If you want to get your digestive system moving, sometimes all you need to do is get moving yourself.
Along with its well-known benefits for your heart, lungs and muscles, regular physical activity supports gut health, doctors have told TODAY.com again and again.
And, if you want a workout for digestive health, you don’t have to go all-out. A short, simple period of activity may be all you need for better gut health, a gastroenterologist says.
Fitness tip of the day: Regular walking can boost gut health
Any type of regular exercise is good for you, and certain types of movement have specific benefits for digestion and gut health.
In particular, “walking is great and any aerobic exercise is helpful,” Dr. Roshini Raj, gastroenterologist at New York University Langone Medical Center, tells TODAY.com.
Why it matters
Getting regular activity is helpful for so many bodily systems, including your digestive system.
“When you are sluggish, so is your digestive system. When you are sedentary, your digestion may slow down causing bloating, gas and constipation,” Raj explains.
“Exercise can help stimulate your gut and get the muscles of the digestive tract to move,” she says. “It can also relieve stress, which we know plays a role in gut health.”
We also know that exercise can “improve the balance of your gut microbiome, improving the diversity of bacteria in your gut,” Raj continues. “So you can add better gut health to the many benefits of being active and moving your body every day.”
How to get started
While any type of aerobic exercise is helpful for digestion, according to Raj, a gentle walk is may be the most approachable way to start.
And there is research suggesting that a short walk after eating has unique benefits for both digestion and blood sugar stabilization.
Just 10 minutes outside or on a treadmill or walking pad is enough to feel the benefits of walking after eating, TODAY.com explained previously. And you can add a little more complexity and mindfulness to your walk by incorporating Japanese or tai chi walking techniques.
Additionally, certain types of stretching and yoga can aid in digestion, particularly those involving gentle spinal twists.
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