We don’t have to exercise for hours on end per week to feel the benefits of regularly moving our body. Numerous research reports have found that all it takes is 20-30 minutes of exercise a day, or at least a few times a week, to start positively changing your life. With regular exercise, your muscles and bones stay healthier. Your mental wellness is improved with the regular shot of endorphins and other happy brain chemicals. Your metabolism is improved, your confidence is soaring, and you gain a lot of energy, as well as better, deeper sleep. Exercise reduces inflammation on a cellular level which contributes to better mood, better health, and prevention against diseases.
New research finds that movement improves movement as well; that is, of the bowel movement kind. Bowel movements and the importance of a healthy gut aren’t topics discussed too often in men’s recovery. However, men who have lived with active addiction to drugs like heroin which cause severe, consistent constipation, or drugs like stimulants which can cause severe, consistent diarrhea, know the relief of regaining a regulated digestive system. The blank truth is when our stomach, colon, digestive system, and gut health are upset, we’re upset. Being constipated stops us up in more ways than one. Distracted by not feeling good, we’re taken out of the present moment. Gut health has been proven to, in part, dictate our mental health.
Recovery for men has to be a holistic healing effort, meaning the focus of recovering is spread evenly among mind and body. The relationship between mind and body is just one of the many ways that the gut and brain, as well as the colon and entire holistic being, interact.
Gut Bacteria Is Changed By Exercise
Exercise can help change our gut bacteria for the better, which improves our mood as well as our bowel movements. Big Think reports on studies which found that the gut health of humans who did cardio for half an hour to an hour three times a week for six weeks resulted in the increase of short-chain fatty acids- reducing inflammation, generating more energy, and leaning down exercising participants.
Bottom line: exercising for gut health means exercising for healthier digestive regulation, which leads to better emotional regulation, which leads to a happier, healthier life in which you can move and live more freely.
Men can find freedom from addiction. At Tree House Recovery in Portland, Oregon, we are helping men transform their lives in mind, body, and spirit. The Tree House Man is a new breed, creating sustainable recovery through sustainable changes. Call us today for information on our programs: (503) 850-2474
