During my early days (years ago), when I was a Pilates instructor, I started to wonder why we don’t include our gut—our digestive organs, which are muscles too—when we think, talk about and do exercises to strengthen our abdomen.

In Pilates, the focus is on tightening the abdominal layers (the external/internal oblique and transverse/rectus abdominis muscles), but there is no consideration that the gut also consists of abdominal muscles. This reductionism continues to limit many current physical fitness methods. Think about it this way: When all of our abdominal muscles do not function well, our posture does not look good either—and we are not balanced.

Our gut is the center of our physical being. It begins when we are embryos, as a tube that pulsates with energy and then divides to create other organs, including our gut. Eventually, one end of this tube becomes our mouth and the other end becomes our anus. Between these ends, the tube separates into two long sections, one for breathing and the other for digestion. The digestive section runs from the skull to the pelvis, thus turning into our center. As we continue to develop inside our mother’s womb, the rest of our body develops around this tube. If this center develops properly, then we are well. But when it does not, then some health challenges can arise.

Given Hippocrates’s famous words “All disease begins in the gut,” it can also be said that “all bad posture begins in the gut.” Therefore our postural balance reflects our health status.

When you find that traditional medicine is not a solution for your health challenge, please listen to your body—listen to your posture. As I have written in past Natural Awakenings columns,  “Posture is the voice of your body=mind=soul balance.” So pay attention to your posture, because it will guide you to a better life.

Makiko Oka-Castro is the founder of Natural Healing Artists, Inc., located at 32 Union Square E., Ste. 912, New York, NY. For more information, email [email protected] or visit NaturalHealingArtists.com and their online supplement store, GutforLife.US.