Yoga is great for digestion because the movement and postures help massage the internal organs and keep them functioning properly.
The mindfulness of yoga helps us to listen to our hunger signals and only eat when we’re hungry. We can also stop eating when we’re full. Yoga breathing activates our diaphragm. Deep, full breaths help keep our metabolism revved up and our body oxygenated.
Here are five yoga poses that anyone can do to keep their digestive juices flowing when the weather gets colder and heavier foods dominate. You can do them when you feel sluggish or if you know that you will need to stimulate your digestion.
Child Pose
The child’s Pose is a great pose to begin with. It helps us to connect to our breathing and feel the deep diaphragmatic breath in our lower spine and abdomen. This pose helps us relax, calm down, and reduce stress.
Start with your shins and bring your hips to your heels. Your arms should be relaxed at your sides. Breathe deeply in your back, shoulders, and body.
Hold for 8 to 10 breaths.
Mermaid Stretch
I like Mermaid because it stretches out my sides and waist. It is important to have space in the torso, abdomen, and groin area so that we can breathe properly and allow our organs to do their job. Compressing our midsection can make us feel bloated and gassy.
Come up to your shins from the Child’s Pose and lower your hips to one side. As you extend your upper arm overhead and lift your hand, walk it out towards your feet.
Keep your breath for 5 to 8 breaths on each side.
Seated Spinal Twist
Twists work like wringing a dishrag to keep things moving.
You can do Mermaid after you’ve sat on one side. Bring the opposite leg around, and place the foot just outside the bottom knee (if you have tight hips or knee problems, straighten out the bottom leg). As you turn in the direction of the arm, wrap it around the knee.
Switch sides after five to eight breaths.
Pigeon Pose
Most of our junk is stored in the trunks. Pigeon can help us get rid of it. The tightness of our hips can make us feel backed up or confined. Pigeons can be a great hip opener to release pressure from the outer hips, thighs, and abdominals.
After five to eight breaths, switch sides. After five to eight breaths, switch sides.
King Arthur Lunge
A tight psoas muscle and hip flexors will pull our lower back forward and cause us to round. The psoas crosses from the upper inside to the lower outside of the hip.