Feeling bloated and not your best? Here are 12 yoga poses to ease digestion. Practising yoga is like giving a wonderful massage to your internal organs!

Following these Asanas (poses) on a regular basis will ensure that your digestive system gets stronger and is able to perform at its best. Every time we practise yoga, we’re gifting ourselves an opportunity to enhance our health. Say goodbye to bloating and hello to a flatter, fitter tummy!

1. STANDING FORWARD BEND (UTTANASANA)

This pose relieves digestive problems such as constipation.

• From a standing pose (mountain pose) where you are standing with your big toes touching, heels slightly apart, tailbone tucked under and arms beside you with palms facing out, inhale and sweep the arms out wide and up into the air then exhale and fold forward from the hips, lengthening through the spine and lowering your upper body over the lower body.
• As your upper body releases further down bring the left hand to the right elbow and the right hand to the left elbow.
• Feel free to bend the knees if there is discomfort behind the knees or if the hamstrings feel too much of a stretch. 
• Hold for 10 breaths then release by slowly rolling up the spine one vertebrae at a time.

2. REVOLVED CRESCENT LUNGE

Massages the abdominal muscles and twists the internal organs to help stimulate digestion. Compressing the colon in specific ways (right to left) can really aid in digestion. Detoxifying twists can stimulate the movement of those toxins that accumulate in the body and help usher them out.

• From a standing position (mountain pose), lunge back with your right leg ensuring that both feet are pointing forwards and take a twist to your left.
• Inhale and place your right hand to the outside of your left foot and reach your left arm upwards into the air. If you can’t get your right hand and shoulder outside of your front knee, place the hand on the inside of the foot.
• Revolve your body around and twist from your waist.
• Gaze up at your left hand and old for 5 breaths.
• Inhale up and repeat on the opposite side.
• When you are ready, release slowly and come up to a standing position (tadasana).
• Bring your hands into prayer pose and close down your eyes.
• Take a long slow deep breath into the belly and relax.

3. REVOLVED LOW LUNGE

Twists but also stretches the front thigh and groin. Often times when our hip flexors are tight, they interfere with our internal organ function, including digestion. Stretching the front of the body helps keep things moving in the right direction.

• Lower your right knee to the floor and reach back with your left hand to catch the right foot as you lift your right heel up toward your buttocks.
• Hold for 5 breaths.
• Switch sides.
• Then release slowly and come up to a standing position.

4. TRIANGLE POSE (TRIKONASANA)

Improves digestion and alleviates constipation.

• From a standing pose (mountain pose), step your feet moderately wide.
• Turn your left foot out by 90 degrees. Turn your right foot in slightly.
• Reach your right arm towards the front of the room, engaging your right thigh, legs are straight.
• Drop your right hand down onto your shin, ankle or the floor on the inside or outside the right foot.
• Stack your left shoulder on top of the right one as you open your chest, reaching the left fingertips towards the ceiling. Reach from the side of your body to create space in that area.
• Look up toward your left fingertips.
• Hold for 5 breaths.
• Switch sides.

5. COBRA POSE (BHUJANGASANA)

Stimulates the abdominal organs, improving digestion.

• Lie on your belly with your feet together.
• Place your hands near your shoulders and beside your chest, your palms are flat on the floor and your fingers are spread with the middle finger facing forward. Push into your hands and lift your upper body off the mat.
• Keep your pubic bone on the mat and make sure your shoulders are back and down and away from your ears.
• Roll your shoulders back and lift the chest higher, whilst keeping the low ribs on the floor.
• Engage your buttocks.
• Hold for 5 breaths then release.

6. LOCUST POSE (SALABHASANA)

Stimulates the abdominal organs, improving digestion.

• Lie on your belly, with your feet together.
• Stretch your arms alongside your body, palms facing up.
• Raise your arms off the floor, keeping them parallel to the floor.
• At the same time, raise your head, chest and legs off the ground.
• Hold this pose for 5 breaths and then release.

7. CHILD’S POSE (BALASANA)

Compresses the abdomen and massages the internal organs.

• Start in a kneeling position.
• Drop your buttocks toward your heels as you stretch the rest of your body down and forward.
• Rest your stomach on top of your thighs, and rest your forehead on the mat.
• Stretch your arms forward.
• Hold for 10 breaths.

8. CAMEL POSE (USHTRASANA)

Stretches the stomach and intestines, alleviating constipation.

• Come up onto your knees.
• Draw your hands up the side of your body as you start to open your chest.
• Push your hips forward
• Push your chest forward and up
• Reach your hands back one at a time to grasp your heels.
• (Curl your toes under and come to the balls of your feet if you cannot reach your heels when the feet are flat).
• Bring your hips forward so that they are over your knees.
• Let your head come back, opening your throat.
• Hold for 5 breaths.

9. SEATED FORWARD BEND (PASCHIMOTTANASANA)

Improves digestion

• Sit on the floor with your legs together and in front of you.
• Flex the feet and point the toes toward the ceiling.
• Contract your quadriceps and Inhale both hands up toward the ceiling, lengthening the spine.
• As you exhale, hinge forward at the hips, reaching out with your arms and hands to keep a long spine.
• Next, relax you upper back, neck and head down.
• Grab your feet, ankles or calves and pull gently to deepen the stretch.
• Chin is to chest, chest is to thighs and forehead is towards your shins
• Hold for 10 breaths.

10. WIND RELIEVING POSE (APANASANA)

Massages the ascending and descending colon.

• Lie on your back.
• Place your feet to the floor, directly beneath the knees.
• Hug your knees comfortably to the belly.
• Hold for 10 breaths.
• Follow with hugging one knee in at a time, first the right and then the left.

11. SUPINE SPINAL TWIST (SUPTA MATSYENDRASANA) 

Massages the abdominal organs, alleviating digestive ailments.

• Lie on your back.
• Place your feet to the floor, directly beneath the knees.
• Draw your right knee into your chest and extend the left leg on the floor.
• Drop your right knee over to the left side of your body.
• Open your right arm to the right side.
• Turn your head to the right.
• Keep your right shoulder to the floor.
• Hold for 5 breaths before drawing your right knee back into your chest
• Switch sides.

12. CORPSE POSE (SAVASANA)

The ultimate posture for all healing. As you lie still, you’re allowing stress to melt away and you are literally creating a healing environment for your body. Your blood will start to flow away from your extremities and towards your digestive organs. This will create the ideal environment for digestion, cleansing and healing.

• Lie on your back with your legs together but feet turning out
• Place your arms thirty degrees from your body, your palms are facing up.
• Close your eyes and become aware of your breath
• Relax and release onto the mat for 10 breaths.

After stretching, moving and exercising, it's important to replenish and feed our bodies. Try this Supercharged Green Smoothie! It's super simple and quick to make. Since it is supercharged with Love Your Gut powder, it's a perfect way to keeping the gut-loving going after these yoga poses.

LEE Holmes : Supercharge your gut.