Yoga to Rest and Digest your Gut and Nervous System
The benefits of yoga extend far beyond simply finding your Zen. Certain yoga postures work to promote a happy gut, and calm the nervous system.
Practicing yoga poses and breath-work regulate the digestive organs — think colon, kidneys, liver and spleen to bolster the health of your stomach's gut. By working to stimulate and regulate the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), these types of yoga poses can lead to improved digestion., and release stress.
In addition, the health benefits of yoga also include:
Stress relief
Alleviating tension or tightness
Aligned posture
Focused breathing
Cultivating clarity
Clearing your energy
Increased flexibility and strength
Regulating the heart rate
Circulate your blood flow
In B.K.S. Iyengar’s book "Light on Yoga” - often called the bible of yoga postures and ways to address various conditions, such as acidity, colitis, constipation, flatulence and indigestion Iyengar shares and explains every posture we practice today.
For a happier belly, try the following yoga poses for a healthy digestion and calm nervous system. Practice for ten minutes a day on an empty stomach. You can choose a few postures every day. Enjoy!
Spinal Twists
Twists help calm the nervous system, improve digestion, create space in the spine and ribs, promotes waste elimination, and free up stagnation in the gut by wringing out toxicity and congestion from the body. Lie on your back, bending knees in the air toward the chest.
Place your arms in a cactus shape or out to the side around the ears with the back of the hands, forearms and upper arms pressing down into the mat.
Drop bent knees to one side; rotate head and neck to the opposite shoulder for a deeper stretch in the neck.
Hold for 5-10 breaths. Repeat on the opposite side.
Forward Fold
Sit on the ground with straight legs extended forward. Place a rolled up towel or block under your knees for a more comfortable and deeper extension.
Extend arms up, directly next to ears.
Hinging the hips, fold forward.
Reaching for the ankles, feet or the block will intensify the forward fold for a deeper shoulder stretch.
Hold for 5-10 breaths.
Thread the Needle
Begin by pushing out of child's pose onto your hands and knees.
Place one hand in the center of the mat, directly under the face.
Extend the opposite arm up toward the ceiling, stacking the shoulders for one round of breath.
Then wrap the extended arm under the body toward the opposite side, resting the shoulder and cheek on the mat.
Hold for 5-10 breaths. Repeat on the opposite side.
Revolved Cresent Lunge
Start in plank position.
Lower one knee to the ground as you step the opposite foot forward into a low lunge.
This knee is bent directly above the ankle while the opposite back foot is angled slightly toward the side of the mat.
Inhale, pressing palms to the center of the chest in a prayer position.
Lift the back knee for a deeper sensation and twist. Focus on grounding your feet and find your gentle gaze for balance.
Exhale as you rotate the torso toward the bent front knee, joining elbow to the knee.
Hold for 5-10 breaths. Repeat on the opposite side.
Garland
Bend knees, lowering the body into a squat with toes angled to the outer edges of the mat.
Moving from the hips, fold forward, placing your hands on the mat in between the knees.
Gently tuck the chin in toward the chest, allowing the crown of your head to relax toward the mat while lengthening the cervical spine.
sit up in the garland pose with a straight spine. If you don’t have the flexibility to squat low you can stand higher in the pose.
Hold for 5-10 breaths.
Bridge
Lie on your back with knees bent and the soles of the feet on the ground.
Place hands next to your hips. Press evenly into your feet and hands to lift the pelvis upward.
Slide a block underneath to support the spine if desired.
Hold for 5-10 breaths.
Legs Up The Wall
This gentle inversion is a great way to slow the body down. I absolutely love this pose because it is so relaxing, increases blood flow from the toes all the way to the heart, soothes swollen or cramped feet and legs, stretches the hamstrings and lower back pain. It’s a restorative pose that can be done with your legs up the wall or using a chair. You can use a pillow, or bolster placed under your lower back for extra support and comfort.
Lie down on your side, placing the glutes as close to the wall as possible.
As you bend your knees in toward the chest, flip to lie on your back, extending straight legs upward with the back of your legs supported by the wall or chair.
A rolled-up blanket can be placed on top of the feet, and a block resting on the low belly can be used for a deeper sense of feeling grounded.
Close your eyes and enjoy!
Hold for 5-10 breaths or as long as desired. I love being in this posture for 10-15 minutes. When I don’t have time to take a nap and I want to reenergize this is my go to pose.
Facedown Savasana
Facedown savasana is an alternative to the supine savasana - facing up resting pose. This posture changes the experience with your breath, as it moves the back body instead of the belly, creating space around the kidneys. Also, by having your face in and downward, your awareness can move inward a little easier, as there are less distractions. The blanket is placed under your abdominals to stimulate your internal organs.
Lie flat on your stomach with arms crossed under your forehead
Legs are splayed out to the sides as wide as is comfortable.
Allow your eyes to stay closed, consciously softening the muscles along the cheeks and jawline.
Relax your shoulders, spine, and gut in and towards the mat.
Allow your breath to flow at its natural rhythm and pace for as long as desired.
Much Love and digestive health,
Genia