72 / WOMEN’S HEALTH JUNE 2019
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ES(ICON
)Nausea, heartburn,
indigestion? Upset stomach?
Diarrhea? Sounds a lot like,
yes, the Pepto-Bismol com-
mercial (ugh, so catchy). This
symphony of symptoms also
brings to mind one of our
favor ite act iv it ies here at
Women’s Health: exercise.
Wait, what? Despite its men-
tal and physical benefits, of
which there are plenty, work-
ing out can also wreak havoc
with your gut.
The good news: “These
activity-induced GI troubles
are self-limited—meaning
they shouldn’t continue after
you’ve properly treated them
in the moment or stopped
the exercise,” says Kathryn
McElheny, MD, a sports med
attending physician at Hospi-
tal for Special Surgery. An
even better translation: There
is absolutely no need to slash
your time spent sweating (or
to chug the pink stuff right
away). With these techniques,
you can prevent, prepare for,
and treat whatever, er, crap
might come your way, f rom
warm-up to cooldown.
CRAMPS
That sudden sharp or stab-
bing pain, usually on the
right side of your abdomen
mid-workout (cue groans),
might be the result of added
stress on the ligaments that
support and hold organs in
place, says Felice Schnoll-
Sussman, MD, a gastroen-
terologist and professor of
clinical medicine at Weill
Cornell Medicine. Exercises
that involve repeatedly ex-
tending your upper body,
like running or even horse -
back riding, are believed to
be the biggest offenders.YOUR FIX Some research
suggests strengthening
your core is a positive pre-
vention technique, since it’s
thought that weak dia-
phra gm muscles, just like
those ligaments, are more
prone to cramping. But abs,
like Rome, aren’t built in a
day. What you can do in the
moment: Slow down, and if
necessary, press pause on
your workout, then take
deep breaths while pushing
on the site of the pain. You
can achieve a similar effect
by wearing, per experts, a
tightened abdominal belt,
or you could even try leg-
gings with a snug, high, and
wide waistband. Hey, any
excuse to buy another pair.NAUSEA
During exercise, your body
directs blood flow toward
the organs that need it
most (your heart and
lungs), slowing digestion
and creating discomfort,
says Samantha Nazareth,
MD, a WH advisory board
member. Add in dehydra-
tion, which decreases
blood flow, and you can
start feeling pretty yuck as
your body works even hard-
er to pump blood to your
most vital parts.YOUR FIX Hydrate before
and as you sweat. Try not to
down lots of liquids right
before you start. Allow at
least 20 to 30 minutes for
all to settle; skipping this
can lead to a sloshing sen-
sation that means your tum
won’t empty well, says
Nicole Green, MD, a gastro-
enterologist at Seattle
Children’s Hospital. Anoth-
er tip: Don’t overdo it with
pre- or post-workout
NSAIDs like Advil, which
can irritate. Popping a pill
infrequently for pain or
aches is okay, but needing it
on the reg probably means
you should see a physician.