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Yoga for Digestive Health

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By By: Carrie Lehtonen, CorePower Yoga instructor and owner of WholeHearted Health Ltd. health coaching April 29, 2016
If you experience gastro-intestinal issues such as constipation, acid reflux, heartburn, and bloating or cramping, you are not alone. These symptoms, if experienced frequently, can indicate a larger problem at work such as Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or Celiac disease (a serious sensitivity to gluten).
 
Yoga poses massage the vital organs associated with the digestive system, and can provide relief from these common digestive issues. When the organs of the digestive system are compressed in poses, waste-bearing fluids in those areas are flushed out of the tissues, so the body is better able to eliminate them. In addition to supporting healthy digestion through the elimination of toxins, yoga is a great way to manage stress. When we experience stress, our body reacts by preparing us to either fight or run (fight or flight response). Digestion stops because that energy is needed elsewhere; approximately 80% of our energy is dedicated to digestion. 
There are many yoga poses that specifically aid in digestion. Some of these poses are as follows:
  • Marjaryasana and Bitilasana (Cat and Cow): Transition between these two poses to warm up your spine and relieve the tension in your back and neck. Come to a tabletop position on the floor. Inhale, drop your belly and lift your head and butt for cow pose. Exhale, round your spine and gaze between your thighs for cat pose. Switch back and forth between the two poses, connecting your inhale with cow pose and exhale with cat pose. 
  • Trikonasana (Triangle Pose): From standing, step your right foot forward into a low lunge and then straighten the leg. Turn your left foot to a 45-60-degree angle to the front of the mat with your heel flat. Reach your right hand forward and then bring your right hand to rest lightly on your right shin or the floor, and reach your left hand to the sky with your palm facing outward. Stretch the crown of your head forward as you reach your tailbone toward your left heel. Hold for a few breaths, and then switch sides.
  • Ardha Pawamuktasana (Wind Removing Pose) and Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine Twist): Wind Removing Pose compresses the ascending colon on the right side and descending colon on the left, aiding in elimination. First, hug your right knee in toward the right shoulder to the side of your ribcage. Press your straight left leg into the earth as you clasp your hands around your right shin to pull it closer. Hold for five breaths. On your last exhale, release the right knee to the left and reach your right arm straight out to the right for Supine Twist. For a deeper stretch, use your left hand to gently push your right thigh closer to the mat. To complete the twist, gaze to the right and hold for 10 breaths or about one minute, and then bring your knee back to center. Hug both knees into the chest, and then switch to the left side starting with Wind Removing Pose. 
Want to learn more about how nutrition and yoga can improve your digestive health? Register for the workshop Yoga and Nutrition for Digestive Health to be held at CorePower Yoga’s Broomfield East studio on June 4 from 2:00 to 3:15 PM. Learn easy tips for improving your diet to keep the digestive system happy and healthy, and enjoy gentle yoga poses that aid in digestion. 

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About the author: Following a heart attack at 31 years old, Carrie Lehtonen chose to pursue a second career in health and wellness to help people find their path to better health. Carrie founded WholeHearted Health Ltd., through which she offers individual and group health coaching programs, nutrition and wellness workshops, private and group yoga instruction, cleanse coaching, and yoga adventure retreats. Carrie is a certified holistic health practitioner and registered yoga teacher (RYT 500). 

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Stop in to any of the CorePower North Denver studios for your free week of yoga. Be sure to tell them Macaroni Kid sent you!
   
Visit CorePowerYoga.com for schedules and more information.