When your digestion is sluggish, the feeling can spread to the rest of your body and affect your mood. Next time you want to give your digestive system a boost, try out these 8 yoga postures and watch your body come back to life.
1.Marjaryasana-Bitilasana: Cat-Cow
Step by Step:
- Start in a table-top position, on your hands and knees with a neutral spine . Your hands should be placed directly under your shoulders and your knees below your hips.
- As you inhale, arch your lower back, dropping your abdomen towards the floor. Retract your shoulder blades, letting your chest fall down and forwards, opening it to the front of you. Turn your chin up to the ceiling and let your gaze follow. All of these steps combined make Bitilasana or Cow Pose.
- As you exhale, tuck your chin into your chest, gazing at your abdomen. Tuck in your chest and ribs, making a hunch on your upper back. Tuck in your pelvis to make one long curve over your entire spine. These steps combined make Marjaryasana, or Cat Pose.
- Continue moving between these two poses for 10 rounds as you inhale and exhale.
Benefits:
Alternating between Cat and Cow while breathing deeply will massage your organs, increasing the blood flow and delivering oxygen to this part of your body. The continuous compression and stretching of your abdominals will stimulate your digestive system.
2.Supta Matsyendrasana: Supine Spinal Twist
Step by Step:
- Start by laying flat on your back in supine position.
- Bend one of your knees, pulling it closer to your chest.
- As you exhale, drop the knee to the opposite side of the body, crossing your other leg and creating a twist in the abdominal region.
- Keep both of your shoulders planted firmly on the ground.
- Stay in this position for 10-20 seconds before repeating on the other side.
Benefits:
Supine Spinal Twist massages your abdominal area and inner organs, increasing blood flow to the area. Increased blood flow will stimulate the digestive system, encouraging movement in the area.
3.Setu Bandha Sarvangasana: Bridge Pose
Step by Step:
- Start by laying on your back with your knees bent. Your heels should be as close to your sitting bones as possible.
- Planting your feet and shoulders firmly into the ground, lift your hips up as high as possible.
- Stay in this position for 10-20 seconds.
Benefits:
With the help of gravity, Bridge Pose will stimulate the digestive organs and the colon by encouraging fresh blood flow to the heart to be pumped throughout the body.
4.Uttana Shishosana: Puppy Pose
Step by Step:
- Start in a table-top position, on your hands and knees with a neutral spine.
- Keeping your hips and knees in one line, begin walking your hands forwards and letting your chest fall towards the ground.
- Stay in this position for 10-20 seconds.
Benefits:
Puppy Pose will encourage blood to flow through the abdominal region to the heart with the help of gravity. This will increase the amount of fresh oxygen being delivered to your abdominal area, stimulating the digestive system and encouraging movement.
5.Pavanamuktasana: Wind Relieving Pose
Step by Step:
- Start by laying flat on your back in supine position.
- Bend both of your knees and hug them close to your chest.
- Stay in this position for 10-20 seconds.
- You can also add movement to the pose by rolling from side to side while holding the position.
Benefits:
This pose will compress your internal organs, giving them a massage (especially when you add movement), and increase blood flow to your abdominal area. This will stimulate your digestive system.
6.Bhujangasana: Cobra Pose
Step by Step:
- Start by laying flat on your stomach.
- Place your hands beside your chest and press the ground to lift up your chest forwards and upwards.
- Keeping legs straight, continue pressing your ankles or the tops of your feet into the ground.
- Keep your elbows slightly bent and clip them into the sides of your body.
- Keep your shoulders depressed away from your ears, lengthening your neck, and turning your chin up to the ceiling.
Benefits:
Cobra Pose stretches the abdominal area, increasing blood flow to your digestive organs and stimulating your digestive system.
7.Urdhva Mukha Pasasana: Thread the Needle
Step by Step:
- Start in a table-top position, on your hands and knees with a neutral spine.
- Keeping your knees and hips in one line, walk your hands forward letting your chest fall slightly towards the ground.
- Lift one hand up and cross it underneath the opposite arm, reaching towards the opposite side and creating a twist in the abdominal region.
- Hold this pose for 10-20 seconds before repeating on the other side.
Benefits:
This pose will give a massage to your abdominal region, increasing blood flow to your digestive organs and stimulating your digestive system.
8.Adho Mukha Svanasana: Downward Facing Dog
Step by Step:
- Starting in plank pose, with hands pressed firmly on the mat under your shoulders and feet hip distance apart.
- Press your hips back to lift them towards the ceiling.
- Your body should resemble and upside down V shape.
Benefits:
Downward Facing Dog will strengthen and stretch the abdominal muscles, increasing blood flow to the area. Increased blood flow to your abdominals will stimulate your digestive organs, encouraging movement in your digestive system.