Yoga for Digestion

Have you heard the saying that your gut is really your second brain?

This may not come as a surprise from those suffering with digestive issues - because it can often feel like our gut has a mind of its own!

Did you know

Functional gut disorders, like IBS, have been reclassified as disorders of the gut-brain interaction, and for good reason!

Our gut and brain are connected by an information superhighway - the vagus nerve. Scientists have recognized that a disruption in this communication drives not only how we perceive our symptoms, but digestion too!

A well functioning gut-brain connection can be disrupted for many reasons; researchers are still exploring the exact cause but it's likely multifactorial.

Everything from:

• differing abilities to digest and absorb certain nutrients (like FODMAPs)
• differences in the gut microbiome
• infections causing the nerves in our gut to be extra sensitive, even after we have recovered
• our immune system responding inappropriately to dietary components
• our bodies sensing normal digestion as pain - something called 'visceral hypersensitivity'
• stress altering these nervous system pathways

Regardless of the cause, working on improving and strengthening normal communication from the brain to the gut, and vice versa is KEY in helping you feel better and manage your symptoms with more resilience.

Yoga and mindfulness have both been extensively researched in digestive disorders, especially IBS. In fact, they often perform as well as dietary changes in the management of symptoms!

Our amazing team of GI dietitians sees these as a tool in our tool kit to help you getting on track and feeling better.

That's why we have these two FREE videos created by our very own Andrea Clarke, registered dietitian and yoga instructor!

This includes

• a 10 minute breathing exercise
• a 30 minute gentle yoga for digestion practice

Best part is - you can bookmark it and come back as often as you'd like!