The Magic of Movement Two
Welcome to the Magic of Movement, part two.
We’re going to return to the extraordinary benefits of exercise again this week. But don’t see it as a separate topic to the "identifying barriers" work we did last week, nor the goal setting that is coming up. It’s all interconnected and knowing the specific ways that movement is medicine can strengthen our resolve to engage fully with it, whereas a vague sense that we ought to be doing some does not!
Let’s remind ourselves of the amazing benefits of movement, activity, exercise - call it what you will:
Exercise:
Improves your blood sugar and blood fat control
Is good for the immune system
Improves your digestion
Aids sleep
Boosts mood
Boosts your brain power/strengthens memory/is protective against dementia
Improves your cardiovascular health
Improves your respiratory health
Reduces the risk of many diseases
Strengthens bones and muscles
Improves elasticity of the connective tissues, including the skin
Stimulates autophagy (the repair of cells and the removal of “zombie” cells), so it “slows down ageing”
Improves your ability to do everyday activities
Helps manage weight, and more importantly changes the weight/strength ratio
Improves agility and balance
Reduces inflammation
Decreases stress on the liver
Improves kidney function
Helps with osteo-arthritis
When we last looked into what exercise does for us, we looked at how it reduces the risk of heart disease, boosts our brain power, controls our blood fat and blood sugar and improves our immune system. Pretty key stuff. This week we’ll look at how it reduces inflammation, how it helps us sleep better, how it increases bone density and muscle mass, and how it stimulates the gut microbiome.
There are still more important benefits to discuss, and we’ll get onto those in due course.
Of course, you don’t have to know about all of the benefits to gain all of the benefits! So you might be exercising because you know how it helps you sleep, unaware of how it aids digestion. But it will still aid digestion nevertheless.
Inflammation
Perhaps surprisingly, exercise has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body overall, although it does depend quite a lot on the duration and intensity of the exercise! Jasmine Paris, who at the time of writing has just become the first woman to complete the extraordinarily gruelling Barkley 100 mile marathons, within the allotted time of 60 hours, probably has a fair bit of inflammation going on right now. But generally, in more moderate amounts, exercise is good for lowering inflammation. You can read more about her extraordinary achievement here
Just out of interest, you can do blood tests to measure your inflammation. It doesn’t specify what is inflamed, but there are benefits in knowing what the general levels of inflammation in your body are. I just got some results back for that. My levels were up a bit from a previous test, but reading through the notes I realise that was probably because I was fighting/recovering from a cold. I might test again when I know that I am at my most well.
On my way home from my Personal Training sessions at Personal Best studios I keep catching part of an interesting radio programme (A Thorough Examination with Drs Chris and Xand) that is investigating different aspects of exercise, and yesterday they said that they think exercise reduces inflammation in the body by “stealing” some of the energy that the body would otherwise have put into inflammatory responses. Remember, inflammation isn’t all bad. It’s a central part of the healing process. But anyone who has ever suffered with an auto-immune disease will know that the body doesn’t always get it right, and can overdo the inflammatory response with dire results. And long term chronic inflammation can lead to a variety of undesirable illnesses and conditions.
Along with the “energy stealing” theory, exercise appears to reduce inflammation by:
Decreasing Levels of Pro-inflammatory Cytokines:
- Regular physical activity has been shown to decrease circulating levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are associated with chronic inflammation and various inflammatory diseases.
Increasing Levels of Anti-inflammatory Cytokines:
- At the same time, exercise can stimulate the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, which help counteract the effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines and promote a more balanced immune response.
Improving Insulin Sensitivity:
- Insulin resistance is associated with low-grade inflammation. Regular physical activity improves insulin sensitivity, reducing the need for high levels of insulin, which can contribute to lower levels of inflammation.
Enhancing Antioxidant Defenses:
- Exercise increases the production of endogenous antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione, which help neutralise reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduce oxidative stress-induced inflammation.
Improving Gut Microbiota Composition:
- This is maybe quite surprising. Physical activity can positively influence the composition of the gut microbiota, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria. A healthy gut microbiome is associated with reduced inflammation and improved immune function.
Reducing Psychological Stress:
- Not if you are one of those individuals that absolutely abhors exercise, of course. But chronic stress can contribute to inflammation through activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the release of stress hormones. Exercise helps reduce psychological stress and promotes relaxation, which can have anti-inflammatory effects.
Enhancing Blood Circulation:
- Exercise improves blood circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues while removing waste products. Improved circulation supports tissue repair and reduces localised inflammation.
