Digestive health is vital for overall well-being because it serves as your body’s powerhouse for breaking down food into essential nutrients that fuel every organ and system. The gut is also connected to your immune system, with about 70% of immune cells residing there, making it a critical line of defense against illness. Poor digestive health can also lead to nutrient deficiencies, chronic inflammation, and a cascade of issues affecting energy levels, immunity, and emotional health.
As gastroenterologists, we often emphasize the importance of lifestyle changes in managing digestive issues. Nurturing your gut through a balanced diet, hydration, probiotics, and exercise helps sustain your overall vitality.
Many people are surprised to find how much exercise plays into gut health. Certain physical activities promote overall fitness and aid in improving gut function, reducing bloating, and easing symptoms of digestive disorders.
You don’t have to invest in a gym membership to get the benefits of exercising. A lot of movement can be done at or near your home. Consistently doing even one of these recommended activities can improve your digestive health.
Exercises That Improve Digestion
1. Yoga
Roll out your mat and prepare to bend like a pretzel. Yoga enhances digestion by reducing stress and stimulating the abdominal organs. Specific poses can help massage the intestines and encourage food to move through the digestive tract. Our expert Yogi suggested these poses, which you can do at home.
Child’s Pose: This gentle forward fold massages the abdominal organs, promotes relaxation, and helps reduce bloating and cramping.
Seated Twist: Twisting poses help stimulate digestion by increasing blood flow to the digestive organs and encouraging waste elimination.
Cat-Cow Stretch: This flowing movement between the cat and cow pose massages the abdomen, stimulates gut motility, and relieves gas or bloating.
Wind-Relieving Pose: Lying on your back with your knees pulled to your chest gently compresses the digestive tract, helping to release trapped gas and promote bowel movements.
2. Walking
Step into better health one stride at a time—start walking! Walking is a simple, low-impact activity that can do wonders for the digestive system. A brisk 20-minute walk after meals stimulates digestion and reduces acid reflux, gas, and bloating symptoms. If you’re not in the habit of going for walks, start with just 10 minutes a day—you’ll be surprised how quickly it becomes the best part of your day. Walk with a friend, listen to your favorite music or podcasts, or explore new scenic routes to keep things fresh and exciting.
3. Core Strengthening
Strong core muscles provide better support for the abdominal organs, which can improve digestive function; yet, people often overlook core strengthening because it doesn’t always deliver instant, visible results like other workouts. Exercises like planks, leg raises, and gentle Pilates movements enhance core strength and improve balance, posture, and overall stability. Strengthening your core reduces abdominal pressure, which eases issues like bloating or sluggish digestion.
4. Swimming
Remember how fun swimming was as a kid? Dive back into that joy while getting a full-body workout that’s easy on your joints and great for your overall health! Swimming promotes circulation and reduces stress. The horizontal position during swimming can also relieve pressure on the abdomen, aiding digestion. Cardio and low-impact movement also help regulate bowel movements and reduce stress-related digestive issues.
5. Breathing Exercises
Deep, mindful breathing isn’t just calming—it helps reduce stress, boost energy, and support your health by improving circulation and oxygen flow to your body. Breathing exercises can significantly benefit digestion by stimulating the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in gut-brain communication. If you want to alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and improve your overall gut motility, then breathing exercises can help.
Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing or box breathing—inhaling for four counts, holding for four counts, exhaling for four counts, and pausing for four counts—can be practiced anywhere, especially at home.
How to do it: Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Breathe deeply, ensuring the movement comes from your abdomen, not your chest.
Reduces stress, alleviates irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, and improves overall gut motility.
This substitution keeps the focus on at-home accessibility while still providing a powerful tool for digestive health.
Your Body Will Thank You
Your body will thank you for making exercise a priority. It’s an investment in your health that pays off in more ways than one. Moving regularly keeps everything balanced, helps you feel more energized, and supports your body’s natural ability to heal and thrive.
So, why wait? Get up, get active, and give your body the care it deserves. It’ll reward you with more strength, vitality, and digestive comfort every step of the way.
If you have serious concerns about your digestive health, schedule an appointment with us. You’ll benefit from our patient-centered approach to your digestive health and wellness.