Yoga - Benefits for Gut Health

Introduction

Yoga helps relieve digestive issues. It helps connect an individual's mind and body to create good health through gentle movements or asanas, by various breathing techniques called pranayama and meditation or dhyana. It helps stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps in relaxation and improving the digestion of food. Yoga poses help stretch the body and massage the abdominal muscles, which causes the food to move efficiently through the gastrointestinal tract. When bowel movement is regulated, then constipation will be decreased. With the help of yoga, there will be increased blood circulation in the digestive organs, helping improve digestion. Regular yoga practice will decrease the amount of fat deposited in the body.

How Does Yoga Help in Digestion?

Digestion breaks down food to provide nutrients and minerals to different body parts and excrete waste products. Some people have difficulty digestion, like bloating in the stomach, discomfort, gas, acidity, constipation, diarrhea, etc. Yoga helps reduce stress, increase blood circulation, and improve the physical movement or mortality of the GIT or gastrointestinal tract. People having irritable bowel syndrome or IBS have gas, abdominal bloating, diarrhea, or constipation. Yoga will help in reducing this irritable bowel syndrome. Irritable bowel syndrome occurs due to an increase in the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which causes stress in the body. Inflammatory bowel diseases are caused by inflammation occurring in the gastrointestinal tract. Crohn’s disease (gastrointestinal inflammation for longer duration) and ulcerative colitis (ulcerations in the gastrointestinal tract) are inflammatory diseases. Yoga can help in decreasing the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease.

Which Are the Yoga Poses That Help in Gut Motility?

The yoga poses that help reduces inflammation and irritation in the gastrointestinal tract include the following -

1. Seated side bend or parsva sukhasana.

2. Seated twist or ardha matsyendrasana.

3. Supine spinal twist or supta matsyendrasana.

4. Knees to chest or apanasana.

5. Cat-cow or marjaryasana-bitilasana.

6. Cobra pose or bhujangasana.

7. Bow pose or dhanurasana.

8. Belly twist or jathara parivartanasana.

9. Corpse pose or shavasana.

What Are the Yoga Poses That Help in Improving Gut Motility?

The yoga poses that help improve gut motility are -

• Seated Side Bend or Parsva Sukhasana - Sit straight on the floor in a cross-legged position. Keep both hands at the sides on the floor, touching the floor. Raise the right arm straight in the air upwards and slowly lean to the left side while keeping the left arm on the floor facing outward. Take deep breaths in and out five times, return to the normal position, and repeat the steps on the opposite side. This yoga pose helps stretch the belly, shoulder, and back muscles. This pose helps reduce the acidity, gas, or bloating in the stomach and helps improve digestion.

• Seated Twist or Ardha Matsyendrasana- Sit straight on the floor with both legs stretched straight. Bend the right knee and cross it over the thigh or knee of the left leg. Then place the right foot on the floor. Slowly bend the left knee so that the sole of the left foot is facing inwards. If this bending is difficult, then keep the left leg straight. Keep the left elbow on the right knee and rotate the body to the right side while keeping the right palm on the floor beside the right buttocks. Slowly turn the neck over the right shoulder. Hold in this position for five deep breaths. Return to the original position and repeat these steps on the opposite side. This position helps increase the motility of the small and large intestines and increases digestion. It also helps in reducing abdominal bloating.

• Supine Spinal Twist or Supta Matsyendrasana - Lie down straight on the floor in the supine position. Bend the left knee towards the chest while keeping the right knee straight on the floor. Gently rotate to the right side and keep the left knee over the right side. Keep the right arm on the left knee supporting while stretching or rotating. Bring the left arm perpendicular to the body straight on the floor. Slowly stretch to the left side. Hold in this position for five deep breaths. Return to the normal position and repeat the steps on the opposite side. Supine spinal twists help stretch the back muscles and help to improve the mobility of the spinal muscles. It helps in reducing constipation and abdominal bloating and helps in digestion.

• Knees to Chest or Apanasana - Lie down straight on the floor in a supine position while keeping the leg straight. Slowly bend both knees towards the chest and keep both arms on the knee to pull them closer to the chest. Hold in this position for five deep breaths. This pose is very relaxing and helps to relieve the strain present in the lower back region. It helps in massaging the large intestine, which will improve bowel movements.

• Cat-Cow or Marjaryasana-Bitilasana - Start from the tabletop position; that is, by keeping both the hands and knees on the floor, the hand should be below the shoulder, and the knee should be below the hip level. Tilt the tailbone upwards while keeping the stomach downwards, keep the shoulders backward, and slowly raise the head while looking upwards. Hold for five breaths and return to the original position. Now place the top of the feet or toes on the floor. Keep the tailbone inwards and the stomach towards the spine. Roll the shoulder while arching the back spine. Slowly lower the head downwards. Hold in this position for five breaths and return to the original position. Repeat these steps three times minimum. This yoga pose helps stretch the muscles in the back and the stomach. It will improve circulation and help to massage the organs, which helps in the motility of the gastrointestinal organs.

• Cobra Pose or Bhujangasana - Lie down straight by facing the stomach on the floor. Keep the feet apart at the level of the hip width. Place both the palms of the hands flat on the floor. Extend the feet of the leg so that the top of the feet will touch the ground. Keep the hands on the floor and slowly raise the head and chest upwards. Roll the shoulders back slightly without lifting the pelvis or raising the chin. Hold in this position for five breaths. Return to the original position. This pose helps in stretching the muscles present in the stomach and helps in improving digestion. This pose can also help in improving posture.

• Bow Pose or Dhanurasana - Lie down straight with the stomach on the floor. Keep the legs straight on the floor and the hands beside the body while facing the palms upwards. Bent the knees backward and brought the feet close to the back. With the help of the hands, grasp the ankles. Slowly pull the feet towards the body and lift the thighs away from the floor. Lift the chest and head upwards. Keep the pelvis on the floor. Hold in this position for five breaths. Return to the normal position and repeat these steps. It helps stretch the muscles in the back, helps improve digestion, reduces constipation, and decreases menstrual cramps.

• Belly Twist or Jathara Parivartanasana - Lie down straight on the floor in the supine position. Bend the knees while keeping the feet flat on the floor. Keep both hands stretched outwards perpendicular to the body. Rotate the hips and bring the bent legs to the right side while keeping the upper part of the body flat on the ground. Hold in this position for five breaths. Slowly return to the normal position and bring the knees towards the chest with the help of the hands and straighten the legs. Repeat these steps on the opposite side. This yoga pose helps increase circulation and help in improving gut motility.

• Corpse Pose or Shavasana - Lie down straight on the floor in the supine position. Close the eyes and take deep breaths. Stay focused on breath and each part of the body, including the stomach and the breath. Relax and continue in this position for at least 5 minutes. This helps in the relaxation of the body with the help of controlled breathing and meditation techniques.

Conclusion

Each yoga pose mentioned above can help reduce digestive problems like abdominal bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, pain, etc. It will help in improving gut motility and improve digestion. Yoga is a complementary treatment for digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel diseases. Without consuming any antacids for digestive disorders, regular yoga practice can help minimize the irritation present in the gastrointestinal tract.