Yoga for Poor Digestion
Poor digestion is usually one of the root causes of many ailments and imbalances. It’s not unusual for a poorly performing system to retain 10 – 20 pounds of old toxic and poisonous matter!! The principles of Yoga help in regulating this important bodily function effectively. There are 4 basic parts of digestion: Ingestion, Breakdown, Absorption and Elimination.
If you follow the Yogic diet, then that makes the load on the body lighter by providing meals that are easy to palate. That is an important first step. Pranayama exercises increase the level of available oxygen in the body which helps the metabolizing of nutrients. The organs involved in the process of digestion are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines and colon. There are various Yoga asanas that will massage these organs and improve blood circulation in the specific areas leading to better performance.
Asana & Pranayama Practice For Better Digestion
Certain forms of Pranayama like Ujjayi And Kapalabhati will massage and strengthen the esophagus and help the Perisaltic movement of the muscles which moves food along the passages. Kapalabhati can help in the treatment of Gastroesophagal Reflux Disease and and the strengthening of the esophagus can minimize Dysphagic symptoms.
Ujjayi Breathing, a form of Pranayama
Asanas like Cat-Cow Pose will massage your abdominal organs and stretch and tone the stomach walls.
The Happy baby pose and Lord of Fishes pose are both great for the intestinal tract, which is an very important part of the absorption of nutrients and elimination of waste. These poses help the peristaltic muscles in this tract as well.
Happy baby pose
Lord of Fishes pose
In truth, many of the asanas in any yoga routine will have some positive effect on your digestive system. But, you must not forget the mind-body connection as well. Concentrating on the root chakra or parts of Kundalini Yoga will both place a stronger focus on the colon area.
So here, we are going with a meditative pose for concentrating on the colon. You can put the hands in prayer position if it helps you focus better.
Goddess Pose
Almost any yoga sequence will include poses that benefit digestion. For a greater gain, practice the Yogic diet and use your meditation to focus on your digestive system.