Constipation is a common digestive issue that causes discomfort, bloating, and a lack of bowel movement. Poor diet, lack of exercise and physical activity, dehydration, and stress are catalysts to this condition. Practicing yoga regularly is beneficial for the stimulation of the digestive organs, enhancing the blood circulation in the abdominal regions, and ensuring healthy bowel movement. There are a few yoga asanas that delicately massage the intestines and coax the natural digestive system into movement.
Here are ten yoga asanas that may help relieve constipation and promote better digestion.
Pavanamuktasana (Wind-Relieving Pose)
This asana is in many ways effective for aiding digestion and decreasing gas, or bloating. It also helps in stimulating the abdominal organs and hence promotes easy bowel movements.
Lie on your back and bring one knee toward your chest, leaving one leg stretched out before you. Hold your knee with both hands and press gently toward the sternum. Hold for a few breaths and switch legs. For a deeper stretch, you can bring both knees toward the chest.
Malasana (Garland Pose)
Malasana is a deep squat pose that stimulates the digestive organs and helps bowel movement. It also opens the lower back and hips.
Step, with feet wider than the width of the hips, lower into a squat, bringing your hands together in front of the chest with your elbows pressing gently on your knees. Stay here and breathe deeply.
Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Spinal Twist)
Twist poses are good for digestion as they massage the abdominal organs and help detoxify the body.
Sit with your legs extended in front of you. Bend one knee; place the foot outside the opposite thigh. Twist your torso toward the bent knee and place the opposite elbow outside the knee for support. Hold the position for some deep breaths and then switch sides.
Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
Cobra Pose stretches abdominal muscles and stimulates the digestive organs. This posture also strengthens the spine and gives a gentle opening to the chest.
Lie on your stomach with the palms marginally below the shoulders. Slowly lift the chest while the lower part remains on the ground. Hold the posture for some breaths and then return to the original state.
Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)
This forward bend pose compresses the abdominal region and excites it. It also brings peace into the mind and lengthens and stretches the back muscles and hamstrings.
Sit down, with legs extended forward. Inhale a bit to elongate the spine while then start to bend slowly toward the legs, trying to reach the feet. Continue holding while gently breathing.
Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
Since it is a very strong stretching pose for the abdomen it profoundly activates the digestive organs. This posture can help with digestion if practiced consistently and relieve constipation.
With your chest on the floor, draw the heels near the buttocks by lifting the toes until your abdomen touches the floor. Hence, lift the thighs up with the legs and slightly turn the pelvis down. While in this pose maintain an uninterrupted breath in the bow.
Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
This pose revives blood circulation to the digestive tract and relieves tension from the abdominal area.
Stand straight, then lean forward slowly from your hips. While you do this, place your hands on the floor or on your ankles. Keep breathing heavily, letting your head hang down and stay for a few more moments with the stretch.
Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose)
Vajrasana is one of the few yoga postures that can be practiced immediately after a meal. It improves digestion and supports bowel movement.
Kneeling on the floor, one either spreads his legs or sits back on his heels and engages his hands on their thighs. Elevate straight carriage of rib cage with thoracic back and deepen your breath for several minutes.
Halasana (Plow Pose)
In addition, Halasana impinges abdominal region and stretches digestive organs so as to promote freedom from constipation.
On back, raise legs: arrive elongated over the head so far down past one’s pronated feet until they anchor thereupon. Sit upright while stretching the arms on the floor, so as to use that horizontal court to exhale fully in the pose.
Balasana (Child’s Pose)
With Kid’s Pose in this manner, a welcoming abdominal massage calms body and soul within one another, composing, too, a relaxed mindening. In this way, the pose also helps release the stress that aggravates these poor digestive tract situations.
Kneel on the floor and sit back on your heels with lower legs spread apart along the floor. Bend forward with your legs wrapping around your torso. Rest your forehead on the floor with your arms towards their side near your thighs, and take deeper breaths.
Conclusion
Yoga is a gentle mode for constipation relief and kidney support, which can stimulate the digestive system, reduce bloating, and bring about improved movement of bowel. Eating healthily helps to support the functioning of the body as a whole, metabolism, and bowel function. Also, circulatory system and digestive and skeletal system balance can stabilize faster with yoga enhanced by a proper diet of prescribed intake and water, proper posture, and physical exercise, as well.