Exercise=poo

Hubby said it best, “Every morning I make a deposit into the porcelain throne since I started to exercise!”(in an overly-excited totally creepy manner). Yes, its no joke, exercise can help alleviate your constipation. But how? Well, it helps to move things along in your intestines which has a double effect of reducing the amount of water that gets re-absorbed into your body, thus helping your stool stay softer and easier to…um, pass. Furthermore, getting the heart and surrounding structures (respiratory muscles) pumping helps to stimulate intestinal contractions which help keep the train chug-chug-chugging along.

Researchers are still searching for more conclusive evidence showing that movement therapy can be helpful in alleviating irritable bowel syndrome, however a study published in September 2008 revealed that IBS symptoms can be addressed with exercise. The study showed that the individuals who benefited most from this intervention were those suffering from constipation¹.

1. A. J. Daley C. Grimmett L. Roberts S. Wilson M. Fatek A. Roalfe S. Singh. The Effects of Exercise upon Symptoms and Quality of Life in Patients Diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Int J Sports Med 2008; 29: 778-782.