Yoga to improve digestion. Find out how to beat the aches of overindulgence with routines from Artistic Yoga that help to improve digestion. See more at: http://gulfnews.com/gntv
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00:00Namaste and welcome to this week's article on Artistic Yoga.
00:16We're looking at what can be done from a yoga perspective to take care of digestive disorders.
00:21As you know we all eat outdoors, we are eating a lot most of the time, we have a lot of stress
00:26in day-to-day life, so the first thing that takes the load is the digestive system.
00:31From basic indigestion to more serious problems, everyone seems to have some kind of problem
00:37with their digesting.
00:38So we look at what can be done to ensure that we have proper digestion and we can enjoy
00:44a meal out like this.
00:47The first thing that we look at is called Pavan Muktasana.
00:51To do this yogic pose, lie down on your back, bend your knees, as you exhale, hold your
00:58knees and press it towards your chest.
01:00You can then touch your chin to your knees.
01:05If in case you have high blood pressure, don't hold for too long and if you have a cervical
01:10problem, don't touch your chin to your knees.
01:14The benefits of Pavan Muktasana include improved digestion and an ability to press the glands
01:21and organs of the body to remove flatulence.
01:24The second pose that we look at is a classic yoga meditation pose called Vajrasana.
01:30Bend your knees and interlock the big toes of your feet and sit down comfortably.
01:36Vajrasana is the only yogic position that can be done after food.
01:42The benefits include resting the body so that your digestion can be more comfortable.
01:49The next pose that we look at is something called Agnisaar Kriya, activation of the digestive
01:56fire.
01:57To do this, come into a standing position, take in a deep breath.
02:01As you blow out, bend the body, placing your hands on your thighs.
02:06Now with the stomach pulled in, start to move your stomach in and out.
02:11Breathing is happening automatically and one's focus remains on the movement of the stomach
02:16muscles.
02:18We now look at two very important yogic cleansing practices or Shatkarmas.
02:23The first is called Kunjal Kriya and is done to clean the stomach and alimentary canal
02:28to the mouth.
02:29It has to be done early in the morning on an empty stomach.
02:32We first take two bottles of lukewarm water with a tablespoon of salt in it and drink
02:40this rapidly.
02:42Once we have drunk the water, then prepare to regurgitate or vomit this.
02:50Bend your knees, get into a comfortable position.
02:52With three fingers, irritate the back of the tongue.
02:57This causes a regurgitation and the water from inside begins to be expelled out of the
03:03body.
03:05What happens while this is going on is that all the bad bacteria and undigested food particles
03:11in the stomach is also thrown out with that water.
03:15Rest, lie down on the mat, rest for about 45 minutes without sleeping.
03:25The next Shatkarma practice that we take on is a more detailed practice called Laghu Shankha
03:30Prakshalana.
03:31This is the yogic form of colon cleansing.
03:34Again it's done in the morning.
03:36First drink two bottles of lukewarm water with a bit of salt in it.
03:41Once you have done this, we do five positions to open the different sphincters of the body.
03:48The first position is called Tadasana.
03:51Breathe in, come up onto your toes, exhale, drop your hands.
03:58We repeat this movement eight times.
04:04The second movement is called Tiryaka Tadasana.
04:07Breathe in, stretch your hands up, as you exhale go down to one side and then go down
04:15to the other side.
04:17Come back and exhale.
04:22The third position is called Kati Chakrasana.
04:26Put one hand on the opposite shoulder, breathe in, turn to one side and then turn to the
04:32other side, exhale, come back to the start position.
04:37We're doing this also eight times.
04:40The fourth position is called Tiryaka Gujangasana.
04:44Lie down, inhale, come up, twist to one side and to the other.
04:55Come back to the start position and exhale.
04:58This is also done eight times.
05:00The final position is called Kavachalanasana.
05:05Sit on your haunches, breathe in, push one knee across and twist and to the other side,
05:15exhale and come back.
05:17Repeating this eight times as well.
05:19All these positions progressively open the different sphincters of the body.
05:24The water passes through the stomach into the intestines and after which generally one
05:30feels like going to the loo and just clear water passes through the digestive tract.
05:37Once you have done this, rest in Shavasana for about 45 minutes to an hour.
05:43Finally, we finish with a yogic cleansing and breathing technique, Anulom Vilom.
05:50Breathe in through the right nostril, block both the nostrils and then exhale through
05:56the left.
05:58Once you have breathed in through the left, block nostrils, exhale through the right.
06:04So we are doing alternate nostril breathing with a retention in between.
06:08Once you have done this for 5-6 rounds, it will help to de-stress you and relax you.
06:14I hope you benefit from this series of exercises and yours too a great digestion.
06:20Happy eating and happy digesting.
06:23Thank you and Namaste.