IBS exercise strengthen abdominal muscles, normalize bowel movement, expel gas, reduces bloat & cramp, and exercise is the best stress reliever.
Simple IBS exercises
- Walking is great and is just as beneficial as exercises that are more vigorous. Start walking for up to 10 minutes twice daily for every day. Gradually increase the pace, swing your arms, walking time or distance, and preferably walk in steeper slopes. Walk briskly for 30 to 45 minutes per day in every day.
- Swimming is preferable than walking for people with overweight. Start swimming for about 15 minutes twice per week. Gradually increase up to about 30 to 45 minutes/day twice per week.
- Cycling, treadmill, or jogging are beneficial for IBS. Start with 10 to 15 minutes/day and gradually increase without straining to about 30 minutes/day. Spend liberally for sports shoes or dress that help continue doing the activity.
- Abdominal training is beneficial for IBS by strengthening abdominal muscles. Do by sitting on the floor with knees bent slightly with straight spine. Cross arms over the chest, now from sitting position slowly lower your back toward the floor until shoulders few inches above the floor. Pause and back up to the sitting position without arcing your back. Repeat this for ten times.
You can do any physical activity that is mild does not put you much strain.
Exercise benefits
Regular exercise can help improves:
- Metabolism, burn more calories; improve appetite, digestion, absorption and elimination.
- Heart get strengthen, stabilizes heart rate and blood circulation; increases blood flow & oxygenation and gives your face and skin a healthy glow.
- Lymphatic flow & Immune system function
- Relieves stress (both mental and physical); thus lower anxiety, depression, irritability, and mood swings.
- Body posture
- Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone production
- Sexual performance due to increased energy and hormone level
- Endorphins secretion, feel-good neurotransmitters in the brain
- Serotonin balance in the gut
- Mental acuity, concentration, self-confidence and self-esteem
- Mineral uptake in the skeleton
A 2004 study involving more than 18,000 women at the Harvard School of Public Health found that physical activity seems to have a direct effect on the brain itself. This survey showed exercise promotes chemical production in the brain, called nerve growth factors that improve the brain cells’ survival and growth.
Most women with IBS also have PMS symptoms. Research shows exercise reduces/eliminates PMS symptoms by reducing stress & tension, elevates mood, provides well-being, and improves blood circulation by increasing endorphins production.
Exercise program for IBS will be beneficial for many other diseases this include arthritis, diabetes, diverticulosis, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, indigestion, kidney disease, colds & flues, obesity, osteoporosis, etc.
For people with IBS, exercise can provide overall improvement in physical strength, energy, endurance, and relieves stress. This banishes fatigue, tiredness, and weakness. Emotional benefits include lowering anxiety, irritability and depression. Boost in lymph gland flow and immune system leads to resistance to disease.