An increasing number of spa-goers desire an experience that includes more than spa treatments to enhance their overall wellbeing; therefore, many spas are updating their menu of services to include health and wellness offerings. Some of these offerings are in the form of nutrition consultations, fitness classes, and oral-based vitamins and supplements that not only help enhance clients’ skin, but also help them achieve a healthier gut microbiome.
However, the benefits of a healthy gut go beyond just clearer, brighter, and younger-looking skin. A healthy gut helps promote better digestion, improved immunity, and can prevent certain health conditions. While taking vitamins and supplements can be beneficial to one’s overall health and wellness, exercise is also an important part in achieving a healthy gut microbiome. “When we incorporate regular physical activity consistently, it encourages the growth of a wider variety of good bacteria in our intestines, as a diverse microbiome is linked to better digestion, immune function, and even mental health,” says Azza Halim, M.D., a board-certified physician, international educator, and owner of Azza MD Beauty (multiple locations). “Exercise helps lower systemic inflammation, which can improve symptoms of gut-related issues like irritable bowel syndrome or leaky gut, and also stimulates the muscles in intestines, which helps food and waste move through more efficiently, reducing constipation. Other added benefits include strengthening the gut lining, which prevents toxins from leaking into the blood stream, and decreasing stress. Exercise also helps indirectly by lowering cortisol and improving mood.”
Halim suggests walking for 20 to 30 minutes a day, which can benefit in gut bacterial diversity and increase blood ow to the digestive system, as well as help maintain microbiome balance. In addition, yoga is a bene cial exercise, as poses involve twists and core engagement (like seated twists, child’s pose, and bridge pose), which can massage the digestive organs and promote motility. However, it’s important to keep in mind that over-training can increase cortisol and inflammation, which also can impact gut health, according to Halim.
Some spas are helping guests achieve a healthier gut by offering gut health retreats, like the one at Chiva Som Hua Hin (Thailand), which is a five- or seven-night program that includes nutritional meals; physical activity, such as yoga and Pilates classes; stress management techniques; therapeutic spa treatments, like an abdominal massage; and detoxification support in the form of vitamins, minerals, and supplements.
In addition to regular exercise, Halim recognizes the benefits of taking vitamins and supplements for gut health in conjunction with good nutrition. “Sometimes we need additional gut support with probiotics that contain lactobacillus and bifidobacterium species, and prebiotics to feed good gut bacteria, such as inulin, fructooligosaccharides, or resistant starch,” she says. “Vitamins, such as D, are necessary since low levels of vitamin D have been linked to gut inflammation and imbalanced microbiome. Magnesium is another vital vitamin, as it can help with motility and constipation, and glutamine is an amino acid that helps heal and maintain the gut lining, especially when dealing with leaky gut symptoms.” While Halim acknowledges the benefits of some vitamins and supplements in achieving overall health and wellness, she stresses to always prioritize whole foods first for the best results. She says, “Supplements are there to support, not replace, a good diet and healthy lifestyle.”
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Check out these vitamins and supplements that help aid in improving digestion and gut health.
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