A Balanced Digestive System

We all know Digestive System plays a very important role in our daily life. It absorbs all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals of the food that we are taking by breaking down the food into small molecules and turning it into energy and helps human with growth and cell repair. Your Mouth – Esophagus – Stomach – Small Intestine – Pancreas Liver – Gall Bladder – Large Intestine – Rectum and finally – Anus works together to complete a one full cycle of digestion. Digestive process is controlled by the following: 1. Hormones – lining in your stomach releases hormones that stimulate the production of digestive system, while 2. Nerve regulators – connects to your brain and spinal cord to release chemicals that makes the muscles in gastrointestinal track to contract or relax.

A healthy diet leads to healthy digestion and healthy digestion leads your entire body happy and healthy. But it is not only with the food intake, it can also lead one person imbalance from one’s lifestyle and emotions. The digestive track or gastrointestinal tract where the food goes through is sensitive to emotion such as Anger, anxiety and sadness— all of these feelings can trigger symptoms in the gut. In fact most of the diseases’ causes are coming from indigestion. When a human being is under stress, the body activates what we have come to know as the “flight or fight” response in the central nervous system. In a matter of seconds, most of the blood in the body gets shunted out from the digestive system.

Earlier yogis believe that healthy digestion leads to pleasant health and understands the connection of mind and body; in fact digestive system mirrors the overall lifestyle choice of a person. With Pranayama practice it detoxifies our body from the wrong diet or unhealthy lifestyle accumulated from stress and other negative emotions. And with Asana practice it creates a positive quality of mind, relaxation and a better digestive health you will naturally choose a lifestyle and food that gives you balance and harmony. Here are some of the yoga poses (Asanas) that helps with digestion:

  • Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) / Parivrita Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose)
  • Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend Pose) – my favorite!
  • Ardha Matseyandrasana
  • Marichyasana (I-III)
  • Marjaryasana-Bitilasana (Cat-Cow Pose)
  • Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
  • Setu Bandha Saravangasana (Bridge Pose)

With a combination of above Asanas and proper breathing (Pranayama) these will help to relieve a wide range of digestive discomfort and leads us to a balanced digestion. Eat Healthy, Think Positive and be happy to achieve healthier digestive system.

 

-Berna Honrejas-

01 November 2016