10 Powerful Postures of Yoga for Digestion Problem

Updated on December 16th, 2019
Yoga for Digestion

Hey! Are you one of those who seeks excuses from attending social gatherings? Do you visit your bathroom very frequently or very rarely? Do you think a thousand times before having your favorite dish to avoid any embarrassing moment? And you are compelled to behave so due to your digestive problem which may be constipation, diarrhea, or gas. It’s always advisable to treat such conditions naturally, and yoga for digestion can bring you the much sought-after end to your gut problems with its easy and effective poses.

An estimated 20 million Americans are affected by chronic digestive diseases. Moreover one of the most common causes of absence from work is digestive diseases. The number of Americans hospitalized due to this disease is more than due to any other kind of disease.

Certain food products, eating patterns, or medications can trigger these disorders in the digestive system along with a sedentary life.

Yoga for Digestion

Yoga for good digestion
Image:ShutterStock

A sumptuous platter of your favorite food can make you go head over heels. If you are someone who is always in search of some delicious food, then it is vital for you to keep your digestion process upright.

The medicinal market is flooded with medicines, antacids(1), herbal liquids, etc. which might bring temporary relief to your digestion problems. However, this article on yoga for digestion will help you give a clear picture as to why yoga turns out to be your true friend in dealing with digestion problems.

Given below is a list of the crucial benefits which the practice of yoga for curing digestion can bestow upon us for the proper digestion process. Take a look:

  • Many people address the digestive system as the ‘second brain’ of the body,  as a considerable part of your digestive health is in direct sync with your mental health. Practicing yoga for digestion helps you to get away with stress, anxiety, and tension which create digestive problems such as bloating and constipation. Yoga calms mind and body which helps to make digestion better.
  • Yoga for digestion helps to foster mindfulness. It helps to increase the clarity in mind concerning which food is good for health and which is hampering the body.
  • Improper eating habits and avoiding healthy foods often lead to blockages in the digestive tract. When you practice yoga for digestion problems, the various twists and turns of yoga asanas help to get things moving in your digestive tract. how many yoga poses are there? If this is the next question running on your mind, read on the below list to find out how to use them too.

[Also Read: How to Get Rid of Indigestion Naturally]

10 Easy and Effective Yoga Poses for Digestion

The step by step guide for every yoga Positions for digestion is as follows:

1. Big Toe Pose or Padangusthasana

Big Toe Pose for Digestion
Image:ShutterStock

How to do it?

  1.  Stand straight with your legs parallel to each other and at a distance of at least six inches.
  2.  Lift your kneecaps outwards by contracting your thigh muscles.
  3.  Now bend forward and hold your big toe and the second finger with the index finger and middle finger.
  4.  Press your toes down towards the ground and look forward by keeping your elbows straight and inhale to uplift your torso.
  5.  Now bring your head in between your knees and spread the elbows and shoulder blades apart.
  6.  Breath in that position naturally and then straighten your elbows and come back to the initial position.
  7. Repeat the pose for few times.

Precautions:

  • Avoid opting for this yoga pose for clearing digestion issues if you suffer from a neck or lower back injury.
  • If you cannot hold your toes while keeping your knees straight, then use a yoga strap.

2. Cobra pose or Bhujangasana

How to do it?

  1. Lie down flat on your stomach on the yoga mat.
  2. Keep your toes against the floor and feet together.
  3. Spread your hands and make sure to keep your elbows close to the rib cage.
  4. While inhaling, straighten your arms and lift the chest off the floor.
  5. Your navel should be off the mat.
  6. Keep your shoulders firm, lift from the top of your sternum and avoid pushing the front of the ribs forward.
  7. Breathe and hold the position for five to ten breaths and come gently back to the floor.

Precautions:

  • If you are pregnant, have a back injury, or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(2), then avoid doing this pose.

[Also Read: Apple Cider Vinegar for Digestion]

3. Wind-Relieving Pose or Pavanamuktasana

How to do it?

  1. Lie down on your back.
  2. Inhale while you bend the right knee.
  3. Bring the knee close to the torso and hold it firmly with your hands.
  4. Now exhale and touch the knee with your forehead.
  5. Inhale again and bring the head back to the ground.
  6. Stay in the position for a few seconds.
  7. Exhale and bring the right leg to normal position.
  8. Lie flat for few seconds before repeating the posture with left leg.

Precautions:

  • Never strain your neck while touching forehead with the knee
  • Avoid doing the pose if you have a neck injury, heart problem, piles, slip disc, or sciatica.
  • Pregnant women should avoid this asana.

4. Seated Forward Pose or Paschimottasana

How to do it?

  1. Sit on the ground and keep your legs straight and them parallel in front of you.
  2. Inhale and bend your body forward while exhaling.
  3. Interlock your hands beyond the feet and try to touch your knees with the nose.
  4. Do it till the time you feel comfortable and then come back to the initial position.

