Our series on leaky gut syndrome continues. Have I answered any of your questions? Have you started working towards a healthier gut? What else are you interested in knowing? Please reach out to me with any questions you may have so we can learn together! Today we will focus on exercise.
Exercise like stress can be a double-edged sword. Leaky gut can affect your exercise regime and exercise can cause leaky gut syndrome. Let’s start with how exercise can cause leaky gut.
People that vigorously work out – marathon runners, power lifters, and the like – have a different internal system than those that don’t work out or work out moderately. If we go back to our last blog post regarding stress and leaky gut, you will remember we discussed the sympathetic nervous system and our “fight or flight” response. When you workout to extremes, your sympathetic nervous system is triggered. Think of it this way… you are a marathon runner – and your daily run is 20 miles long – your body looks at this as you are running for your life and so it triggers the “fight or flight” response. Make sense? When this is triggered, your body changes the way it processes information, food, pain, and anything else that it deems critical for survival, everything else is pushed to the background. Think of your computer screen – many things work in the background but you typically are looking at 1 – 3 things at one time right? You can’t focus on all at once. This is how your body works during a crisis.
Different hormones are released when the sympathetic nervous system is engaged including cortisol and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). Neither is good for your digestive system and can induce leaky gut syndrome.
Recommended reading: https://bellalindemann.com/blog/gut-issues-exercise-worse
More recommended reading: https://www.amymyersmd.com/article/exercise-and-leaky-gut/
More recommended reading: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7982409/
I’m NOT telling you to stop working out.. noooooo… I am suggesting that you change your daily workout to something less stressful to your body – pilates, yoga, hiking, walking – until you get your gut under control for a couple months. Then ease back into your preferred method and see where your threshold lies.
Exercise can really help your digestive system work more efficiently as long as it isn’t a high impact, long distance workout. Exercise gets the body moving and your digestive system’s microbiome to thrive. Moderate exercise is recommended on a daily basis. This means 30 minutes of activity – walking, hiking, swimming, biking, yoga, pilates, bellydancing, whatever it is you like to move to… do it for 30 minutes every day. The more ofen you sit, the poorer your overall health.
Recommended reading: https://drlauryn.com/gut-health/the-best-workouts-exercise-for-leaky-gut-15-strategies-to-prevent-it/
More recommended reading: http://sarahsmithstrength.com/new-blog/2018/6/25/movementformicrobes
Let’s get moving to strengthen your immune system and your digestive system!
Blessings – E