We’re getting into the holiday season which, for most of us, means some added stress, maybe some travel, and usually an uptick in food intake. It’s not easy coming out net zero on the scale after Thanksgiving, I know I’m certainly guilty of that. It’s the time of year to eat, drink, be merry, and share your time with loved ones. Dieting is usually back of mind with those kinds of events. However, there is one simple thing you can focus on to aid in your digestion as the food starts coming in.
At this point in your life, whether you’re a star athlete or someone who spends most of their day at a desk, you’ve probably been beaten over the head with the phrase “Sit up straight!” This saying is not only irritating, but also wildly unhelpful. Our bodies get used to the positions we put them in. Over time “sitting up straight” does nothing but put us in unsustainable postures. Now, even though the cue of sitting up straight provides zero constructive changes, it does raise a valuable point about digestion and your internal organs.
When we slouch forward, we tend to focus on how that impacts our backs and our spine. While this is important, we tend to forget that the spine and back have a direct relationship to organ function and position within your body. If I’m spending most of my day, week, month, year, or life in a slouched position, I’m not only doing a number on my spinal curve, I am also compressing and repositioning my organs which, not surprisingly, makes them less effective at doing their jobs. Imagine all the things you have do in a given day. Now imagine doing them rolled up into a little ball. Not exactly a comfortable thought right? That’s what happens to your organs when we slouch forward. Processes like adrenal function (physical and mental energy) and digestion (food and nutrient processing and elimination) are intimately affected when this happens. Now I know this blog has been an anatomical bummer up until this point, but fear not, there is a solution.
STRETCHING!
Stretching, specifically progressive emphasis stretching (PES) that we do in our studios, is a great way to improve posture, realign important joints, and aid in digestion. PES focuses on active repetitions and helps guide the body into better positions. The dynamic nature of PES invigorates processes in the digestive organs through stretches like back rotation, hip flexors, and glutes which makes digestion and your day-to-day life that much easier. It’s almost like a massage for your insides which is about as interesting as it is a disturbing mental image, but an important point, nevertheless.
Stretching is an awesome way to mitigate the pains of oversitting and the consequences that follow, either mental or physical. However, undertaking any sort of health and wellness program can be overwhelming at first, especially during the holidays. If you need some inspiration, if you need a little boost in your performance, even if you just need an hour to decompress, then we’re here to help. If you have any questions about getting started and taking control of your body, please feel free to reach out to any one of our LYMBR studios. Have a great Holiday Season!
Written by Conner Fritchley, LYMBR Master Trainer, Darien Stretch Therapist.
