Yoga for Digestion
Digestion is the process by which food is broken down to be absorbed into the body. If digestion goes wrong, it can lead to various symptoms, including bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. Along with diet, exercise, and stress management, yoga can help promote digestive health in several ways. By stretching and strengthening the muscles of the stomach and intestines, yoga can help promote healthy digestion and reduce symptoms such as gas, bloating, and constipation. Yoga also helps improve gut circulation, which further improves digestion. In addition, yoga poses such as side bend aid digestion by helping encourage proper peristalsis (the wave-like movement of food through the GI tract). Yoga poses can be practiced anytime throughout the day to promote digestive health.
Yoga Poses for Digestion
1. Progressive Exercise- Neck Stretch
A. Side Neck Stretch
Begin in an upright kneeling position with your knees close together, lower your seat onto your ankles, while keeping your toes curled under your body weight. Engage your core and place one hand under your seat. While looking for a light stretch on the side of the neck, reach your opposite hand to the opposite ear, gently pulling your head closer to your shoulder. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
B. Side Neck Stretch with Chin Tuck
At this time, begin in an upright kneeling position with your knees close together, lower your seat onto your ankles, while keeping your toes curled under your body weight. Engage your core and place one hand under your seat. Slightly turn your head to an angle. Use your opposite hand to gently pull your head down, while tucking your chin towards your neck. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
2. Seated Cat-Cow
Begin in an upright kneeling position with your knees wider than shoulder-width apart. Shift your hips back to your feet. Afterwards, place your hands on your knees. Engage your core and raise your head and arch your mid back. Then, alternate by rounding out your mid back as you slowly drop your head towards your chest. Repeat the movement, alternating directions. Complete 5 repetitions.
3. Hip Circles
Begin in an upright kneeling position with your knees wider than shoulder-width apart. Shift your hips back to your feet. Afterwards, place your hands on your knees. Engage your core and move your upper body into a big clockwise circular motion. Relax and repeat the movement counterclockwise with 10 repetitions on each side.
To intensify the movement, you can raise both arms as you move your upper body in circular movements.
4. Toe Stretch
Begin in an upright kneeling position with your knees closer together. Tuck your toes and shift your hips back to your feet. Afterwards, place your hands on your thighs. Engage your core. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
5. Wrist Circle
Begin in an upright kneeling position with your knees slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Shift your hips back to your feet. Engage your core, raise your arms at chest height, while interlace your fingers, and move your wrist in a circular motion, creating an infinity sign.
6. Back Stretch
Begin in an upright kneeling position, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Shift your hips back to rest your seat on your feet. Engage your core. Interlace your fingers and raise your arms in front of your body at chest height. Turn your hands around, while bringing your palms outward. Extend your arms overhead as your lift your chin upward for a stretch. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
7. Side Bend with Arm Overhead
Begin in an upright kneeling position with your knees wider than shoulder-width apart. Shift your hips back to your feet. Engage your core. Afterwards, place one hand at your side for support, then bring the opposite arm overhead as you bend your upper body to the side and slowly move your arm to the back. Return to the starting position with your elbow much lower down to the floor to intensify the stretch. Repeat the sequence of movements on the opposite side
8. Wide Legged Squat
Begin in an upright standing position with your legs in a wide stance and your toes pointing outward. Maintain good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Afterwards, bring your hands together in front of your body at chest height. Tighten your abdominal muscles, bend your knees and hinge through your hips to move into a deep squat, while pushing your elbows against your thighs. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position.
Alternative Exercise: Wide Legged Squat
At this time, begin in an upright sitting position on a pillow with your knees bent, wider than shoulder-width apart. Bring your hands together in front of your body chest height, while tightening your abdominal muscles, and pushing your elbows against your thighs. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position.
9. Seated Overhead Reach
Begin in an upright sitting position on a pillow with your knees bent, wider than shoulder-width apart. Engage your core and place one hand on the side, palm pressed down to the floor for support. Afterwards, raise the opposite arm overhead with your head looking up to the sky for a light stretch. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
Variation 1 : Seated Overhead Reach
At this time, begin in an upright sitting position on a pillow with your knees bent, wider than shoulder-width apart. Engage your core and bend your elbows as you place both hands at your back, then slightly bend your upper body to the side as your raise your head upwards. Afterwards, hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
10. Seated Forward Fold
Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Slightly extend both of your legs in front of your body. Contract your core. Slide your hands forward, then hinge through your hips to bend your upper body, lowering your head towards the floor. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Afterwards, slowly raise back up, returning to an upright sitting position.
Alternative Exercise 1: Seated Forward Fold
For this exercise, you need a pillow or a cushion for support.
Begin in an upright sitting position in front of a pillow on the floor, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Slightly extend both of your legs in front of your body. Contract your core. Afterwards, place your arms on top of the pillow, then hinge through your hips to bend your upper body, lowering your head towards the pillow. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then, Slowly raise back up, returning to an upright sitting position.
