Exercising for Digestive Health
If you’re suffering from a digestive ailment like IBS, IBD or GERD exercise may not be a top priority. Usually digestive ailments leave us feeling tired, sluggish & fatigued. As you probably already know exercise can be very helpful overall for your body in general & can even help symptoms when dealing with digestion. Exercise has the two-fold benefit of helping to cleanse toxins from your body as well as helping to move gas through your system so you feel less bloated.
Knowing Your Limits
This is important. Don’t over do exercise. If you haven’t been exercising recently then you should start off slow. Nothing is more discouraging than going full force into an exercise program and completely exhausting yourself or even possible hurting yourself in the process. If you’re feeling bloated, aching abs are not going to make your abdomen feel any better, nor is having to use the restroom dealing with aching hamstrings.
If you’re dealing with a more serious digestive problem where you are having trouble maintaining weight, you should not be exercising until you have your condition under control. As a general disclaimer, talk to a doctor if you have doubts or are unsure of how to continue.
Easy Low-Cost Exercises
- Try some basic exercises like windmills, semi circles, running in place or using a jump rope. Basic slow stretching is also good as well. You can create your own 20 minute work-out with these basic items.
- Walking is your friend. Getting out on a hike if you’re dealing with digestion problems may not be a fun idea, but if you can navigate your local neighborhood 20 – 30 minutes, 3 times a week you’ll probably gain some benefits, plus you might even get a little bit of confidence.
- Tai-Chi & Yoga are great low impact exercises that can help not only with body, but also with mind. Check out Yoga For Beginners & Tai Chi For Beginners.
- Inflatable Fitness Balls are the way to go if you plan on working out your core muscles. Balls provide better support for your back and lessen the wear and tear on your abs when first starting out.
Exercise Equipment
Going to the gym when dealing with digestive problems can be nerve wracking, so instead of going to the gym, there is nothing wrong with getting some equipment for your home.
Suggested Equipment:
Keep A Regimen When You Can
Try to keep a regimen or even a log of what you’ve done. If you’re not feeling well, don’t feel bad to skip exercise for that day. Listen to your body. Exercise is here to help, not hurt you!
Emulating a Squat Toliet With Sit Down Toilets
Probably the majority of people in the US & UK have grown up using sit-down style toilets. These toilets resemble elaborate porcelain chairs and are pretty comfortable to sit on while doing your business, so long as you don’t sit there reading until your legs fall asleep(bad! bad!).
Unfortunately the modern western toilet does have it’s drawbacks. First of all the position you’re sitting in, while comfortable, is not conducive for passing stool. In the sitting position your colon may be constrained by the “pubo rectalis” muscle. In this way you’re having to use muscle to push past this other muscle(i.e. more work). Also you do not have gravity on your side as much as you would in a squatting position(again more work for you). Thus you have more strain, more pain. Also if you’re thinking of the environment, squat toilets may allow you to use less water & toilet paper.
If you need scientific proof, a 2003 study suggests squatting is more effective than sitting.
Squat Toilets Are Not For Everyone
So squat toilets have benefits, but of course there are always drawbacks as well. First off, good luck finding one in the USA or UK. Also if you encounter one, how are you going to use it? The first time would be like using alien technology. Most people are going to gravitate to what they know and are not going to install a squat toilet in their house. I could just imagine the dinner parties when a guest finds out all the sit toilets have been replaced with the squat variety! If you’re renting, then you really have no control over what toilet you get and I doubt the landlord would want you ripping out the current toilet.
Emulating The Squat Toilet
So since we probably don’t have access to a squat toilet or it’s just not feasible, we need to come up with some ways to emulate it.
- Adjust Your Position – Try changing how you sit down on the toilet. Lean forward and try to raise your knees above or level with your abdomen. You might try going on tippy toes while sitting down. This can be uncomfortable and the benefits may be dubious, but it’s worth a try. ($FREE$)
- Get a Step Stool – You can try elevating your legs with more comfort by purchasing a :rubermaidstoolaff: or even tipping over a waste bin and placing your feet near the base of it. There is also :lifestepaff:, which is specifically designed for this purpose. ($CHEAP$)
- Platforms – Probably the best way to get benefits is to get a conversion platform. These are actual platforms you hop onto that allow you to hover above your normal sit toilet. This is probably not for everyone, but if you’re serious, these items are the way to go. I found two products available, :thelillipad: & :naturesplatform:. :thelillipad: looks pretty spiffy to me, but I have not used either product. There is also a product called “The Evaco Toilet Platform” which I can see was sold at squatplatform.com, but that site seems to no longer exist. ($KINDA SPENDY$)
Let Me Know How It Goes
Have your bowel habits improved or have you tried one of these products out? Drop a comment below.
Hypochlorhydria / Low Stomach Acid Can Cause Heartburn & Indigestion
Many people believe stomach upset, indigestion or heartburn are usually caused by too much stomach acid. This is not always the case & one should not always assume you have too much stomach acid as there is a chance your stomach may not have enough stomach acid.
A Possibly Under Diagnosed Problem
Most doctors, after hearing about a patients complaints regarding heartburn, prescribe a “Proton-Pump Inhibitor”(PPI). Proton pumps in your stomach are what supply the acid that helps digest food. For people who do have an overproduction of acid or have a malfunctioning lower esophageal sphincter(the thing that keeps food/acid from harming the tender esophagus), PPIs can be helpful. On the other hand, people who are producing too little acid may have an increase in symptoms when taking PPIs. PPIs have also been reported to have psychoactive properties, some people become more anxious or nervous while on PPIs due to how they work.
