07/13/2023
High effort exercise reduces blood flow to the digestive tract to preserve blood flow to active organs. This along with the mechanical forces and dehydration during exercise put your gut in a vulnerable position. Normally, this is only short term and resolves as we recovery from our activity. With inadequate recovery whether that’s not allowing enough rest time, not prioritizing sleep or eating a poor quality diet that doesn’t meet your individual needs, your digestive system can lose its integrity and cause a host of digestive issues and even affect energy levels, mood and cognition.
âś… Prioritize rest and recovery between workouts and reduce the amount you are training temporarily to allow your body to better adapt to the demands
âś…hydrate hydrate hydrate
âś…Work with a professional to figure out a targeted nutrition plan to meet your personal needs as a high performer
đź§ Finally, seek the help of a professional to address your gut health. This might involve a temporary elimination of certain foods, supplements and functional foods to support your digestion and proper guidance on how to return to a high level of activity without it overburdening your digestive tract