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Your gut health is incredibly important. It's the first line of defense against toxins and foodborne illness, and it also plays a role in absorbing nutrients from food. If you aren't very familiar with yoga poses to improve your digestive system, you should definitely give them a try—there are some great options listed below.
When practicing yoga to improve gut health, it's important to keep certain things in mind. Gentle Hatha yoga is great for digestion, but you have to go at your own pace, and not push yourself too hard, which could lead to injuries if done incorrectly. If competitive yoga makes you anxious, that's not good for gut health either.
Five Best Yoga Poses and Exercises to Improve Gut Health
Here are some basic yoga poses that can help your gut.
1) Standing Forward Bend
This pose helps to stretch the hamstrings and lengthen the spine, calms the mind, and is great for gut health, relieving constipation and other digestive problems.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet together, arms at your sides, and palms facing forward.
- Inhale as you sweep your arms up overhead and exhale as you bend forward from the hips, lengthening your spine and lowering your upper body over your legs.
- If you feel any discomfort in your knees or hamstrings, bend them.
- Hold for 10 deep breaths then release slowly, rolling up your spine one vertebra at a time.
2) Revolved Crescent Lunge
This pose massages the abdominal muscles and twists the internal organs to help stimulate digestion. Twists can also stimulate the movement of unwanted agents that accumulate in the body, like acids and undigested matter. They can help usher them out.
How to do it:
- From a standing position, lunge back with your right leg, keeping both feet pointing forwards.
- Twist from your waist and reach up towards the ceiling with your hands in a prayer position.
- Hold for five breaths, then inhale as you slowly stand up again.
- Repeat on the other side.
3) Camel Pose
Camel pose stretches the abdominal organs, including the stomach and intestines, which can help relieve constipation and improve gut health.
How to do it:
- Kneel down, put your palms on the floor, and put your feet up against the wall. (If you can't do this, put your hands on a chair or table and press up with your arms.)
- Inhale and lift your chest, then push your hips forward.
- Exhale and reach back to grab your heels.
- (If you can't reach them, just hold onto something at that position). Hold for 5 breaths then slowly come back down to kneel again.
4) Revolved Low Lunges
Sometimes, when our hip flexors are tight, they can get in the way of digestion. Stretching the front of our bodies can keep things moving smoothly.
How to do it:
- Stand up straight, then bend your right knee and touch it to the floor behind you.
- Bend your left leg and place it out in front of you at a right angle.
- Stretch up with both hands as you lean forward.
- Hold for five breaths, then release slowly and repeat with your left foot out in front of you at a right angle.
- Release slowly and return to a standing position.
5) Wind-Relieving Pose
Wind Relieving pose combats gas and bloating and increases blood circulation in the hip joints. By gently pulling the legs into the chest, we strengthen the back and abdominal muscles while toning the leg and arm muscles.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back and hug one knee to your chest.
- Bring the other leg up so that both knees are bent and you feel a stretch in the lower belly area.
- Hold this pose for 10 breaths, then return your feet to the floor.
- Repeat with the other knee, first right then left.
- Lie down again with your arms by your sides, palms turned upward.
6) Corpse Pose
Savasana (yogic corpse pose) is a time to relax and let go of stress. As you lie still, you can create a better environment for digestion and gut health.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your legs together but your feet turned out.
- Bend your arms at a 90-degree angle and rest them by your sides, palms facing up.
- Take a deep breath and relax.
- Relax into the mat for 10 breaths.
Takeaway
To conclude, we should point out that this list is far from being exhaustive. There are many other yoga poses that can improve gut health by reducing flatulence and bloating, and treating constipation. Try some of these poses out and see how they make you feel. By incorporating them into your routine, you may find that they provide a powerful boost to your overall health and well-being.
