Aid Digestion with Yoga

August 13, 2010 by Leave a Comment
diagram of a human digestive system
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Yoga offers a multitude of benefits. In fact, consistently practicing yoga can help combat or manage a variety of ailments and complaints. Specifically, one may be surprised to learn how beneficial yoga can be to digestive health issues, such as bloating, cramping, gas, diarrhea, and constipation.

Yoga aids digestive health in a number of ways. Foremost, yoga increases blood flow to organs and extremities. While holding certain physical poses, blood flow is temporarily suspended to corresponding parts of the body. When the yoga practitioner releases the pose, blood floods the particular area, delivering an abundance of oxygen along with it. This is important because oxygen is paramount to healthy organ function. Yoga also encourages proper peristalsis, which is the series of muscle contractions that occur in the digestive tract to move food through the digestive system. Peristalsis can also refer to similar contractions that occur in the tubular organs. Lastly, yoga reminds us of the importance of taking deep and cleansing breaths. Yoga practitioners focus on the importance of prana, a Sanskrit word referring to breath and meaning “life force.” Through pranayama or the practice of breathing, yoga practitioners breathe deeply into the belly, transporting oxygen and its healing properties to the digestive tract.

Depending on which digestive problem you suffer from, you’ll want to practice a pose designed to help with your specific problem. For instance, inversions (classified as any posture in which the legs are elevated above the heart) ease constipation. Shoulder stands and head stands are examples of inversions. Standing postures, such as Warrior I,II,III or Trikonasana (triangle pose) help suppress acidity by lifting the diaphragm and expanding the esophagus and upper area of the stomach, reducing the reflux of gastric matter. Forward bends, such as Uttanasana (standing forward bend), should not be practiced when suffering from acidity, but they are helpful for other digestive ailments. These are only a few of the many yoga postures that will help ease the uncomfortable symptoms of poor digestive health.

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Investigating the Mental Benefits of Yoga

August 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Balasana pose in Hatha yoga, commonly known as...
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In the 21st century, many people are overwhelmed by the fast pace and demands that characterize the current era. Bosses, clients, and spouses have a variety of ways to keep tabs on each other, whether it be via cell phone, texts, email, or Facebook. Traffic and unemployment are on the rise, while our economy and the welfare of the environment are in decline. The ability to relax is quickly being replaced by feelings of stress and anxiety.

Yoga is an effective method to combat these ill feelings and promote mental well-being. Furthermore, there are several branches of yoga which are most effective at cultivating a healthy mind. For instance, Hatha yoga employs asanas or physical poses in order to promote mental focus. Jnana yoga is seen as yoga of the mind. With Raja yoga, one practices the art of natural meditation.

Yoga integrates a variety of techniques, namely exercise, breathing, and meditation to unify mind, body, and spirit. As mentioned above, practicing asanas requires focus on the task at hand. This intense focus helps to quiet the mind. Pranayama or the practice of proper breathing teaches students how to take slow, deep breaths. This aids in more effective delivery of healing oxygen to the brain and other organs. Also, breath tends to become short and shallow when the body feels stressed or anxious. Building awareness of prana, meaning breath or “life force,” allows the yoga practitioner to utilize effective breathing techniques more consistently, even when faced with stress or anxiety-inducing circumstances. Again, meditation is another technique employed by yoga practitioners in order to disengage from stressful thoughts.

Restorative poses, forward bends, and inversions are known to have calming effects. For example, downward dog and shoulder stands provide a temporary increase in blood pressure in the cranial region, activating the body’s soothing mechanisms. Asanas, such as side bends or twists, help to balance out excessive emotions. Whatever mental or emotional imbalances you are experiencing will most likely be alleviated with dedication to the practice of yoga.

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Facilitate a Healthy Pregnancy and Smooth Delivery Through Yoga

August 8, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Yoga postures Bhujangasana
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Many women enjoy being pregnant, while other expecting mothers have a more difficult time. Whether you are already active or trying to increase your fitness level for the impending birth, yoga is a great method to promote well-being during pregnancy and the easiest delivery possible. Yoga also facilitates a smooth transition into the post-birth stage.

During pregnancy, yoga helps the expectant mother stay in shape and maintain prior energy levels. Yoga can help alleviate some of the aches and pains associated with pregnancy, as well as mollify moodiness. Yoga helps to stretch muscles and release tension. One of the most beneficial aspects of practicing yoga while pregnant is how it prepares the expectant mother for a smooth delivery. Learning how to breathe deeply and relax completely through the practice of yoga is similar to the breathing techniques taught in Lamaze classes. Also, yoga postures and gentle stretches help strengthen and massage reproductive organs, the pelvic area, and other pertinent parts of the body to facilitate childbirth.

Starting a postnatal yoga regimen approximately six weeks after childbirth tones abdominal muscles and other areas to get a new mother back into pre-pregnancy shape more quickly. Postnatal yoga can also help a new mother cope with the demands of motherhood and may lessen the occurrence or degree of postpartum depression. In addition to the benefits listed above, yoga also helps lower blood pressure, improve digestion, support proper circulation and respiratory health, as well as aid detoxification.

While many asanas or physical postures are beneficial for pregnant women, there are also some that should be avoided when pregnant. It is better to exercise caution when practicing certain asanas than over-stretch a particular area of the body. Pregnant women may want to avoid asanas that focus on abdominal stretching. Beginners to yoga or prenatal yoga should practice under the supervision of a certified instructor. While a small amount of precaution should be taken while practicing prenatal yoga, the benefits of practicing yoga while pregnant abound.

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