One of yoga’s many health benefits is aiding and improving digestion. Yoga helps digestion by increasing blood flow to the abdomen and stimulating the body to get rid of toxins. Whether you are seeking help for a specific issue or just want to improve the function of the entire body, yoga is a great place to start.
Any general yoga class will aid digestion. However, if you have specific digestive issues and want to put together a routine specifically for that purpose, you can choose poses that are known to benefit digestion and create your own routine at home.
The first step in creating your own practice to aid digestion is to select the asanas you will use and build a sequence for your practice. Gather any props you will need, find a quiet place to practice and choose relaxing music. You can use a yoga CD or any relaxing music or CD of nature sounds to create the mood for your practice.
Specific poses are helpful with digestion. Some of the poses to try include twists such as seated twist and reclined twist. The reason these poses help is the twist action, which works to “wring out” toxins from the abdominal organs and spine. This detoxifying action works to improve digestion.
Cobra and backbend poses help to relieve constipation and improve digestion. Take it slow in these poses and move into each pose only as far as you are comfortably able to hold the pose.
In addition to asana, pranayama breathing works to relax the body and bring energy to the abdomen. Spend some time establishing a relaxed breath at the beginning of your practice and move through the practice with the breath. If you find you are breathing fast or holding your breath, take a moment to re-establish the breath and continue with the routine.
For optimum results and digestive benefits, you need to practice on a regular basis. Set aside some time each day, preferably two or three hours after your last meal, to practice yoga. After several sessions, you will begin to notice a continued improvement in digestive symptoms.