Precautions:

  • Don’t overstrain your body.
  • Avoid doing it if you have an ulcer, asthma, and severe back problems.

5. Half Lord of the Fishes or Ardha Matsyendrasana

Half lord of the fishes for Digestion
Image:ShutterStock

How to do it?

  1. Sit on the ground and straighten your legs in front of you.
  2. Slide your left foot under your right leg and place it against the outside of the right knee.
  3. Bring the right heel close to the hips.
  4. Spread your arms to your sides and twist to the left.
  5. Now bring the right hand down and hold the left foot with it.
  6. Place the left hand behind you on the floor.
  7. Now exhale and twist as much as you can to the left side.

Precautions:

  • Avoid this pose if you are pregnant, or suffer from ulcer or hernia.
  • People with spinal disorders, heart diseases, and brain surgeries should also avoid this pose.

6. Bow Pose or Dhanurasana

How to do it?

  1. Lie down on your stomach and keep your hands on the sides.
  2. Exhale and bring your heels close to the hips.
  3. Hold your ankles with your hands.
  4. Inhale and raise your heels from the hips; also, raise your thighs above the ground.
  5. While doing the above step, press your shoulder firmly and keep the shoulder tops away from the ears.
  6. Be to sure not to stop breathing and breathe more into the back of the torso.
  7. Keep this pose on hold for 20 to 30 seconds before exhaling.

Precautions:

  • If you suffer from migraine, blood pressure issues, insomnia, or neck or back injury avoid this pose of yoga for digestion.

7. Bridge Pose or Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

How to do it?

  1. Lie down flat on your back in a supine position.
  2. Place the soles of your feet on the yoga mat and make sure the feet are hip-width apart.
  3. Bring your feet towards yourself to a point where you can graze heels with fingertips.
  4. Inhale and raise your hips high towards the ceiling and keep your shoulders underneath you.
  5. Intertwine your fingers and press the forearms down to lift the hip.
  6. Try to move your chest towards the chin also, lengthen your tailbone towards the feet and relax your face.
  7. Hold the pose for five deep breaths.
  8. Exhale and slowly come back to the normal position.

Precautions:

  • Pregnant women should not try this pose.
  • A person with a neck injury, back disorders, or any severe health issue should avoid this pose.

8. Peacock Pose or Mayurasana

How to do it?

  1. Sit down on your heels and keep your knees apart.
  2. Put hands on the yoga mat with fingers pointing in opposite directions.
  3. Bend your elbows and push them towards the abdomen.
  4. Bend your head towards the floor and keep your belly firm.
  5. Stretch your legs out and keep the upper part of the feet facing the floor.
  6. Keep your shoulders firm, tighten your hips and raise your head.
  7. Lift the legs off the floor and lift your body with the weight on the hands.
  8. Hold the pose for ten seconds if possible.

Precautions:

  • If you have an injury in wrist and shoulder, do not perform this asana.
  • Also, avoid it if you suffer from heart disease, blood pressure, infection, pregnancy, hernia, or any other severe issue.

9. Downward Facing Dog pose or Adho Mukh Svanasana

How to do it?

  1. Lie on the floor on your hands and knees.
  2. Place your knees below your hips and hands slightly ahead of your shoulders.
  3. Spread your palms and turn your toes under.
  4. Exhale and raise your knees above the floor and lift using the tailbone keeping the spine straight.
  5. Press the heels on the floor to feel a stretch.
  6. Let the head and neck hang freely, or you can look up at the belly button.
  7. Breathe and hold till 4-8 breaths.

Precautions:

  • Avoid if have severe injury or back problems

10. Corpse Pose or Savasana

Corpse pose for Digestion
Image:ShutterStock

How to do it?

  1. Lie down on your back and keep your arms at some distance from your body.
  2. Close the eyes and take slow and deep breaths.
  3. Avoid stress and relax your body.
  4. Stay in savasana for five to fifteen minutes.

Precautions:

  • Avoid doing savasana if you are in the third trimester of pregnancy.

NOTE: If you are wondering how long to hold yoga poses? know that is an alternative therapy- the more you do, the more benefits it yields.

Precautions Before Practicing Yoga Posture for Digestion

  • Make sure to perform yoga poses for digestion in a serene and calm environment.
  • Your clothes while performing yoga should be comfortable and should ensure proper movement.
  • Avoid doing yoga for digestion relief on a full stomach.  Do it after two hours of breakfast or four hours of lunch.
  • It is always advisable to use a yoga mat for performing any yoga posture for digestion.

Yoga is amongst the best methods which you can opt for to get your digestive system in a smooth running state. After reading this article on yoga for digestion, you are now well aware of how yoga can assist for digestion problems. It is easy, convenient, and 100 percent natural so, generally, it will never show any side effect on your body.

So, adopt a healthy yoga routine for digestion and get rid of those digestive issues which hamper your happiness!

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