International Yoga Day: 3 Yoga Asanas You Can Try For Better Digestion

Yoga is a lifestyle. It may start with a wish to lose weight, become more flexible or improve digestion. But quickly the health benefits can be felt in our whole being. Digestion is a process in which our entire body is involved. It starts with taking time to eat, making the right eating choices, and working out to fasten your metabolism. However, not being able to poop adds to our woes and keeps us feeling constipated. But, doing yoga for digestion can help us accelerate it and regularize our bowel movements.

# Pawanmuktasana

Pawanmuktasana creates a gentle pressure on the intestines. If we add a gentle rocking from side-to-side while performing this pose, we can deepen the effect. This increases the blood circulation and may support bowel movement or release.

# Trikonasana and Ardha Matsyendrasana

Twisting poses (Trikonasana, Ardha Matsyendrasana), as the name suggests, are focussed on squeezing the body. This has a tremendous effect on the spine, and on the nerves in your tummy area. These poses also support the metabolism in the entire body. Also, the squeezing massages the liver on the right side, the pancreas and spleen on the left side and the stomach too. Doing this yoga for digestion is a sure shot way for a clear tummy in the morning.

# Makarasana and Balasana

Relaxing poses like Makrasana or also child’s pose, are used for calming and resetting the nervous system and aids digestion too. Tight muscles due to a stressful lifestyle, can hamper regular bowels and digestion. These poses help us relax our abdominal muscles and help us poop better.While we twist and turn doing this yoga for digestion, we squeeze our belly and all the organs within. It gently massages and stimulates the digestion process. The increase in blood circulation in the muscles and organs, has a positive effect on the bowel movement.

5 Prana Vayus may also affect your digestion:

* Prana Vayu

Prana Vayu stands for life-force that helps regulate the doshas and aid digestion. Prana is the breath but also food, thoughts, visual impacts, it is everything we take in. How mindful are we with what we let into our system.

* Apana Vayu

It is the energy which we release and give back to the earth. Are we ready to let go? Are we holding tight on to something? In order to release poop easily, we need to trust and relax our hip muscles.

* Samana-Vayu

It is the energy in the belly also known as the fire in the belly in Ayurveda. Nourish this fire wisely. You should eat your food neither burnt nor half cooked.

* Udana-Vayu

This stands for the rising and the uplifting energy. If you feel uplifted after a meal, you know you are on the right track. In case your food makes you tired, heavy and lethargic, then your body is telling you to change the diet plan.

* Vyana-Vayu

The energy which moves from the center into the periphery is called Vyana Vayu. It is the energy which brings us back into action. Do you love what you do? Does it make you truly happy? Then your Vyana Vayu is on the right track.