The need for energy and nutrition is essential for the vital organs of our body to fulfill their duties to ensure our survival. An organ or system which can provide energy and nutrients for vital body processes is our digestive system. The digestive system converts the food we eat into energy as well as the nutrients needed by our body.
Therefore, it is essential to maintain this system’s health and functioning properly.
How Does Yoga Affect the Digestive System?
The primary function of the gastrointestinal tract is the breakdown of food particles and absorb nutrients. Everyday the kidneys, liver and colon as well as the lungs eliminate waste as part of the digestion process. The liver converts toxins into water-soluble to allow them to be removed out of the body via the kidneys. They filter blood, and assist in eliminating toxins via urine. The colon assists in getting rid of toxins by the bowel movements. The lung’s filters filter air and eliminate toxins via breathing.
Yoga is not just exercising It’s a full discipline that includes breathing techniques as well as movement and meditation. It assists with essential physiological functions like digestion, and offers a range of psychological and physiological impacts.
Many yoga poses (asanas) specifically assist digestion through massaging, and preparing internal organs to function effectively. Certain yoga postures assist in removing metabolic waste out of the body through activating the muscles involved in process of peristaltic. Padmasana (crossed leg position), Pavanmuktasana (wind-relieving pose), Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), Shavasana (corpse pose), Paschimottasana (sitting forward fold) and Ustrasana (camel posture) All require some stretching of the abdominal region, applying pressure using the legs and massaging it in a variety of ways.
The muscles are stretched and contracted in succession to helps tone muscles and improve the flow of oxygen and blood. The upside-down posture assists in the removal of a sluggish colon, which leads to constipation and the decrease of gas buildup in the stomach.
The ideal time to perform yoga is indeed in the morning however, not everyone is able to accomplish this due to time and time constraints, so we consider alternative options that are practical and efficient. There are yoga poses that can be performed at different times during the day, like after dinner. Yoga postures after meals are thought to boost digestion and make your stomach feel less heavy after eating. In addition, it helps improve the health and condition of your organs and helping with indigestion.
When performing post-dinner asanas, you need to be extra cautious. These poses include hand rotations, fingers and arm stretching as well as ankle rotations. You can also perform some basic neck movements lying in a seat with your back to the wall and envisioning the ball being placed between your chest and chin and pressing the ball to the maximum extent one could.
Particularly, the poses that can be done after eating to help digestion are:
- Gomukhasana, also referred to as cow face posture is an asana which aids in stretching the stomach and spine muscles, facilitating digestion.
- Vajrasana is also referred to as Adamantine Pose is the ideal yoga pose you can do following a meal. Following dinner, the experts suggest activities that help stretch your upper body and abdomen, while also easing your breathing. While it is generally advised to do yoga with a full stomach however, there is a particular asana that is Vajrasana which is more beneficial to practice after a meal since it helps ease the digestion process.
- Another useful yoga pose to try following an eating meal is the Ardha Chandrasana or half moon pose, which can be done by standing while side stretching to expand the belly and stomach, and help ease in reducing indigestion.
Yoga can improve overall health of the gut through reducing stress, increasing blood flow and physical activity that aids in improving the mobility of the digestive tract. A well-functioning digestive system is crucial to live a healthy, balanced life style.
The gut plays a role in numerous functions throughout the body and if it is deficient in nutrients and imbalanced this can result in various health issues. An active lifestyle can boost gut health and act as a prevention measure for many illnesses. Yoga in particular is a great option to begin the healing process since it helps heal the microbiota by decreasing stress, providing moderate exercise, and aiding in reducing indigestion.
Other Health Benefits of Yoga
There are a myriad of health benefits associated with yoga over time. Yoga is an exercise that involves both the body as well as the mind, as well as burning calories and strengthening muscles.
Numerous health benefits include:
- Enhances your posture Yoga postures can help improve your posture as well as preventing lower back and neck pain.
- Improves flexibility Yoga is a great way to increase flexibility, while allowing the yogis to practice difficult poses.
- Enhances balance Balance is essential to perform simple tasks such as lifting something from the floor, reaching towards a shelf or descending stairs. Yoga has been shown to increase balance.
- Increases strength of muscles Yoga can help in strengthening the muscles of the body that are weak. It aids in the toning of muscles as well as reducing the chance of tension in the muscles.
- Enhances metabolism Yoga can help maintain the vitality of your body while making sure it is fit. Yoga encourages yogis to consume a healthy diet and boosts the body’s metabolism.
- helps in lowering blood sugar levels Yoga not just lowers blood sugar levels but also reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol. It helps in losing weight and improves insulin sensitivity the body.
- increases blood flowYoga’s relaxation exercises regulate the flow of blood to all areas within the human body. Handstands and exercises aid in the flow of circulation from lower part of the body into the heart so that it is pushed back to the lungs, and then oxygenated.
- Enhances self-esteem Yoga can help the yogi to discover a new part of themselves. It can make them feel great and inspire the yogi to lead a healthy life.
- improves lung functionality Lung function is believed to be improved through various breathing exercises. The long-term usage of these exercises can help treat respiratory illnesses.
- reduce inflammation Chronic or extended inflammation can be linked to diabetes, heart disease as well as arthritis, Crohn’s Disease and a myriad of other ailments as well as yoga that has various styles, intensities and durations can aid in reducing biochemical markers that cause inflammation throughout a range of chronic diseases.
In addition to the physical advantages, one of the most beneficial benefits of yoga is that it assists in the control of stress which has been proven to have negative effects on the mind and body. It may help reduce anxiety and improve the quality of your mental wellbeing.
Yoga, an exercise that is low-impact, has been proven to lower stress hormones within our bodies as well as increase the brain’s good chemicals, such as endorphins as well as GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid).
Final Words
It is essential to look after your health and wellbeing. With the promising results of yoga, particularly in digestion it, a person can care greater about themselves and remain fit by doing these exercises in a peaceful setting at home.
