Introduction to Exercises that Aid in Optimal Digestive Health

The process of breaking down food that we consume to absorb it for the production of energy is known as digestion. There can be numerous reasons for low digestive capacities. Low digestive health is directly related to low energy levels, irritated mind, low self-esteem, low efficiency and countless other problems. Specific exercises can overcome these.

Exercise is the key to most of the modern problems we face; digestive issues are one of them. Even if you have exceptional digestive power, what’s the harm in enhancing it?

Finding the suitable activity to help your food move easily through your digestive tract and improve overall digestion can be a bit tricky.

There are various exercises for digestion, exercises to help constipation, exercises to help bowel movement, etc.

Following are some exercises to improve digestion which can turn out to be an exceptional way to aid in digestion:-

●     Yoga

Yoga is a spiritual practice for most of the people who practice it. Yoga helps with spiritual growth, mental peace, physical wellbeing, improving balance, increasing strength, extending flexibility etc. There are numerous benefits of Yoga.

In a study conducted in 2002, it was shown that Yoga could even ease arthritis symptoms. Gentle Yoga was established to ease the discomfort caused by tender, swollen joints.

Starting Yoga is easy. Most of the poses and exercises in Yoga are easy to follow along and are safe. Somehow, if you don’t know how to do it correctly, injuries can occur. Several youtube channels and videos for the same and numerous apps can help you get started with Yoga.

Applying for classes is the best option if you prefer being around people and being a social butterfly. This way, you’ll be sure that you’re doing it correctly.

Yoga paves the way for improved digestive health by enabling the body to move the foods consumed through your digestive tract easily and efficiently, enabling you to achieve higher digestive power and smooth functioning of your gastrointestinal tract. Yoga can even cure a vast number of gastrointestinal problems, which can result in low digestive health.

●     Tai Chi

Tai chi was originally an ancient Chinese fighting tradition that evolved into a gracious way of exercise used for stress reduction and various other physical problems. Tai Chi includes slow movements with focused breathing. Research is still going on in this matter, and researchers believe that tai chi has the potential to improve the quality of life among healthy people and people with some chronic illnesses. To extract the most out of tai chi, it must be done in the right way. Joining a class for tai chi can help cure many problems and even improve your digestive health.

●     Deep Breathing

Breathing is a part of Tai chi and Yoga, but breathing alone is also great. Deep slow breathing can help you with increased amounts of oxygen absorbed, helping you to relieve stress and decrease anxiety. Increased pressure can affect a lot of your physical and mental aspects. Breathing exercises can help a lot in digestive processes. Start slowly with easy breathing exercises like deep breathing and gradually advance to more advanced breathing exercises like anulom-vilom(Yoga).

●     Walking

Exercises like walking can be a great aid to Inflammatory bowel diseases IBD. Moderate exercises like these are suggested to suppress these compilations and improve the quality of life.

If exercising has not been in your routine, starting by walking is a great way. Walking gives out several benefits physically and mentally. Following are some tips for you to extract the most out of your walks:-

  1. Keep your posture in check, keep your back straight at all times and try to keep it tension free.
  2. Let your arms hang loose and swing freely.
  3. Your steps must start from your heel and end on your toe.
  4. Use comfortable shoes for comfortable walking.
  5. Be persistent and set goals, and work on achieving them.
  6. Find a walking partner to stay motivated and keep the interest.

●     Core exercises

Core exercises work on the abdomen and back muscles. A stronger core is directly related to a stronger gut and easy digestion. Studies show that 60% of the forces involved in the process of digestion belong to our body. Core development is a great way to increase digestive health. There are specific core exercises to help digestion as well. Getting the core exercises wrong and practising them wrong can result in serious back injuries that can even take decades to heal. Having a personal trainer for the same is recommended so that no injuries occur.

Following are some examples of core exercises that you can start at home:-

  1. Hollowman-Keep your shoulder away from your face on the ground lying on your back, raise your leg from your butt down, keep it straight.
  2. High Plank- Keep your arms straight stretched with the palms on the ground, holding your body up. Hold that position for a while.
  3. Mountain climbers-Stay in a high plank position and raise your knees to the elbows one by one, creating tension in your abdomen and lower back.

Takeback

Exercises are a great way of rejuvenating yourself. If you are suffering from a chronic GI problem, consult a doctor before starting these exercises. If fit and fine, exercise is the best way to prevent our body from catching these diseases all in all.