Indigestion can be a major disruption in our lives. It causes pain and bloating as well as fatigue which slows us down and makes us feel less than spectacular. Lucky for us, yoga can help. Here are five gut-friendly poses you can do to promote healthy digestion and a happier you.
1. Cat & Cow
Often used at the beginning of a sequence to help warm up the spine, cat & cow pose can also help to relieve an upset stomach. Breathing deeply as you drop your belly toward the ground for cow pose and exhaling fully as you arch your back for cat pose helps to massage your internal organs. The two different poses together compress and lengthen the intestines which brings fresh blood to the gut and in turn encourages healthy digestion.
2. Downward Facing Dog
One of the most well known poses in yoga, downward dog also helps to nourish your intestines. While in downward dog, breath deeply into your belly and exhale fully, pulling your belly button in and up toward your heart center as you do so. This also helps to massage the internal organs and keep your insides healthy and happy.
3. Revolved Triangle Pose
Revolved triangle pose is excellent for gut health because it compresses and releases the colon which helps to flush unwanted toxins out of the body. Releasing these toxins can help promote a healthier environment for digestion. Those with Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome should use caution when doing this pose as it can cause unwanted wringing in the organs.
4. Bridge Pose
This backbend can be a great assistant to relieving indigestion. Bridge pose compresses the organs while also delivering fresh blood to the heart. This helps to move toxins out of the intestines and relieve fatigue caused by poor indigestion.
5. Supine Twist
Supine twist is another pose that helps to compress the organs and release toxins. This pose is more passive which allows you to relax into the pose more fully and hold it for longer. Taking deep breaths and fully exhaling in this pose will also help to relieve an upset stomach.
On top of relieving indigestion, yoga helps to promote a healthy lifestyle overall. These poses combined with a healthy diet will give you less frequent indigestion flare ups and less interruptions to the important things in your life.
About the Author
Brooke Kathleen
Brooke Kathleen – Also known as the Unicorn Yogi, Brooke began practicing yoga in 2009. She moved to New York City for work in 2013 and her practice faded out due to the inconsistent hours. In 2017 she re-discovered her practice during a very intense and difficult series of events. After devoting herself to practice for another year she realized that she wanted to learn how to share the tools that yoga had given her to heal and grow with others. She found Vikasa online while researching and fell in love with the curriculum and location. The rest is history! New York, USA