Sleep
is a key element of health (I use cat pictures to represent sleep here because cats are such experts at it). We looked at this in some detail in sleep is the new sex, but of course there’s a lot more to it. It’s another area in which many books have been written and a fair amount of research conducted.
I think we have an intuitive sense that since exercise burns off energy and that being tired is part of what makes us sleep, getting some exercise during the day, especially if its outside in some fresh air, must help. Exercise also has a stimulating effect, and many experts warn against vigorous exercise too late at night. This does make sense, but I certainly found when I was a super swotty student, that running a few laps of the housing estate late at night cleared my head, tired me out, and made me sleep really well. Parents of young children will also be aware that they often have a surge of energy just before bed (whereas the parents themselves often do not). Many night time routines are crafted around avoiding this, with lavender baths and so on, but another approach is just to accept and embrace it. Historically, there was also more to be done last thing at night than just turn off the tv, brush your teeth and get into bed. What the night time activities entailed depends on what era we are looking at, and who you were within society at that time, but it could have involved checking the livestock, stacking wood in a stove, climbing a tree….. For us, throughout our years as horse trainers, the last thing we did before bed was to go outside, check the horses, fill up water buckets, skip out the stables, and top up hay. We saw many a beautiful night sky as a result, and were still able to go to sleep quickly when we went back in to go to bed. So if you do feel like a gentle jog might be the thing before bed, it might be worth trying it out a few times to see how you respond.
How else is it that exercise regulates sleep?
Exercise
Regulates Circadian Rhythms:
- Exercise can help regulate circadian rhythms, the body's internal clock that governs the sleep-wake cycle. This is especially true if exercise is taken outside within two hours of waking up. Having a consistent (but not necessarily rigid) sleep-wake cycle can help. Exercise does this partly by enhancing melatonin production, and melatonin is part of the sleep readiness trigger.
Reduces Anxiety and Stress:
- We mentioned this yesterday in relation to the anti-inflammatory effects of exercise. Exercise is known to reduce levels of stress hormones and alleviate feelings of anxiety. Lowering stress and anxiety levels can contribute to a more relaxed state conducive to better sleep.
Promotes Body Temperature Regulation:
- Exercise raises body temperature during activity, and the subsequent cooling down after exercise can signal the body that it's time to sleep. The drop in body temperature post-exercise aligns with the natural cooling that occurs during the initial stages of sleep. This is the same reason that a warm bath before bed helps, and this is partly the reason why exercise before bed isn’t always a terrible idea.
Increases Time Spent in Deep Sleep:
- Regular physical activity has been associated with an increase in the time spent in deep or slow-wave sleep. This phase is crucial for physical restoration and cognitive functioning.
Improves Sleep Quality:
- Regular exercise is linked to improved sleep quality, characterised by fewer awakenings during the night and increased time spent in restorative sleep stages.
The Gut Microbiome
It is perhaps one of the more surprising benefits of exercise that it has such a beneficial effect on the gut microbiome. I’m not surprised that it improves digestion - it seems it might be beneficial in getting everything moving, and certainly walking has long been promoted as a cure for constipation amongst those at sea, but its odd to me that, as we see below, it improves the diversity of the microbiota. It can’t introduce new strains, but the thought process is that it creates optimal conditions for the variety of microbes to thrive.
The advice always used to be not to exercise too soon after eating, because exercise diverts energy away from digestion, but in terms of blood sugar control, getting out for a walk, say, within 30 minutes of eating has very beneficial effects on the circulating levels of blood glucose.
Increases Microbial Diversity:
- Regular physical activity has been associated with increased microbial diversity in the gut, meaning a greater variety of beneficial bacteria.
Changes in Microbial Composition:
- Exercise can lead to shifts in the relative abundance of different bacterial species in the gut. While the exact mechanisms are not fully understood, exercise has been shown to increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria
Anti-inflammatory Effects:
- This has come up quite a lot! Exercise has anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body, including the gut. Regular physical activity can help reduce inflammation in the gut, which is associated with a range of gastrointestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Interesting, because of course having those diseases doesn’t make you inclined towards physical activity, but actually it can really help.
Improves Gut Barrier Function:
- No-one wants a leaky gut! Exercise has been shown to enhance gut barrier function, which refers to the integrity of the intestinal lining that prevents harmful substances from crossing into the bloodstream. A healthy gut barrier is essential for protecting against inflammation and maintaining overall gut health.
