Fact 13: Listening to Your Body
Every rumble, cramp, and sensation from our stomach is a message. Our body has a unique way of communicating its needs, discomforts, and overall state. Recognizing and acting on these signals, especially those related to bowel movements, is essential for maintaining optimal digestive health.
Modern lifestyles, with their hectic schedules, often push us to delay or completely ignore the urge to use the restroom. While this might seem harmless occasionally, consistently suppressing these natural signals can result in reduced sensitivity to them. Over time, this can lead to chronic constipation.
Being attuned to our body’s cues involves more than just recognizing the need for a restroom break. It encompasses understanding dietary reactions, stress impacts, and even how different physical activities affect our digestion. Keeping a food and mood diary can be an effective way to track and correlate digestive health with daily activities and meals.
Mindfulness practices, such as meditation, deep breathing, and even mindful eating, can enhance our connection with our body. Taking the time to eat without distractions, savoring every bite, and focusing on the act itself can significantly improve digestion and overall gut health.
Our body loves routines. Setting regular meal times, allocating specific periods for physical activity, and even having a fixed bedtime can train our body to expect and prepare for specific activities. This routine can also help regulate bowel movements, reducing the risk of constipation. (13)
