Monday, April 25, 2011

Massaging Your Internal Organs



The Holidays, while filled with fun, family and love, can cause some havoc on our bodies with the various food and drink that is served. Practicing Pilates helps flush out some of the merriment (or even stress) by conditioning a strong and properly functioning core. Core abdominal muscles like the transverse abdominus are integral in aiding the digestive function as well as the optimal flushing of toxins.

Digestion is aided when internal organs like the intestines are stimulated by core muscles to move contents through the digestive system. Proper digestion leads to great nutrient absorption and prevents painful digestive diseases like diverticulitis.

Twisting exercises like the stomach massage on the reformer and pull ups to the side on the wunda chair strengthen the core muscles, which in turn serve to promote optimal functions of the intestines as well as other organs like the liver. When the liver functions well, it directs blood and lymphatic fluid into the larger vessels of the cardiovascular system which eliminates toxins from the body!

Another bonus to a properly functioning core through practicing the Pilates method is that it can reduce stress and anxiety, which also has been proven to cause digestive problems. The bottom line is,proper core conditioning is crucial to a long and disease-free life so that we can continue to enjoy our families and celebrate for many years to come!