If you are dealing with chronic heartburn/GERD, it may be worth talking to your doctor regarding low stomach acid before accepting a prescription for PPIs. Or if PPIs are not helping you right now visiting your doctor and having a test run for low stomach acid may be a good idea. Many doctors do not run many or any tests before prescribing PPIs.
Treatment
Treatment of Hypochlorhydria is usually a simple supplementation via Betaine HCL pills. Usually you take one pill before a meal and this increases acid in your stomach and hopefully improves symptoms. If symptoms worsen or do not improve, then you may not be suffering from Hypochlorhydria or there are other issues involved as to why you’re experiencing chronic heartburn/GERD.
Align Probiotics Review
Buy Align from Amazon.com
Recently Proctor & Gamble’s marketing department got in touch with me to take a look at their flagship probiotic, Align. While I haven’t actually started taking Align yet, I’d like to share some of my first thoughts on the product.
I’ve seen Align advertised before & it has received good reviews on places like Amazon.com. I am a little skeptical on mass marketed products that have slick packaging. In some cases the word probiotic is used to attract people to a product that has little digestive benefit. In one case I got some terrible breakfast bars that supposedly had “probiotics” in them, but they were barely a step above sweetened laminated cardboard. I don’t think this is a goal of Align since they are strictly focusing on a probiotic supplement where the cardboard is only in the packaging, not the actual product. Continue reading “Align Probiotics Review: First Glance” »
Trigger Foods and Valentine’s Day.
So it was Valentine’s day last Sunday, for which I decided to make a cake for my girlfriend. Unfortunately cakes usually do not agree with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. On top of this I was making an Asian style pork roast(ginger, soy sauce, honey, garlic, etc..), rice & steamed carrots + broccoli. Overall the meal was quite good, the only problem was that pesky cake.
Trigger foods for me are usually fatty foods that are low in fiber, plus dairy is rarely good unless something has broken it down. Cheeses are okay, so is sour cream. Plain milk is a no-no. Sometimes it’s a matter of mixing a trigger food in with something so it doesn’t bother me as much. Continue reading “Trigger Foods and Valentine’s Day.” »
Digestive Charities You Can Donate To.
Perhaps you’re in the mood to give to a good cause, why not donate to an organization that aids in the advancement of treatments for digestive disorders. I’ve compiled a couple different organizations that could use your support. If you are aware of other organizations I should have listed here, please drop me an e-mail or leave a comment and I’ll add it.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome:
Crohn’s Disease:
Gastroparesis:
GERD:
If you have something to spare, please think strongly about giving to one of these organizations. Thanks.
McGill University Finds Genetic Link With IBS
A recent study from McGill University in Canada has found a genetic predisposition for developing Irritable Bowel Syndrome due to infection:
“Although the exact cause of PI-IBS remains unknown, we now know for the first time that, in addition to the environmental trigger, genetic factors are also playing a critical role in the development of this disease,” explains McGill PhD Alexandra-Chloé Villani, who led the team under the direction of principal investigators John K. Marshall (McMaster) and Denis Franchimont (formerly of McGill). Stephen Collins (McMaster) also collaborated.
Link: Walkerton Tragedy: 10 years of research leads to breakthrough.
The Walkerton Tragedy involved massive bacterial water contamination & incompetence/negligence by the employees of the water utility. In the end 9 people died & 2,300 became ill, with approximately 1/3rd of those ill developing IBS like symptoms.
While on McGill’s website, I found this interesting video which covers the symptoms & treatments of IBS. It is presented by Dr. Serge Mayrand, who along with other things is the Director of Digestive Motility Laboratory at McGill. Please note that registration with their website & the Quicktime application are required to view the video, both of which are free.
Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits for IBS/GERD
Apple Cider Vinegar has a lot of buzz going for it on the Internet and the natural health circuit. It can reportedly help with all sorts of problems ranging from gout to heartburn to weight-loss. While a lot of these claims haven’t been proven, I decided to give it a try.
Vinegar is fermented apple juice thanks to yeast helping to breakdown the apple juice to an alcohol & then bacteria break that down into the sour acidic substance we know. Most commercial vinegar we see in supermarket shelves has been filtered & pasteurized, possibly even distilled(clear). If you’re looking for health benefits then you’ll want to skip those & look for Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar. Filtered & pasteurized ciders have had all their “goodness” boiled or strained out of them. Continue reading “Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits for IBS/GERD” »
Fighting Nausea with Ginger & Peppermint.
I’ve probably talked about ginger & mint here before, but I’d like to highlight two products that not only help with nausea but also are quite addictive, err tasty…
Ginger Chews are chewy candies that have a strong ginger kick. They come in individually wrapped rectangular chunks and are lightly coated with powdered sugar. These aren’t at all like those weird jellied fruit squares you might find masquerading in the produce section of your local grocery. They have real ginger flavor & they’re not sickly sweet. There is quite a bit of chew to them(as the name would suggest), so they can get stuck in your teeth if you’re not careful. It’s not a requirement that you chew them, you can treat them like you would a hard candy and they’ll slowly melt. Continue reading “Fighting Nausea with Ginger & Peppermint.” »
While this isn’t directly digestion related, I am here with a terrible pain in my mouth due to the evils of oral sores(may also be called canker sores) & it’s kinda the only thing on my mind right now. Not only do I have one sore, but I actually have two, on top of having two sores, they are both on my tongue! Normally I do not get sores on my tongue, but I guess I am just super lucky this time around. I thought I was getting over the one on the back-bottom of my tongue, only to accidentally bite down on my the front of my tongue, causing another sore to form. So instead of hearing about my woes, let’s get down to some basics and try to think of solutions to these sores, as I am sure if you’ve dealt with them, you already know that they’re a pain in the but… mouth…
Continue reading “Preventing and Treating Oral Sores” »