Practicing yoga can bring many benefits to the digestive system, such as:
Supports the digestive organs, creating contractions and releasing internal organs to help improve function and stimulate effective detoxification.
Reduce stress and improve digestive system performance.
Here are 11 yoga poses that we suggest for you. Let’s explore
1. Cat Pose
This position allows for work on the mobility of the spine and the stretching of the intestines.
The process is as follows:
– Place your hands and knees on the floor, making sure your shoulders, elbows, and hands are in a straight line perpendicular to the floor. The knees and hips also form a straight line. Keep your head in a natural position and look down at the floor, inhaling.
– Exhale while arching your back, squeezing your abdomen, and pressing your hands and knees to the floor.
– The neck is relaxed, and the end points towards the floor, combining with the spine to form a curve.
– Inhale and return to step 1.
– Repeat for about one minute.
Cat pose (Source: Internet)
2. Puppy Pose
The process is as follows:
– Lie on all fours on the mat, keeping your hips over your knees and your shoulders over your wrists.
– Without moving your hips, start reaching your arms out in front of you, but don’t let your elbows touch the floor.
– As you exhale, tip your toes down, move your buttocks about halfway from your heels, and gently drop your forehead to the mat.
– Breathe here, keeping a slight curve in your lower back, pressing your hands down, and lengthening through your arms and spine.
– Stay in this position for 5 to 10 breaths before bringing your arms back so you are back on all fours.
3.
– Lie on your back on the mat. As you inhale, pull your knees into your chest.
– As you exhale, extend your arms to the level of your shoulders and let your knees bend to one side, stacking your knees on top of each other.
– As you breathe through the twist, check your body and make sure none of your shoulder blades are pulling up off the ground.
– Stay here for at least 5 deep breaths and lift your legs back to your chest as you inhale, pressing into your arms to help move them, and then release them to the other side.
– Do the same with the other side.
Twisted lying position (Source: Internet)
4. Steaming Pose
The relaxation position is a supine position suitable for everyone, including beginners and those who have practiced for a long time. During the exercise, the internal organs will be massaged, thereby helping to eliminate stomach problems such as indigestion and constipation.
The process is as follows:
– Lie on your back on the mat, legs stretched out, feet next to each other, and arms placed on both sides of the body.
– Deep breath. As you exhale, bend your knees and bring them toward your chest while pressing your thighs against your stomach. Wrap your arms around your legs as if you are hugging your pillow.
– Hold this position for as long as possible, while breathing evenly and deeply. Every time you exhale, squeeze your hands and press firmly on your thighs. Every time you inhale, relax your hands.
Steaming pose (Source: Internet)
5. Bridge Pose
The process is as follows:
– Start by lying on your back. You can fold a scarf and place it under your shoulders to protect your neck. Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor so that your feet are as close to your buttocks as possible.
– Exhale and lift your hips off the ground. The knees and feet form a straight line perpendicular to the floor. Tighten your elbows. Hold your arms straight up on either side of your waist.
– Breathe regularly in this position. Hold for a moment. Inhale as you lower.
Bridge pose (Source: Internet)
6. Sitting position with crossed legs and a twisting body
One of the most effective yoga exercises to detoxify the liver is the cross-legged twisting position. This movement not only helps relax the abdomen, liver, and kidneys but also helps prevent spinal degeneration, and minimize back and hip pain for practitioners.
The process is as follows:
– Sit in an upright position on the exercise mat, and straighten your legs. Next, bend your left leg; at the same time, bend your right leg and cross it over the left leg.
– Right hand on the floor, left arm crossed next to the leg. Turn your body back, and at the same time, exhale gently. Hold this position for about 10 seconds, and then return to the resting state. Then repeat the movement on the opposite side.
Sitting position with crossed legs and a twisting body (Source: Internet)
7. Camel yoga pose
Camel Pose is a beautiful backbend that supports:
It enhances flexibility, effectively reduces back pain, helps improve the digestive system, strengthens muscles, and reduces belly fat.
