Ahhh yoga... The ever-popular activity to ease your mind and body all at once. With health and wellness being this day and age’s fad, you’re more likely to see that yoga studio in the shopping plaza you frequent filled with students. All ages and stages of life all united for one hour with one common goal… Wellness. Everyone knows that a portion of your wellness has to do with your digestive system and making sure it’s functioning properly. While we can give you a list of foods and exercises you can do to help digestion, why not add in yoga poses? While our Orlando GI experts at the Digestive and Liver Center of Florida (DLCFL) may not be yoga instructors, they can vouch for the following yoga poses and how they help digestion. So get your mats ready, it’s time for some yoga!
Seated Side Bend (Parsva Sukhasana)
This is a simple pose; great for beginners and people wanting to stretch their obliques, lower and upper back, shoulders, and belly muscles.
Seated Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
This pose can help digestion because of the twisting motion it has. Many think of it to promote bowel regularity by getting the small intestine and large intestine to relax. This pose also propels food and waste through the GI tract and possibly help alleviating any bloating.
Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
This stretches the lower back allowing you to raise spinal flexibility. Orlando yoga experts believe it to alleviate constipation, bloating, and overall help digestion.
Knees to Chest (Apanasana)
Orlando proponents believe it massages the large intestine, thus encourage bowel movements. It can also relieve lower back strain.
Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
This is a 2-in-1 pose. You transition between cat pose and cow pose. When done together it can stretch your belly muscles as well as your back muscles. It also helps improve circulation by gently massaging your organs.
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
This is another great pose to help digestion. It basically mirrors a cobra when it’s in an upright position. Benefits of this pose are that it improves your posture, stretches belly muscles, and just your overall digestion.
Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)
With this pose, you’re mirroring the shape of an archer’s bow. This stretches your back and according to Orlando yoga proponents, it aids digestion, constipation, and lightens menstrual cramps. Ladies, it’s worth the try right?!
Corpse Pose (Shavasana)
Last but not least, the final pose is the corpse pose—which is usually done at the end of a yoga session, so it’s fitting the we saved it for last. This pose is designed to allow you to conquer true relaxation through meticulous breathing and meditation. This is where you reflect on your day and leg go of the bad and in with the good.
While these yoga poses may help alleviate any digestion problems you may be having, it is not the final solution to it. Stop by the Digestive and Liver Center and speak to one of our Orlando GI experts. Call us to make an appointment at (407)384-7388.