow down the digestion process, often as a result of increased cortisol levels and a disrupted gut microbiome.
This is another reason why exercise can be great for your gut. Anyone who’s ever exercised has likely experienced that positive feeling that comes after a workout, caused by a release of endorphins, which are considered to be natural mood boosters. By exercising, you can reduce stress and minimise the impact that it can have on your gut health.
Reduces Inflammation
Another benefit of exercise in relation to the gut is that it can help to reduce inflammation. Many people suffer from inflammation of the gut, with symptoms including bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhoea. These symptoms are associated with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), with more severe symptoms being a sign of IBD (inflammatory bowel disease).
As mentioned, when you exercise, it helps to encourage the production of short-chain fatty acids, and research has found that these can assist with anti-inflammatory actions in the body. When you’re fuelling your body with foods that benefit your gut, and are exercising regularly for your gut to help reduce inflammation, it can help to improve your gut health.
Promotes Better Eating Habits
Many people who exercise regularly often find themselves sticking to a healthier diet too. There’s a mental relationship between exercise and diet. Finding consistency with your workouts or training will naturally lead you to want to support this through better eating habits. After all, what’s the point in putting in the work in the gym only to undo it all through a diet that doesn’t help to fuel your body and aid recovery?
Eating natural sources of protein like Biotiful Kefir, a diet high in fibre and reducing your intake of processed foods and sugar is the holy trinity of gut health! The knock-on effect of better eating habits includes lower fat levels, reduced stress levels and increased levels of good bacteria — all of which improve the health of your gut. So, although not a direct link between exercise and the gut, they do go hand in hand.
What Are The Best Types of Exercise for Gut Health?
Walking
Walking is one of the simplest forms of exercise. It’s low impact, which means walking is suitable for almost everyone. In terms of exercise for gut health, taking a walk after a large meal can aid digestion and help you avoid issues such as bloating and constipation.
Yoga
Yoga, or similar activities like pilates, can aid gut health in several ways. First, the relaxing nature of activities such as yoga makes them a great way to alleviate stress, which as discussed, is closely linked to improving the efficiency of our digestive systems. Certain poses, positions and movements will also gently massage your internal organs, which are involved in the digestive system.
Core Exercises
When deciding which muscles to target when exercising for gut health, it’s probably no surprise to learn that strengthening the abdominal muscles can support our gut health. That’s because targeting our core through exercises like planks and bird dogs can help to make the contractions in your gut (peristalsis) more powerful and effective.
Final Thoughts
With gut health becoming an increasingly popular consideration, exercise can assist in a number of ways, whether it's aiding digestion, helping to maintain a healthy weight, reducing stress levels or supporting the gut microbiome.
If you are turning to exercise for gut health reasons, it’s important to prioritise consistency over intensity. While intense exercise will bring benefits around increased strength and muscle growth, the benefits mentioned above will only be felt with a consistent exercise regime.