Exercise with IBS
Yoga practice for IBS
CAN EXERCISE IMPROVE IBS SYMPTOMS?
The benefits of regular exercise towards a long and healthy life are well documented. Whether you choose Tai chi, Yoga, stretching or a gentle walk. Regular exercise has shown to improve mood, energy levels, concentration, anxiety, depression, quality of life and reduce stress. Exercise is one non-diet strategy which can help manage irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Exercise can help with reducing gut transit time by keeping waste moving through the gut which can be particularly helpful for people with IBS-C. Research also shows exercise can encourage the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and assist with the removal of trapped gas.
When we exercise happy hormones (dopamine and serotonin) are released, improving mood and creating a greater sense of calm and wellbeing. When experiencing flare up of IBS symptoms, choose gentle forms of exercise such as yoga, walking or swimming to help reduce stress levels, improve mood and decrease severity of symptoms.
WHAT ABOUT OTHER MORE STRENOUS TYPES OF EXERCISE?
More high intensity training such as running can worsen IBS symptoms during a flare up, because stress and anxiety are key triggers that can active the gut-brain axis, influencing gut motility.
The vagus nerve is responsible for carrying signals from the gut to the brain and visa versa. Besides regulating heart rate, respiration and motor activity the vagus nerve also controls the digestive organs (stomach, small and large intestines). When we are relaxed and at rest the vagus nerve stimulates motility and blood flow to the digestive tract. When we are active the vagus nerve redirects blood flow away from the digestive tract to other muscles and organs of the body were it is needed most. Decreased blood flow to the gut can cause an increase in abdominal cramps, stomach discomfort, loose stools and urgency. Athlete’s training at high intensity levels can also experience increased gut symptoms and may even experience runners gut!
Unfortunately running in particular has been associated with an increase serverity of symptoms. If you simple must run you could try the following to help minimise symptoms associated with this kind of intense exercise regime.
Try keeping an exercise and symptom diary, to see any correlation between exercise and symptoms.
Try to include rest days in-between intense training session.
Try gentle exercise on flare up days.
Try shorter periods of intense exercise spread out over the day or week.
THE BENEFITS OF YOGA!
On the other hand more gentle less intense exercise can help to speed up food transit time by stimulating the gut muscles to contract and and relax and decreasing symptoms of bloating and constipation. Research shows increasing physical activity improves IBS symptoms, normal digestive function IBS-C, exercise encourage growth of beneficial bacteria and helps reduce stress levels. Hatha Yoga in particulate focuses on three techniques breath work, meditation and posture. Techniques which encourage the body to activate the bodies rest and digest response. There are studies that show Yoga and moderate intensity walking can be as effective as a Low FODMAP diet, in improving IBS symptoms severity, anxiety and depression (1).
Whilst there is no evidence to support particular yoga poses for specific symptoms, there is certainly no harm in trialling some of the following stretches and twists to see if they are of benefit to you personally.
Trapped wind: Yoga poses that squeeze abdominal muscles and massage the intestines may help move stools and release trapped wind. Try Me: Happy baby pose or child’s pose.
Constiaption: Yoga poses that massage the digestive organs, increase oxygen and blood flow and promote peristalsis along the digestive tract, may assist in the removal of waste benefiting people with IBS-C. Try me: half spinal twist, crested lunge twist, triangle pose.
Bloating: Yoga poses that stretch the abdomen and massage interval organs my help with bloating. Try me: Cobra pose, bridge pose and cat-cow stretch.
With Yoga available online it can be a relatively inexpensive to add to your tool box to help manage symptoms of IBS. For online yoga classes, I highly recommend trialling Madeline Shaw’s yoga channel https://www.youtube.com/c/MadeleineShaw.
TIPS TO INCLUDE JOYFUL MOVEMENT INTO YOUR DAY!
Unfortunately time is not an finite resources and with a busy schedule it can be difficult to find the time to exercise regularly. When thinking about including more movement in your day, why not start of with a small sustainable goal of 10-15 minutes and once this has become part of your routine aim for longer periods of time 30-40 minutes a day. Remember that if it is sustainable it will be easier to maintain! Here are some joyful movement ideas that might work for you!
Bushwalking
Gardening
Paddle Bording
Hula Hooping
Swimming in the ocean
A hit of tennis
Bike Riding
Roller Skating
Frisbee Throwing
Yoga Outdoors
There are no specific exercise guidelines for people with IBS. General population guidelines recommend 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five times a week and an additional two hours of resistant/strength exercises. The most important thing to remember is to enjoy any movement you choose to do.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The take home message is, gentle movement can help switch on the bodies rest and digest mode which can stimulate your gut muscles to contract and relax assisting in gut motility. Aim to choose activities that you like to do and try to do some gentle movement daily!
References:
Schumann,D, Langhorst,J, Dobson,G., Cramer,H, Randomised clinical trial: yoga vs a Low-FODMAP diet in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacy There. 2018;47:203-211. https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14400
