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Digestion is the process by which food is broken down in the body so that nutrients can be sent to the cells to make energy. It's a very important process that can impact various aspects of your life.
Yoga can help if you have problems like gas, bloating, and acidity that can make it difficult to digest food. Getting rid of digestion issues can be as easy as doing yoga every day.
Yoga Poses for Digestion and Gut Health
Check out these five yoga poses that are good for digestion and improving gut health:
1) Ardha Matsyendrasana
It's thought that the twisting motion of this move helps keep the bowels regular by helping the small and large intestines move. This exercise helps move waste and food through the digestive system. This pose may also help with digestion and make you feel less bloated.
Here's how to get into this pose:
Both legs should be straight when you're sitting on the floor. Bend your left knee, and cross it over your right knee or thigh. Put your left foot on the ground. Lean softly on your right hip, and bend your right knee so that the bottom of your right foot faces the left buttock.
If that's too hard, you can keep your right leg straight. As you gently turn your trunk to the left, put your right elbow on the outside of your left knee. Put the palm of your left hand on the floor to the left of your buttock.
Turn your head a little to the left so that you can look over your left shoulder. Hold this pose, and take 4–5 deep breaths. Watch your spine lengthen as you breathe in; switch sides, and do it again.
2) Supta Matsyendrasana
It's a great exercise for stretching out the lower back and making the spine more flexible. This pose helps with digestion and relieves constipation and bloating.
Here's how to get into this pose:
The supine position is when you lie on your back. Bend both knees, and put the soles of your feet flat on the floor. Raise your hips 1–2 inches off the floor, and move them an inch to the right. That will keep your hips in a straight line while you do this exercise. Put your hips back down on the ground.
Straighten your left legm and grab your right knee with your right hand to bring it to your chest. Spin to the left, and cross the right knee over the left while keeping the left leg straight. Don't force your knee to the ground. Instead, let it gently hang over your left leg.
Bring your right arm back, and put it on the floor so that it's perpendicular to your body. Put your left hand on your right knee, and gently press down. That will give you a bigger stretch. Keep your left arm straight. Stay there for four to five full breaths. Repeat on the other side.
3) Cat Cow Pose
This pose helps stretch the muscles in the back and stomach. It helps improve blood flow and digestion by gently massaging the organs and making the digestive system work faster.
Here's how to get into this pose:
Start on all fours with your shoulders, knees, and hips in line with your wrists. As you breathe in, drop your belly, and lift your chin and tailbone as high as you can, looking up at the ceiling.
Your back should start to round out into a 'U' shape. As you let out your breath, pull your belly button into your spine, and tuck your tailbone as you arch your back. Move your chin in towards your chest as you let out your breath. Pay attention to your breathm and do the move 4–5 times.
4) Cobra Pose
This pose resembles the way a cobra stands up. It stretches the stomach muscles, improves posture, and helps digest food better.
Here's how you can do this pose:
Start by lying on your stomach with your feet hip-width apart and palms flat on the floor by your lower ribs, keeping the elbows bent. Spread your feet out so that the top of the feet touch the ground.
Put your weight on your hands, and slowly raise your head and chest. Keep a small bend in your elbows as you increasingly straighten your arms. Instead of lifting your chin, try to lift your sternum.
Pay attention to lifting your chest and upper back up and forward while keeping your pelvis still. Look slightly up, but don't strain your neck, or stick out your chin too much. Hold for 4-5 breaths.
5) Viparita Karani
Also called the 'legs up the wall' pose, it's one of the easiest and most basic yoga moves that can help with digestion and relieve bloating. The restorative position of this pose helps with blood flow, which is beneficial for easing stomach pain and bloating.
Here's how you can do this pose:
Sit down near a wall, and lie down so that your back is flat on the floor, and legs are up and sticking to the wall. Your hips should be as close to the wall as possible. Keep your hands by your sides, and rest your head on the floor. Hold the pose for as long as you can before letting go.
Takeaway
Yoga exercises that involve gentle twists and turns can help get rid of bloating, ease pain and discomfort, and shrink a swollen stomach.
The aforementioned exercises can also help the body's digestive system by getting rid of problems like constipation and making sure that food is properly digested.
