You are probably already aware of the importance of exercise for good health. And if you have been on the Healthy Breast path for a while, you no doubt are also in the know about how essential it is to have good digestive health for breast cancer prevention and healing. The bacteria in your gut can help breakdown aggressive circulating estrogens and trigger your liver to support the methylation process. But did you know that exercise can also help improve your gut health?
Science has confirmed it: moving your body every day may provide the “one-two punch” that can help provide the gut health you need for a vibrant life!
Did you know that exercise can significantly increase the diversity of your gut flora? What’s more, it can also down-regulate certain bacteria that may contribute to obesity!
The Gut Health – Exercise Connection
So how does the link between exercise and gut health work? Firstly, the biggest factor in determining your digestive health is not the absence of bad bacteria; it is the ability to maintain a diversity of all kinds of bacteria in your gut, with a little bit more good bacteria than opportunistic ones.
Think for a moment about creating a beautiful gardening landscape. You want to see variety, color, different shapes and sizes and each of the plants contributing their unique gifts to the whole big picture. That is just the kind of diversity you want inside your gut for optimum health!
Increased diversity is what exercise can do for your gut health. New research is clearly showing this link.
A 2016 Canadian study published in the journal Microbiome found that increased cardio-respiratory fitness can up gut biodiversity by 20%. The researchers saw increased butyrate levels after exercise. Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid that is associated with healthy bacteria.
Exercise Helps Gut Health for All Body Types
It makes sense that the rigorous exercise which athletes endure can affect their gut health, but what about the rest of us? A report published in the journal Nature found that increased movement can increase gut health no matter what your body type.
Research has also shown an increased amount of “energy harvesting” gut bacteria in obese rats. The number of these kinds of bacteria can reduce significantly when regular physical exercise comes in to play and “lean microbiota” takes its place.
Another study sponsored by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that physical activity helps to balance gut bacteria regardless of diet. According to Dr. Jeffrey Woods, co-lead of the investigation, this was the first in vivo study to show that gut bacteria diversity can be modified by exercise alone.
Researchers achieved such good results even when diet was not a factor. Just think how YOU can positively affect your health by moving your body and sticking to a whole foods, cancer-preventative diet as well!
Healthy Digestion Means a Healthy Life
Finally, a recent Australian study puts the importance of gut health into global perspective. The 2016 analysis published in the journal Current Allergy and Asthma Reports linked lack of gut biodiversity to the worldwide epidemic of dysbiosis, which means “life in distress:”
“…the impact of changes at the immune-microbiota interface are directly relevant to broader discussions concerning rapid urbanization, antibiotics, agricultural practices, environmental pollutants, highly processed foods/beverages and socioeconomic disparities–all implicated in the NCD pandemic.”
This doesn’t have to happen to you, however! As you become empowered through knowledge, you can take care of your gut, your immune system and your entire body. One of the BEST ways to do this is to move your body every day!
P.S. Not sure how to get started with physical activity? Increased physical activity does not mean spending an hour in the gym. Check out this blog and learn how you can do it in just 20 minutes a day!
May 7, 2018
© 2018 Dr. Veronique Desaulniers – All Rights Reserved
Submitted to for publication to Kettle Moraine Publications by the author, Dr. Veronique Desaulniers, better known as Dr. V, is the founder of The 7 Essentials System ™, a step-by-step guide that teaches you exactly how to prevent and heal Breast Cancer Naturally. To get your F.R.E.E. 7 day mini e-course, and to receive her weekly action steps and inspiring articles on the power of Natural Medicine, visit http://breastcancerconqueror.com/.