Modulates Gut-Brain Axis:
- The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in the gut-brain axis, the surprising bidirectional communication pathway between the gut and the brain. Exercise has been shown to influence this axis, leading to changes in mood, cognition, and stress response, which can indirectly impact gut microbial composition and function.
Enhances Short-Chain Fatty Acid Production:
- Exercise can stimulate the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the gut. These compounds have anti-inflammatory and metabolic benefits and are essential for gut health.
One of the very best ways to increase bone density and muscle mass is by movement, especially certain kinds. Good bone density and a reasonable amount of lean muscle are critical to our health, especially as we age, but in fact at any time in our lives we need good functional strength this way. As children (well, active children anyway) our strength to weight ratio was probably very good. It’s why children are often so good at climbing trees and hanging off branches. As we age, our strength to weight ratio starts going the wrong way. And when I say age, I mean that from the age of 30 muscle mass decreases by approximately 3-8 % per decade and this rate of decline accelerates after the age of 60. This is on average, of course, and for any particular individual the rate of decline could be considerably faster, or - as is the case with the Thorny Roses that exercise regularly each day - slower. This is obviously what we want!
In terms of bone density, again we start losing that around the age of 35. Menopause, and the loss of oestrogen produced by the ovaries, accelerates this process. It is definitely worth considering oestrogen supplementation, if you are able to, to mitigate this loss, and at the same time exercise is good for slowing the decline (or even reversing it) of lean muscle mass and bone.
Weight-Bearing and Plyometric Exercise:
- Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, dancing, and resistance training, help stimulate bone growth and increase bone density. These activities put stress on the bones, prompting them to become stronger and denser over time. "Plyometrics" are also a big part of this - jumping, essentially. Or hopping, or side hops. Essentially, for the best strengthening results, the shock of the impact needs to go through the bone at a variety of angles. Get Skipping is the suggestion of this week’s Just One Thing. This is a great all-round exercise, though not necessarily popular! Especially if your pelvic floor/bladder aren’t as robust as you would like. More on that anon.
Resistance Training:
- Resistance training, including lifting weights, using resistance bands, or performing bodyweight exercises, helps stimulate muscle growth and strength. Resistance exercises create microscopic damage to muscle fibres, leading to repair and growth during the recovery phase.
Mechanical Loading:
- Mechanical loading during exercise stimulates bone formation by activating osteoblasts, the cells responsible for building new bone tissue. The repetitive stress placed on bones during weight-bearing and resistance exercises triggers the remodelling process, resulting in stronger and denser bones. Similarly, muscle contractions during exercise create tension on the tendons, which in turn exerts force on the bones. You can see this in a shot-putter, for instance, whose throwing arm will have considerably better bone density than the non-throwing arm.
Hormonal Response:
- Exercise influences hormone levels that impact bone density and muscle mass. For example, resistance training increases the secretion of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which promote muscle growth and bone formation. Especially helpful to those with no endogenous oestrogen or testosterone.
Nutrient Delivery:
- Sounds like a healthy form of Deliveroo. Exercise increases blood flow to the muscles and bones, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen necessary for tissue repair and growth.
Increases Muscle Fibre Recruitment:
- Resistance training recruits more muscle fibres, leading to muscle hypertrophy (growth) and increased strength. Over time, this contributes to gains in muscle mass and function. We use this process particularly when we do those Wall Press Up variations of holding our hands at different heights and angles.
Promotes Muscle Protein Synthesis:
- Exercise, especially resistance training, stimulates muscle protein synthesis, the process by which muscle fibres rebuild and repair themselves after exercise-induced damage.
Don’t forget to make sure you are eating enough protein to allow this muscle growth. See Protein Power for a reminder!
So exercise is good for just about everything. There are some injuries of course that shouldn’t be exposed to exercise, especially too soon, and some conditions that don’t benefit from exercise. If you are ill, you need your energy to fight the infection. If you have a chronic illness, the challenge is very much around doing the right amount and the right sort of exercise that doesn’t aggravate the condition. Much of the Thorny Rose Wellness approach is very suitable for people with CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) or RA (rheumatoid arthritis) because the small frequent dose effect, and the speed at which the exercises are done, means that you can know very quickly if you are overdoing it, and adapt accordingly.
Even if it is low intensity, doing something is often better than doing nothing.
If you are really out of action, there is some compelling and quite surprising evidence that just thinking about exercise, really visualising yourself doing it, can actually have similar effects to actually doing it. Check out this Just One Thing here.
Bear these benefits in mind when we look at goal setting, or habit installing. It can help not only with the motivation, but also the selection of what kind of exercise you most want to concentrate on.