Four Simple Movements for Movements

Photo by Perfecto Insecto.

A lot of people are embarrassed to talk about constipation but hey, it happens to be one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints in the country. More than 4 million Americans experience frequent constipation and most of them are adult women.

Your diet plays a huge role in your digestive movements but if you don’t exercise regularly even with an excellent diet, you may still be predisposed to constipation. Here are some very simple but effective exercises that focus on your abdomen to help prevent or treat constipation. Remember, constipation is not a disease, but a mere symptom. It can easily be treated naturally. If you have a chronic case, don’t be shy, talk about it with your physician!

The best time to do these exercises is at least one hour after a full meal. This gives you the perfect amount of energy to engage in a physical activity and at the same time help the blood circulate in the areas of digestion: your stomach and intestines.

• Walking. A regular (no pun intended!) walk of at least 20 minutes a day can help you achieve optimal digestive movement. Once you’ve become more active and fit, try jogging or getting into a 45-minute aerobic program. By helping increase your breathing and heart rate, you also help naturally stimulate the contraction of your intestines.
• Yoga. There are many yoga poses that promote healthy digestion. The Cat/Cow Pose is very easy to follow and a great yoga routine that focuses on the stomach area. It provides a gentle massage to the belly organs and also great in aiding lower back pain, which is also a symptom of constipation. For pregnant women, follow this Cat/Cow Pose variation and read more on why prenatal yoga is awesome.
• Hula Hoop. Who would’ve thought that a fun childhood activity such as the hula hoop could be healthy and even help prevent indigestion? Hula hoop exercises actually help stimulate acupressure points in the abdomen and strengthens the intestines. There’s a wide variety of hula hoops in the market that are exclusively for work out programs. Go to your neighborhood sports store and ask about “weighted hula hoops.”
• Abdominal massage. During your next appointment with your massage therapist, tell him/her to focus on your abdomen. If you’re too busy, you can always do it on your own while laying down or in the shower. Use oil or soap to lubricate the stomach area. Start on the right side near your appendix with gentle, circular motions (apply more pressure in subsequent days). Move upward toward your rib cage and massage diagonally down and towards the left side until you reach your belly button. Massage diagonally upward until you reach the other side of your rib cage. Finally, massage down toward your groin until your leg crease. Do this routine for 3-5 minutes each day (Source).

Remember: eat right and exercise too. Happy digesting!

Karla Mercado lives in New Mexico and is the author of Balancing Tenderfoot. She is passionate about human medicine, nutrition, and writing.