5 Yoga Poses for Better Digestion

List of 5 Yoga Poses for Better Digestion: For thousands of years, Indian saints & holy men have practiced & spread yoga. Yoga brings a wide range of benefits, to both body & soul. It helps relieve stress and bring mental peace. It also helps cure or control various physical ailments. Plus, it helps people stay fit as they age.

Yoga has been practiced in countless Indian households since time immemorial. From India, it spread to other countries. And now, it is practiced globally by millions. We also celebrate World Yoga Day on June 21 every year.

Yoga helps treat some very common but serious ailments. And one of them is the problem of indigestion.

Indigestion – an Omnipresent Problem

These are times when stress is above everything else. No matter where you live or what work you do, stress is the most overwhelming factor. Stress takes a toll on your eating and sleeping habits. And that’s what the stepping stone to indigestion is. The direct fallouts are symptoms like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Where Does Yoga Come Into the Picture Here?

Yoga has a direct – and positive – impact on the Autonomic Nervous System of the body. Doing some yogic exercises (like taking deep breaths & releasing it slowly) helps the nerves to rest. This is the part of the “rest & digest” dictum.

Many of us feel anxious about an upcoming family picnic or a night out with colleagues. A birthday party in the family can do it too. And the reasons for our anxiety? That change in diet, or the altered dinner/lunch time. That would surely upset our digestive systems and make for a most uncomfortable time.

Relax!

There are some simple – and extremely effective – yoga activities that can take care of your indigestion. It will put your mind at rest. And that has a salutary effect on the digestion activities.

Are the Yoga Activities Difficult to Perform?

Well, yes and no. Some of the yoga postures do need some skill. But others are fairly easy to do. You won’t need much of a professional guidance to do them. But at the same time, they will be highly effective.

Below, let’s look at 5 yoga poses that would help you with your digestion problems.

1. Seated Twist

A twisting motion – while seated or on the dance floor – massages your digestive organs. It also ensures more blood flow to these areas. It helps relieve constipation, bloating, and gas formation.

Steps:

• Sit on the floor and stretch out your legs.
• Cross your legs – any one leg over the other – and place your foot by the opposite knee.
• Place the other elbow around your knee. Now, gently perform a twisting function.
• Inhale, and allow your spine to lengthen.
• Exhale, and twist a bit more to go deeper into the pose.
• Repeat for 10 to 15 times.

2. Cat/Cow Position

At times, being down on all fours can be quite beneficial! And this is one of those times.

Steps:

• Ensure your hands are under your shoulders when you are down on all fours.
• Inhale and let your belly drop while you look upwards. Ensure to lift your tailbone (cow position).
• Exhale, while you drop your head and neck.
• Round your shoulders, pull your stomach up, and tuck your tailbone down. Your head should be hanging down now (cat position).
• Repeat several times, from cow to cat and vice versa.

3. Bow Position

This pose helps boost energy and release built-up gas.

Steps:

• Go down on your tummy.
• Grab your ankles and pull them towards your spinal chord.
• Your chest would lift from the ground, and so would be your legs.
• Your tummy would be strained and this would aid in relieving gas.

4. Supine Twist

Not much bodily activity here in terms of twists and turns!

Steps:

• Lie flat on your back and pull one knee towards your chest.
• Cross that knee and place it on the other side of your body.
• Press your knee or thigh with your opposite hand to stretch yourself further.
• Let the other arm be extended towards the other side.

5. Savasana

Time to relax! Let your mind calm down, let your nervous systems relax. A body at rest would restore energies and get recharged. And a mind at rest would have a highly positive impact on the body’s digestive systems.

Steps:

• Lie down on your back with your legs spread slightly apart.
• Place your arms by your sides, with the palms facing up.
• Breathe deeply, and relax. Exhale gently. Let the calming effect overwhelm you.