The process is as follows:
– Prepare in a sitting position on your knees and heels.
– Raise your body to your knees slowly, putting all your body weight on your knees.
– The heel creates a line perpendicular to the ground or rests against the tip of the toe.
– Bend your body backward while breathing deeply, touching your ankles with your hands.
– Stretch your body backward and tilt your head until your abdominal muscles stretch.
– Initially, you should hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds, then increase it to 60 seconds.
– Return to the preparation position, and repeat the movement about 10 times.
Camel pose
8. Baby pose
Baby’s pose not only has the effect of resting, and switching between positions but also helps relax the body and relieve stress and fatigue after busy working hours. Therefore, most of the time, this movement is usually done at the end of a workout session or whenever you need to rest to recover.
This exercise helps massage and tone the abdominal organs and acts as an excellent stimulant for digestion while also calming the mind.
The process is as follows:
– Warm up by kneeling on the floor and sitting on your heels. When you feel comfortable, open your knees and hips. Breathe evenly.
– Bend forward between your thighs. Expiratory. Notice that your head and toes touch the floor, and your neck relaxes.
– Slowly open your hips and relax between your thighs.
– Stretch your arms straight forward, palms facing down, or you can also stretch your arms straight back, along your back, palms facing up.
– Relax your shoulders. Feel the weight of your shoulders, your belly relaxing on your thighs.
– Hold the pose for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or longer, depending on your ability.
– Relax, breathe evenly, and slowly lift your body to return to the prepared position
Baby pose (Source: Internet)
9. Downward-facing dog pose
This is also a highly effective yoga exercise to detoxify the liver, improve the digestive system
The process is as follows:
– Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Gently bend down to the floor from the waist and place your hands on the floor.
– Stretch your arms out in front of your abdomen. Place your hands between your legs, and at the same time, push your hips back to form a downward-facing dog position.
– Hold the pose for 5 breaths. Then, return to the resting position and repeat the movement.
Downward-facing dog pose (Source: Internet)
10. Bow Yoga Pose
This pose helps strengthen abdominal muscles, helping to have a beautiful abdomen. Moving in the position helps massage, supports the reduction of belly fat, and improves the digestive system while also preventing constipation and stretching the body back.
The process is as follows:
– Start in a prone position, arms relaxed at your sides.
– Slowly bend both knees. Bring your hands back, pull your ankles, and inhale at the same time, lift your chest off the ground.
– Hold the ankles with both hands and pull the chest up, creating balance. The whole body bends and tenses like a bow.
– Hold like that for 15-20 seconds, exhale, gently release your arms, bring your legs and chest to the ground, release your ankles, and relax. Repeat 3-5 times.
Bow pose
11. Extended triangle pose
The process is as follows:
– Start in a standing position with your arms relaxed on either side of your body. Step your right foot to the right, 100 to 120 cm.
– Turn the left foot 45 degrees, then turn the right foot 90 degrees, so that the right heel is in line with the middle of the left foot.
– Inhale, and at the same time raise both hands to shoulder height, palms facing down. Both hands and shoulders must relax comfortably.
– Move your thighs to the left and stretch your upper body to the right.
– Exhale and place your right palm on the floor, outside of your right foot. If you cannot reach down to the floor, you can place it on the lower leg.
– Stretch your left arm up toward the ceiling, palm facing forward, keeping your left shoulder tilted back.
– Turn your head to look up at your left hand, while keeping your spine straight and your neck relaxed.
– Hold the position for 10 to 30 seconds.
– To exit the pose, press the soles of your feet to the floor and inhale while lifting your right palm off the floor. Then return to the standing position.
– Repeat the same on the other side
Extended triangle pose (Source: Internet)
Before or after meals, certain yoga poses will help you avoid feeling heavy and uncomfortable. You can do these exercises in the morning on an empty stomach or a few hours after overeating.
Depending on your body shape and feel, do different yoga poses or choose one that you think suits you best. Hold each position for 1 to 3 minutes, and always think about your breathing.