A quick introduction to polyvagal theory, constipation, and the Tension Release Exercise Set. Important for understanding what the heck these weird exercises are supposed to do. The actual exercises are in the next video without all the explanation to make your future practices shorter.

Feeling The Urge To Poop The urge for a bowel movement is stimulated by a combination of physiological and neurological factors. This is a simple overview for our purposes of understanding all the things that can go wrong. 1. Filling of the Rectum: As waste accumulates in the large intestine (colon) and reaches the rectum, it expands the rectal walls, triggering a sensation of fullness or pressure. 2. Stretch Receptors: Specialized nerve endings in the rectal walls, known as stretch receptors, detect the expansion caused by the accumulating feces. This triggers signals to the brain indicating the need to empty. 3. Neurological Response: The sensory signals from the rectum travel to the spinal cord and then to the brain stem, where they are processed. The brain stem then sends signals back to the rectum, initiating the involuntary muscle contractions necessary for defecation. 4. Voluntary Control: Although the initial urge to defecate is largely involuntary, once the urge is felt, there is a voluntary component involved in deciding when and where to evacuate the bowels. This voluntary control is mediated by the external anal sphincter muscles. We might need to re-sensitize our awareness after years of "holding it". If any step is blocked, damaged, disrupted, or otherwise not firing, constipation may result. We are going to work on each of these areas through the daily practices. Let's go!

This community is about long term relief, but it is helpful to have a few tactics to relieve acute constipation. This will get you feeling better fast so you can do the daily practice for long term relief. While these tips have helped many, remember that if you're experiencing persistent or extremely painful constipation, seek advice from a medical professional. [Full List is in the Classroom Here]

Peristalsis is a rhythmic involuntary muscle movement that pushes food through your digestive tract. The movement resembles the way a caterpillar or earthworm moves. This movement is coordinated by the enteric nervous system, which can function independently, but also communicates with the central nervous system. It is triggered when the presence of food stretches the digestive tract and activates receptors. Signals are sent to muscle layers, causing a chain reaction of contractions and relaxation. Understanding peristalsis helps us understand gastrointestinal disorders. Conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and dysmotility disorders can be caused by disrupted or stalled peristalsis. Emotional and psychological factors, trauma, chronic stress, anxiety, and depression can disrupt peristalsis. The goal of many of our practices is to restore healthy peristalsis. I'll get these videos posted soon. Coming Soon... #2 The Urge