Discover how yoga can ease discomfort from overeating and improve digestion through gentle movements and deep breathing techniques
Walthamstow: You know that moment during the holidays when you realize you’ve eaten way too much? It’s like you’ve stuffed yourself silly, and now you’re feeling it. While you can’t undo that last slice of pie, yoga might just be your best friend right now.
Yoga is pretty great for your digestive health. It helps reduce stress, which can really mess with your gut, and it also gets things moving along in your stomach. So, if you’re feeling bloated, yoga can help.
According to Catherine Weston, a yoga teacher, yoga poses boost blood flow to your digestive organs. This helps them work better and can ease those uncomfortable feelings. Plus, when you’re less stressed, your digestion improves.
When we’re stressed out, our brain and gut don’t communicate well, which can slow down digestion. Weston explains that stress triggers our “fight or flight” response, which isn’t great for our stomachs.
There’s even research backing this up! A study from 2018 showed that people with IBS who did yoga had better symptoms. Another study found that yoga helped older folks with constipation. So, it’s not just a theory; it really works!
Deep belly breathing is a super easy way to help your digestion, especially during the holidays. Jamie Hepburn, another yoga teacher, suggests gentle movements that keep you upright. Think seated twists and some gentle stretches.
If you’re feeling gassy, she recommends poses like happy baby or bringing your knees to your chest. These can really help relieve that trapped wind.
Laura Moss, another yoga instructor, emphasizes the importance of deep belly breathing. It calms your stress levels and helps your body relax, which is key for digestion. Just focus on taking slow, deep breaths.
So, next time you’ve overindulged, take a moment to breathe deeply, do some gentle stretches, and maybe think about skipping the leftovers tomorrow.