Here’s my workout for the day
Did you get your workout in yet today? Here’s mine! I’ve really been utilizing my Trx and their rip cord. Getting a total body workout in developed mostly around my core. This tool allows me to get more muscles activated without much equipment and overloading my joints. I really like to end my week with trx workouts as I feel I can involve so stretching in the circuit to lengthen my muscle and keep flexibility.
On top of keeping your muscles strong and your heart healthy, did you know that exercise helps lay the foundation for a healthy digestive system?
It does! And that plays a surprisingly big role in your overall health and well-being. And even your mood!
It might even change the way you look at exercise.
Before I get too deep into this topic, let me introduce myself if you don’t already know me.
It’s already been well established that regular exercise can keep you feeling strong and healthy, right?
First of all, there’s what I call the “mechanical way” that exercise helps.
For example, let’s say you eat a meal and then go for a walk ...well the movement helps speed up the rate the food moves through your stomach by up to 30%!
Plus, it can help keep your blood sugar more stable. And regular movement can help battle constipation if that is an issue for you.
But then there’s another way that exercise can help your digestive system, or your gut microbiome. Scientists are just beginning to learn about this.
Your gut microbiome is made up of trillions of bacteria that live inside your digestive tract. They do things like help your body make hormones, digest your food, as well as play an important role in your immune system, and so much more!
They even are tied in with your weight.
And when you have a healthy balance of different kinds of bacteria, it does a lot to help support your health and help you feel great.
But when that bacteria gets out of balance, with fewer healthy bacteria, it also can have a pretty big impact on your overall health … but in a not-so-great way.
One thing scientists have found is that regular cardio exercise helps boost the level of your healthy bacteria!
A study that recently came out got a lot of press because it formed a DIRECT link between exercise and your microbiome.
Scientists took people who didn’t normally exercise, and they tested them to see what their gut microbiome profile was, with how many different kinds of bacteria they had, plus the balance of how much of each.
Then, they put them on a program of 6 weeks of cardio exercise, doing 30 to 60 minutes of exercise 3 days a week.
At the end of the 6 weeks, they tested them again and the subjects had MORE healthy bacteria, especially more of the kinds that prevent inflammation.
As you might know, inflammation is linked with a lot of different diseases from diabetes to heart disease to Alzheimer’s.
Here’s the interesting part ... they had them STOP exercising, and 6 weeks after that, they tested their microbiomes again – and guess what? Their gut microbiomes went back to their old pattern.
This is without any change in their diets!
Pretty crazy, right?
So remember how I said this could change the way you look at exercise?
You can think about your workouts like taking a special supplement for your health – kind of like a vitamin or greens drink.
While you’re taking it, it helps … but you need to be regular with it to keep seeing the effects!
Consistency is what really matters.
If you need help with that consistency, or to put a personalized plan together, I’m here to help you!
