Alongside a healthy diet Pilates can help to support your gut !

Digestion is the system of transporting and breaking down of food so that nutrients can be absorbed and waste eliminated.

It requires co-ordination of the muscles from the mouth to the stomach to move food through out the body.

Defects in the system can cause symptoms such as bloating, constipation or heartburn. Most of these are experienced around the abdomen region and as Pilates focuses on core movement it can help.

The position of the Pilates exercises are designed to relieve the heart and visceral organs from excess strain. The rolling motions, deep flexion and rotations are said to physically massage the internal organs. Increasing blood flow and digestion.

Mobility based exercises also lengthen the abdominal cavity to create space and relieve discomfort from abdominal symptoms.

The breathing pattern will also relax the nervous system, and as the gut is controlled by the vagus nerve it can promote relaxation of the digestive tract.