Undoubtedly, exercise is great for fitness and emotional wellbeing, but, little did you know, it also plays a crucial role in keeping your digestive system healthy. Exercise and digestion can be mutually exclusive. When you exercise, your body isn’t using its energy for digestion. Instead, it slows any digestion currently taking place so it can divert as much blood as it can to feed your muscles and your lungs.
However, if you exercise just before eating you can experience gastrointestinal problems. Depending on the type of food you’ve eaten and the intensity of your exercise program, you may suffer from heartburn, abdominal pain, or even vomiting. If left untreated, it can lead to major gastrointestinal conditions.
Thus, give your body the proper time to digest before exercising. If you eat a meal heavy in proteins and fats, you may need two or three hours for digestion. Your blood sugar rises to help you digest. Wait for it to drop back to normal so you can devote all your energy to your workout.
A large meal, especially if it contains a lot of fat, can delay your digestion, which in turn should delay your exercise time. On the other hand, not eating anything before a workout will leave you feeling tired and weak.
In addition, keep hydrated while you exercise. Dehydration is one of the leading causes of exercise-related gastrointestinal problems. It can lead to constipation, acid reflux, and even microscopic death of your intestines if you don’t absorb all the nutrients and oxygen from the food in your system during digestion.
Exercise enhances gut flora
Exercise can even affect the balance of bacteria in your gut, which is home to more than 100 trillion types of friendly bacteria. This gut flora plays an active role in protecting our immune system, the body’s natural defense that keeps us healthy. It also inhibits the growth of more harmful bacteria and helps to digest food and absorb essential nutrients.
Pre-Exercise Eating Tips
Ideally, eat about three hours before you exercise.
Eat less if you dine less than two hours before your workout.
Eat food you can digest easily, like those high in carbohydrates and low in fats.
Bananas, toast, and oats are excellent low-fiber carbohydrate sources.
Avoid proteins and high-fiber foods, which digest more slowly.
Keep yourself hydrated during your exercise regimen. When hydrating, make sure you drink enough to support your activity.
