It’s no secret that what you put inside your body affects digestion, absorption, and elimination. Simple and complex carbs, keto diets, probiotics, supplements -- these "buzz words" pertaining to the gut microbiome have been widely popular and extensively studied in the past decades! Less commonly discussed are the anatomical factors that affect your gut health: the housing (anatomy), the wiring (nervous system), and the plumbing (arteries, veins, lymphatics). Join me in this first of three articles, as I walk you through how Osteopathy can improve gut health and function. First, anatomy!
The health of our gut begins with the magnificent machine that we feed, and the structures that house it. To begin, our 30 foot intestinal tract is mostly held within the confines of the peritoneum. This "intestinal house" is constructed of the powerful diaphragm muscle above, and the pelvic floor muscles below. It is further supported by the abdominal walls and the lumbar spine. For a moment, take a deep breath to feel this house: downwards and upwards, outwards and inwards. Typically, this area is soft and mobile, and the low back moves freely and comfortably. This mobility in the intestinal house aids in the rate and quality of digestion and peristalsis (the moving of food through the intestines).
So many of us are limited by the rigidity of sitting at a desk all day, the shallow breathing caused by daily stress, and the hip tension caused by crossing our legs while binging Netflix. This leads to a lack of mobility throughout the day, poor mobility even when we are in motion, and the development of fibrous tissue in the intestinal house. These external factors cause structural changes around the gut, leading to tensions and restrictions that further contribute to indigestion, constipation, acid-reflux, etc.
Osteopathy not only deals with the common aches and pains that we all experience, it holistically assesses and treats the entire body, including the low back, hips, diaphragm, and yes -- even your gut. Assessing and addressing these physical concerns may just be the next step in optimizing your digestion and improving your gut health! At The Toronto Apothecary, Osteopathy works in conjunction with Naturopathy as we target your wellness concerns internally AND externally. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series, where we discuss how Osteopathy optimizes digestion via the nervous system.
Bryan Lok, M.OMSc., B.Sc