Yoga Poses for Better Digestion

Got gut discomfort? This yoga sequence may be just the remedy you need to relieve uncomfortable symptoms and help restore balance in your belly. Even if it’s from that delicious slice of pizza, late-night Netflix noshing, or the irresistibly rich chocolate mousse, bloating and indigestion never feel good. And digestive issues can rise to the level of chronic medical conditions such as inflammatory bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease, that can be severe and debilitating.

Photos -  Jagath Dharmakeerthi

Connecting Your Gut and Your Brain

There is evidence that yoga poses tone the vagus nerve (VN) which communicates information between the gut and the brain. Low vagal tone has been connected with gastrointestinal disorders. “Stress inhibits the VN and has deleterious effects on the gastrointestinal tract,” according to research published in Frontiers in Neuroscience. Researchers think stimulating the anti-inflammatory properties of the vagus nerve could help restore balance along the gut/brain axis. This could be beneficial to people diagnosed with digestive conditions. Try this sequence—which combines stretches and twists that target abdominal organs—to relieve a wide range of digestive discomforts (think: gas, bloating, constipation).  Combine the movements with diaphragmatic breathing which also provides a gentle massaging action to the internal organs that might ease gastrointestinal symptoms. (But, of course, if your discomfort becomes chronic or gets worse, see your health care provider.)