Alternative Exercise 2: Seated Forward Fold
For this exercise, you need a pillow or a cushion for support.
Begin in an upright sitting position in front of a pillow on the floor with your legs crossed, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Afterwards, place your arms on top of the pillow, then hinge through your hips to bend your upper body, lowering your head towards the pillow. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then, Slowly raise back up, returning to an upright sitting position.
11. Legs up on the Wall
For this exercise, you need a pillow or a cushion for support.
Lie on your back on the floor, place a pillow under your hips and extend your legs upward against the wall. Engage your abdominal muscle. Afterwards, place your hands on your belly or at the side. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Variation 1: Legs up on the Wall
For this exercise, you need a pillow or a cushion for support.
Lie on your back on the floor, place a pillow under your hips and extend your legs upward against the wall. Engage your abdominal muscles and cross one leg over the opposite leg. Afterwards, place your hands on your belly or at the side. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Variation 2: Legs up on the Wall
For this exercise, you need a pillow or a cushion for support.
Lie on your back on the floor, place a pillow under your hips and extend your legs upward against the wall. Afterwards, place your hands on your belly or at the side. Engage your core and spread your legs to the side, creating a wide space between your legs for a stretch. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
12. Knee to Chest
For this exercise, you need a pillow or a cushion for support.
Lie on your back on the floor and place a pillow under your hips with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Bring both knees to your chest and hold onto your knees with both arms, while looking for a light stretch in the lower back and glutes. Hold the position for several belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
13. Happy Baby
Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, while relaxing your upper body. Lift your legs and hold your toes with each hand, pulling down toward the shoulders with your knees wide apart. Hold the position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Variation 1: Happy Baby
Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, while relaxing your upper body. Lift your legs and hold your toes with each hand, pulling down toward the shoulders with your knees wide apart. Engage your core and slowly move your body from side to side. Repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions.
Variation 2: Happy Baby
Lie on the floor with your knees bent, while relaxing your upper body. Lift your legs and hold your toes with each hand, pulling down toward the shoulders with your knees wide apart. Hold the position for a couple of seconds, then slowly move your body to the side as you bring one knee down towards your chest while holding the opposite leg up. Repeat the movement alternately on the opposite side. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions.
Variation 3: Happy Baby
At this time, lie on the floor with your knees bent, while relaxing your upper body. Lift your legs and hold your toes with each hand, pulling down toward the shoulders with your knees wide apart. Engage your abdominal muscles, and spread your legs to the side, creating a wide space between your legs for a stretch while still holding on to your toes. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
14. Lying Cobbler’s Pose
Use a bolster or pillow to support your upper body comfortably for this exercise.
Lie on your back on the floor with the pillow under your upper body. Extend your arms out at your sides or place your hands on your stomach, while relaxing your upper body. Bring the soles of your feet together and open your knees at your sides. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position.
15. Lying Breaths
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Afterwards, place your hands on your side. Bring your knees closer together. Close your eyes and take several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth, relaxing your upper body.
16. Side Fetal Pose
Lie on your side on the floor with your knees bent, while maintaining good alignment in your upper body. Extend your bottom arm overhead and rest your head on your outstretched arm. Keeping your feet together, Close your eyes. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
17. Seated Breaths
Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor with your legs crossed, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Place your hands on your knees. Engage your core and close your eyes. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and repeat the movement.
Variation 1: Seated Breaths
At this time, begin in an upright sitting position on the floor, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Afterwards, place two fingers in between your eyebrows while placing your pinky finger at the right side of your nose as you inhale, and release your pinky finger as you cover the left side of your nose with your thumb as you exhale. Repeat the sequence of movement.
Benefits of yoga for digestion
If you’re a beginner, you may be wondering how yoga can actually improve your digestion. The truth is, there are many benefits to practicing yoga that extend far beyond improving digestion. These include increased flexibility, improved circulation, and greater mental clarity and focus. With regular practice, you can also experience all of these benefits and more.
Not only that, but you can also improve your digestion through yoga. Regularly practicing yoga can help to strengthen your core muscles, which not only improves your posture but also increases your digestive strength. Many yoga poses also move your body in a gentle flow, which is excellent for increasing blood flow to your digestive organs and helping them to do their job more efficiently.
Finally, yoga is known for being an extremely relaxing practice, which can be especially helpful when dealing with digestive issues.
Conclusion
When you feel stressed, tired, or just generally unwell, it’s often due to your digestive system being backed up or out of balance. Practicing yoga is a great way to help your digestive system function more efficiently, which can help to relieve many of these symptoms and improve your overall health. There are many types of yoga poses that are beneficial for improving digestion.
Yoga for digestion can be an extremely powerful tool for helping to maintain proper digestion. Yoga can help to improve digestion by increasing the flow of digestive juices into the digestive tract and reducing the likelihood of constipation. It can also help to reduce bloating, gas, and abdominal pain. Also yoga can be a great way to calm your mind and body, which can positively impact digestion.